So, in the autumn of 1915, there stood Sven Salén, gazing at his acquisition in Gothenburg’s harbour. He and a ship’s master had borrowed money for the purchase. Sven had graduated from the Gothenburg College of Commerce (Handelsinstitut) but after two years of working for the Göteborg Handelsbank had tired of bookkeeping. He yearned for the chance to do business with his newly established shipping company, Rederi AB Gothia. Plainly, it was the scent not only of salt, tar, oil and red-lead he smelt in the air there by the quayside, but also cash. 

With money on his mind, Salén soon bought a second engine-driven schooner, the Ida. But the next purchase was a sailing ship. The acquisition was named the Transocean, a fast ship capable of 17.5 knots. The engine-driven ships of the time were seldom faster than 10 knots. On the other hand, neither were they dependent on the wind.

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