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2006年7月18日，中国广东珠江海滨成千上万的人正在翘首以待，热情迎接一艘来自遥远的北欧风帆贵宾船——哥德堡号。
这艘由瑞典人历时十年、耗资3000多万美元、由4000名工程技术人员和志愿者合力打造的仿古商船，在中国领航员的引领下驶进了广东南沙港码头，身穿灰色西装的瑞典国王卡尔十六世古斯塔夫和身着宝蓝色礼服、头戴宝蓝色礼帽的西尔维娅皇后携手走下舷梯，他们在鲜花彩旗的簇拥下，走过长达20米的红地毯，首次踏上中国的土地。
261年前的悲壮之旅
早在18世纪30年代，远在万里之遥的瑞典王国就开始了与中国的海上商贸往来，瑞典人当时精心打造的哥德堡号Ⅰ号于1738年下水，曾先后三次远航广州。它给这座古老的中国南方城市带来了欧洲的呢绒、皮革、钟表、珠宝和白银器具，同时将欧洲喜爱的中国丝绸、茶叶、布匹、瓷器和精美绝伦的东方工艺品运回欧洲。瑞典东印度公司哥德堡号起锚离港开始它的第三次广州之旅是1743年3月，它在1年零6个月的海上跋涉中，船员们饱受风暴、霍乱、酷热、海盗袭扰和食物、淡水匮乏的折磨，历尽艰辛， 终于辗转抵达广州黄埔港，1745年1月，休整后的船员们又为这艘风帆船装载了19箱丝绸、2677箱茶叶、50多万件精美瓷器、6000多锭铁锡合金和珍贵人参、药材、家具、藤器、烧酒、珍珠母等货物蹒跚地踏上了归途。1745年9月12日，哥德堡市民一早便来到海岸边迎候这艘颠簸了8个多月的海上游子归来。然而就在此时，一件不可思议的事情发生了：哥德堡号航行到离港口只有900米的海面时，不知为什么竟莫名其妙地偏离了航线，一头闯进了被航海家视为绝地的“汉尼巴丹”礁石区。刹那间，船头触礁，船体随即倾覆，在无数人的惊呼声中，哥德堡号带着疲惫的身躯和价值连城的中国财富沉入海底。
关于哥德堡号沉没的原因，至今仍众说纷纭：有的说它负荷超重；有的说是船上的许多船员因即将返回祖国海岸高兴得喝醉了酒；有的说它在回程中经过南非海面时，因遭遇强烈风暴， 30名水手葬身大海，冲出风暴区后又有16名船员染上了可怕的传染病而命丧黄泉，所以船到哥德堡港时，船上的水手已经寥寥无几等等。
事后，船主东印度公司对哥德堡号进行了抢救性打捞，打捞上岸80匹丝绸、30吨茶叶和大量瓷器，拍卖所得竟然足够支付哥德堡号广州之行的全部成本，而且还获利14%。不过船上还有300多吨茶叶留在海底，难怪后人写道：“汉尼巴丹海域从此变成了世界上最大的茶碗！”
数年后，瑞典东印度公司哥德堡号Ⅱ号建成下水，然而它又沉没在南非海域。1813年瑞典东印度公司终于关闭，于是哥德堡号的一切神奇经历便永远留在了人们的记忆中。
240年的茶叶依然沁人心脾
1984年，瑞典的一次民间考古活动，意外地发现了沉睡在汉尼巴丹水域的哥德堡Ⅰ号残骸，潜水员安德斯第一次跃入冰冷的水中，一经潜入海底，那布满海底的碎瓷片顿时把他惊呆了，同时他又惊奇地发现散落海底的货物箱，有许多竟然完好无损！
瑞典据此当即进行海上科考发掘工作，在将近十年的时间里，共打捞出400多件完整的瓷器和9吨多瓷器残片。当我们在越秀山镇海楼广州博物馆细细观赏这些出水瓷器和碎瓷片时，我们的心跳骤然加快了：那出自清朝康、雍、乾三代艺人高手的瓷器，工艺是那样的精美，图案色彩是那样艳丽，不由得让人叹为观止！
更为令人惊叹的是展品中居然还有和瓷器一同出水的茶叶，这些茶叶虽然颜色已不很鲜亮，但据曾品尝过这200多年前陈茶的瑞典文化部长比吉特·弗雷雅布夫人介绍：这种陈茶有着特殊的清香，沁人心脾，这真是匪夷所思！
发掘催生了世纪之梦
凭借历时十年的海上打捞和发掘，哥德堡号260多年的传奇经历再次激发了瑞典人不尽的怀念和遐想：18世纪的光辉篇章今天还能延续和谱写吗？1993年，瑞典新东印度公司挂牌成立，公司决策者当即拍板：我们将以哥德堡Ⅰ号为原型，再造一艘哥德堡Ⅲ号，它将沿着前人的航迹，扬帆破浪，再驶中国广州，以重现当年的海上丝绸之旅！
再造哥德堡号愿望很美好，但是制造资金却大得惊人：据初步估算，重新打造哥德堡号需要3亿瑞典克郎(约3亿人民币)，完成整个航行计划还需要2亿克郎。这个愿望虽然耗资巨大，且短期内还看不到盈利的前景，但哥德堡人看中的是其背后的深远意义和长远效益。哥德堡市第一副市长芮德凯在接受中国记者采访时说：“我深信这个项目对中国人民是极具吸引力的，同时最重要的是，它是瑞典和中国之间的桥梁，这个项目能使我们更多地了解中国，中国人也可以更多地了解瑞典。”
这个以造船工业称雄世界的国家，没有想到复制一艘260年前的木桅仿古帆船，竟然比建造一艘现代化万吨巨轮要困难得多：没有原始设计图纸，设计师们不得不借鉴海底沉船残骸和仅有的文史资料摸索绘制；为了确保21世纪的仿古帆船万无一失，哥德堡Ⅲ号又需要尽可能在保持哥德堡I号原貌的情况下，巧妙调整船舱布局，增加现代的推进装置、电力供应设备和现代人的生活、医疗设施。
