Colourful history of Bore

Bore’s history in a nutshell

  • 1960 S/S Bore was completed
  • 1960–1977 The ship sailed on the route Turku–Mariehamn–Stockholm
  • 1977 The ship operated between Pietarsaari and Skellefteå under the name S/S Borea
  • 1987–2010 The ship sailed under the Finnish flag on e.g. the Mediterranean Sea, under the name Kristina Regina
  • 2011 The ship became part of Forum Marinum’s museum fleet and was accepted into the register of traditional vessels maintained by the Finnish Heritage Agency
  • 2011 Providing accommodation and restaurant services on the ship was started
  • 2015 The City of Turku centralised its hostel services to Bore with a three-year contract
  • 2018 S/S Bore was taken into use as the Turku Vocational Institute’s learning environment

The colourful history of S/S Bore started in Sweden in 1960. During its active years, the vessel sailed on the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, for example. Finally, Bore ended up as a teaching and museum ship in Turku (Finland), after many owners and through various twists and turns.

S/S Bore was built in Oskarshamn, Sweden, in 1960. The ship sailed on the route Turku–Mariehamn (Finland)–Stockholm. During these seventeen years, the ship, known as ‘Zero Bore’, established its place in the hearts of Turku residents. S/S Bore also occasionally operated between Helsinki and Stockholm.

In 1977, the ship was sold to Jakob Lines, and it continued to operate between Pietarsaari, Finland, and Skellefteå, Sweden, under the name S/S Borea.

Since 1987, the ship was used in international cruise traffic by Kotka-based Kristina Cruises, under the name M/S Kristina Regina. The ship sailed under the Finnish flag on the Mediterranean Sea, for example, until August 2010. At the time, Kristina Cruises had bought a new vessel, M/S Kristina Katarina, for their shipping company and this meant that its predecessor would either be sold or scrapped.

From the sea ship to the riverside to a museum and hostel

People in Turku were passionate about keeping the ship. Oy S/S Borea Ab bought the ship, which was moved to Naantali for renovations. The ship was painted with the original colours of the Bore shipping company, and it was also given back its original name. In October 2010, Bore was towed to Turku. In May 2011, the ship was moved to the dock of Forum Marinum and became a part of the Maritime Centre’s museum fleet, and an exhibition produced by Forum Marinum about the ship’s history was opened in the upper decks of the ship.

In 2011, the ship was also accepted into the Finnish Heritage Agency’s register of traditional vessels, and accommodation and restaurant services were started on the ship in addition to its museum services. In the beginning of 2015, the City of Turku centralised its hostel services to Bore with a three-year contract.

Now, Bore is offering a new kind of learning environment to the hospitality and tourism sectors of the Turku Vocational Institute as well as the students of its technical fields and housekeeping and cleaning services. This also offers opportunities for studying in commercial sectors and implementing various entrepreneurial projects. As a learning environment, the ship is a unique place and a great way of showcasing the professional competence in Turku in a historical, maritime environment: modern competence that respects the past.

Ship hostel s/s Bore

Aurajoki, Linnankatu 72
20100 Turku, Finland
+358 (0) 40 8436611
hostel.bore@turku.fi
 
24 h Reception
Check-in 3-9 pm.
Check-out 11 am.

Book online

Restaurant services and venue bookings

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