Svenska Amerika Linien (shipping company: Sweden)

Swedish American Line; houseflag: White with three Gold Crowns on Blue Disc.
Jarig Bakker, 18 October 2003

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Founded 1914. During World War II, two of its ships were used to repatriate Prisoners Of War to their homelands. The company was dissolved in 1975.
Phil Nelson, 19 October 2003

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This was one of three companies with similar liveries in which Broströms had an interest. Although it was the last formed it was the senior according to Loughran, 1979 ^[2] and thus had no letters on the field unlike the other two, Svenska Amerika-Mexiko Linien and Svenska Östasiatiske Kompaniet, with all three bearing 3 gold crowns on the blue circle and whilst this Swedish symbol was forbidden for private use in 1925 Svenska Amerika Linien and Svenska Östasiatiske Kompaniet were permitted to retain it due to their earlier adoption. The situation with Svenska Amerika-Mexiko is less clear as noted under that company. According to the company centenary history the company was initiated by Rederi A/B Transatlantic with Broström having a small holding which had increased to 33% by 1946 when the company was dissolved upon its assets being acquired by Svenska Amerika-Mexiko Linien only for the new owner to rename itself as the [new] Svenska Amerika Linien. Lloyds still show them in 1978-9 with a couple of Roro vessels, though their last passenger ships were sold in 1975, but then presumably they were absorbed into Rederi A/B Broström but the flag eventually came back into use for the Orient Line A/B. The upper crowns should be slightly angled though I am unsure of the correct shade for the blue.

Loughran 1979 ^[2] shows that they used a stem jack, obviously based on the flag of Gothenburg, being 7 diagonal blue and white bands from lower hoist to upper fly with overall a yellow lion rampant facing the fly.
Neale Rosanoski, 28 August 2006
images contributed by Neale Rosanoski, 28 August 2006

White; in center blue disk; in all corners blue "SAML".
Jarig Bakker, 6 August 2005

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Formed 1911 by Broström and A/S Norge Mexico Gulf Linjen with Broström having over half the share capital by 1941. In 1946 came the take over of Svenska Amerika Linien and the change to that name. The flag as shown by Jarig is sourced from a company pamphlet and is shown by all sources up to World War 2 including a cap badge in the Collectors Corner site. However this site also shows another badge where the circle bears the 3 golden crowns which indicates that both versions did exist. But the only other sources to show it are Brown 1951 ^[12] & 1958 ^[13] which are well after its going out of existence [though the latter does show it as Svenska Amerika Linien] and Loughran 1979 ^[2] who does not, however, note it as one of the companies exempted from the 1925 ban on using the crowns.
Neale Rosanoski, 28 August 2006
image contributed by Neale Rosanoski, 28 August 2006