经过十年的艰辛努力，一艘长58.5米、宽11米、深9米、主桅杆高47米、排水量1250吨、压载400吨的哥德堡Ⅲ号以它矫健的英姿出现在人们视野中。它外形酷似它的前辈哥德堡Ⅰ号，所不同的是老船额定载员140名，新船设定80名；老船装备的30门大炮主要用于驱赶海盗，而新船上的大炮则用于施放礼炮。
重走海上丝绸之路
2003年6月6日，哥德堡Ⅲ号在瑞典名城哥德堡市新地船厂成功下水，瑞典国王卡尔十六世——哥德堡Ⅲ号建造项目的监护人与瑞典皇室成员一起出席了盛大的下水典礼；2004年9月3日，瑞典王国西尔维娅王后作为新船的教母，为其命名祝福。王后将原称的哥德堡Ⅲ号正式命名为哥德堡号；2005年10月2日，哥德堡号从哥德堡港起锚，沿着“海上丝路”的轨迹，扬帆远航，驶向260多年前曾经多次造访过的中国。10万哥德堡市民和各国游客像赶集一样从四面八方涌向码头，向哥德堡号挥手告别。海军炮台发礼炮送行，无数航海爱好者驾着帆船、游艇，如众星拱月一般，在长鸣的汽笛中一直将哥德堡号送到出海口。
哥德堡号乘风破浪一路前行，途经西班牙的加迪斯港、巴西累西腓、南非开普敦，绕道骇浪滔天的好望角，穿越浩瀚的印度洋，取道澳大利亚的弗里曼特尔和印尼首都雅加达，历经19600海里的漫漫航程和290个日日夜夜，终于在2006年7月18日顺利抵达广州南沙港。
哥德堡号的远航，其意义早已超过哥德堡市和广州市之间的城际友好交往，它成了纪念中瑞两国建交55周年的外交盛事，中国政府和瑞典政府都非常重视这次海上丝绸之路的复航，欢迎仪式级别定为国家级。
哥德堡号在广州的一个月时间里，广州市政府为其举办了一系列纪念活动：盛大的欢迎仪式、纪念雕塑落成揭幕、白鹅潭龙舟竞渡、“哥德堡号与广州”大型图片展、双边贸易关系研讨会、“海上丝绸之路”纪念广场和哥德堡号访问广州纪念碑奠基典礼、中瑞国际海洋文化节等等。
直至8月19日，哥德堡号才在热情的羊城人民恋恋不舍的目光中缓缓离开广州洲头咀码头，前往中国之旅的第二站——远东最大的国际大都市上海。离开中国时，好客的中国人民为哥德堡号准备了珍贵的礼品：特制的一百坛高级茶叶、留着当年浓浓茶香的古徽道石板、产自中国云南的野生古茶树制成的普洱茶、融合了“三雕、一彩、一绣”工艺的一座中式仿古船、100套精美的紫砂茶具等等，至于船员自己采购的物品，更是不计其数。
2006年11月2日哥德堡号停靠浙江舟山，舟山各界盛情欢迎和款待了来自瑞典的友好使者。哥德堡号满载着中国人民的深情厚谊踏上回家之路时，沿途还将停靠中国香港、澳门。
Gotheborg Revisits China
On July 18, 2006, thousands of people flocked to the Nansha Port in Guangzhou in southern China’s Guangdong Province. They were there to cheer the arrival of the unique Gotheborg, the namesake predecessor of which paid its last visit to Guangzhou in 1744 and did not have a chance to come back.
If it was not the first voyage the Swedish ship took to China, then it was the first royal visit of the Swedish King and Queen to the city. After eight deafening cannon shots, Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia walked down the ship’s steps along a red carpet and set foot on the land of China.
As early as the 1730s, Sweden started to trade with China. The Gotheborg I, launched to the sea in 1738 and one of the fleet under the banner of the Swedish East India Company, took three voyages to Guangzhou, bringing woolen cloth, leather, timepieces, pearls, and silverware to China and shipping China’s silk, tea, fabric, porcelain, and artifacts to Europe.
