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                         - China trader "Emma Jebsen" (02) -

                                                       Construction & Delivery

"Emma Jebsen" was built at Werft Nobiskrug in Rendsburg, - Germany -, and the first 5 pictures here were taken at the building yard during the last stage of construction and fitting out, during the period from mid June to July 19th. 1972.

Here is a "secret"!

Just before the main mast was permanently welded on , Captain Feldtman placed a gold coin underneath it.

This is an old tradition from the days of sail , and simply means "Good Luck".

Normally this custom is NOT used anymore , but in the case of "Emma Jebsen" it certainly was!

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On July 19th. "Emma Jebsen" left Werft Nobiskrug for good, - heading for Kiel -, from where the technical sea trials took place, and the last details on the new ship were finished - - - -

Finally, - on July 21st. -, she was ready to be handed over to her owners, - Rhederi M. Jebsen of Aabenraa -, and the actual hand over ceremony took place at the inlet of Aabenraa fjord, from where we took over the responsibility of the ship, and sailed her the last few miles into Aabenraa port - - -

The next pictures show what the arrival to home port Aabenraa looked like - - -

Take note of the nice, elderly couple standing between the two groups of bikes - - - -

They are my parents - my father in black pants and white shirt - hands behind his back - and my mother in a bluish dress - with a handbag in her left hand, - snd waving with her right hand - - -

As "Emma Jebsen" went alongside, - the pier was crowded with both locals and people from far away, who wanted to see and greet the beautiful new ship, as she approached her home port, - which, - by the way -, she would never see again - - - -

The greeting crowd - - -

Again my mother in the lower right corner - with sun-glasses and handbag in her left hand, - while my father can be seen in the middle of the picture, talking to somebody - - -

At the time when "Emma Jebsen" came to Aabenraa, - July 21. 1972 -, this building was just finished, although a few details are still missing, - like the two Chinese lions that were later placed at each side of the main entrance.

The interior was great, - I remember taking note of the materials used, - it all looked perfect to me, - stones, tiles and woodwork all seemed to be of the best quality.

However, - as I write this, - March 2010 -, those who happens to pass through Aabenraa today, will not find this building anymore.

It is not gone, but it has just been totally renovated, and completely changed appearance to a degree that absolutely nothing reminds about the building you see on above picture.

And the result of the upgrading of the building is stunning. It really looks impressive, - massive and a lot more traditional -, and it fits in very well to the neighbour building - - - -

"Emma Jebsen" only stayed in her home port Aabenraa until the next day, - and on July 22nd. 1972, - after the Chinese crew had arrived -, we were finally ready to start on the maiden voyage.

"Emma Jebsen" had been chartered to Mao's China, and the first voyage for the charterer went to British Guyana in South America, where we had to pick up a cargo of green heart logs, - a hard and heavy tropical tree -, that was well suited for harbour constructions, since the wood would not easily be broken down and rot in sea water.

The cargo of logs finally arrived in Shanghai, - China -, on September 11th. 1972.

Little did I know, that this "Emma Jebsen" adventure would be the start of the longest uninterrupted service period I had ever done on any ship.

I stayed on "Emma Jebsen" for almost 15 months in Red Chinese service, and finally signed off in Kobe, - Japan -, on August 27th. 1973.

See more about "Emma Jebsen", - Denmark's last China trader -, in the following pages - - -