The third voyage to Guangzhou started in March 1743. After a journey of one year and six months full of untold hardships, it arrived at the Huangpu Port, Guangzhou. In January, 1745, the ship was ready for the home voyage, with a full cargo of 19 cases of silk, 2,677 cases of tea, more than 500,000 porcelains, 6,000 ingots of iron-zinc alloy as well as ginseng and other herbal medicines, furniture, rattans, wine and pearls.
On September 12, 1745, the citizens of Gothenburg, Sweden flocked to the port to welcome the return of the ship. At just about 900 meters away from the port, the ship veered inexplicably off the route and ran into rocks and sank with all the wealth.
There were hypotheses about the sinking of the Gotheborg. Some said the ship was overloaded; some guessed that the ship crew got drunk and mishandled the ship; some concluded that the ship was seriously understaffed after dozens of sailors perished in a storm on its way back to Sweden.
The East India Company salvaged 80 bolts of silk, 30 tons of tea and a lot of porcelains from the wrecked ship. The rest of the cargo was lost. After an auction, however, the company was able to cover all the costs and cashed an unexpected 14 percent profit.
A few years later, the Swedish East India Company built the Gotheborg II, but the ship was wrecked near South Africa. In 1813, the company was closed, leaving the Gotheborg stories in people’s memory.
In 1984, a diver found the sunken Gotheborg I by accident. The following salvage project lasted nearly 10 years and more than 400 porcelains kept intact were salvaged and more than 9 tons of porcelain shards were scooped up. Today, some porcelain shards and tea from the wrecked ship are on display in Guangzhou Museum.
The archaeological findings of the Gotheborg I inspired the Swedish people. Could the glory of the 18th century come back today? The new East India Company, which came into being in 1993, decided to build the Gotheborg III on the basis of the prototype so that the new ship would follow the Silk Road on the sea all the way to Guangzhou.
The new ship would cost nearly 300 million Swedish Kronor and the whole voyage would cost another 200 million. It would be an investment with no predictable monetary return. However, the company decided to go ahead with the project. The King supervised over the building of the ship.
Rebuilding the Gotheborg proved no easy task for the country’s powerful shipbuilding industry. It was more difficult than to build a modern ship. With no available drawings of the original ship, designers had to study the wreck and the historical archive to reproduce a blueprint. To ensure the seaworthiness of the ship, the structure was readjusted inside to install a modern propulsion system, an electricity system and medical instruments.
After ten years?hard work, the Gotheborg III came into being. The replica ship measures 58.5 meters in length, 11 meters in width, 9 meters in depth, and the mainmast 47 meters in height. The 1,250 tonnage ship carries a ballast of 400 tons. The ship looks like the old one in appearance, but the crew is reduced from 140 to 80 and the cannons are designed to fire salutation, not to fight pirates.
The new Gotheborg III was launched on June 6, 2003. A gala ceremony was held in Gothenburg, attended by the Swedish royal family. On September 3, 2004, Queen Silvia, as godmother of the ship, christened the ship as Gotheborg officially. The ship set sail to China on October 2, 2005. One hundred thousands of Gothenburg residents and foreign tourists waved goodbye to the sailing ship on its maiden voyage.
The voyage was more than an event of friendship between Gothenburg and Guangzhou. It was a diplomatic celebration to mark the 55th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Sweden. The two governments gave first priority to the event. All the welcome ceremonies were held at the state level.
The Gotheborg stayed in Guangzhou for a month. A series of events and activities were staged to celebrate the revisit of the Gotheborg. The ship then left Guangzhou on August 19, 2006 for Shanghai, carrying precious gifts from Guangzhou people.
On its way to Shanghai, the ship docked at Zhoushan on October 2, where it received warm welcome, too.
(Translated by David)
这艘由瑞典人历时十年、耗资3000多万美元、由4000名工程技术人员和志愿者合力打造的仿古商船，在中国领航员的引领下驶进了广东南沙港码头，身穿灰色西装的瑞典国王卡尔十六世古斯塔夫和身着宝蓝色礼服、头戴宝蓝色礼帽的西尔维娅皇后携手走下舷梯，他们在鲜花彩旗的簇拥下，走过长达20米的红地毯，首次踏上中国的土地。
261年前的悲壮之旅
早在18世纪30年代，远在万里之遥的瑞典王国就开始了与中国的海上商贸往来，瑞典人当时精心打造的哥德堡号Ⅰ号于1738年下水，曾先后三次远航广州。它给这座古老的中国南方城市带来了欧洲的呢绒、皮革、钟表、珠宝和白银器具，同时将欧洲喜爱的中国丝绸、茶叶、布匹、瓷器和精美绝伦的东方工艺品运回欧洲。瑞典东印度公司哥德堡号起锚离港开始它的第三次广州之旅是1743年3月，它在1年零6个月的海上跋涉中，船员们饱受风暴、霍乱、酷热、海盗袭扰和食物、淡水匮乏的折磨，历尽艰辛， 终于辗转抵达广州黄埔港，1745年1月，休整后的船员们又为这艘风帆船装载了19箱丝绸、2677箱茶叶、50多万件精美瓷器、6000多锭铁锡合金和珍贵人参、药材、家具、藤器、烧酒、珍珠母等货物蹒跚地踏上了归途。1745年9月12日，哥德堡市民一早便来到海岸边迎候这艘颠簸了8个多月的海上游子归来。然而就在此时，一件不可思议的事情发生了：哥德堡号航行到离港口只有900米的海面时，不知为什么竟莫名其妙地偏离了航线，一头闯进了被航海家视为绝地的“汉尼巴丹”礁石区。刹那间，船头触礁，船体随即倾覆，在无数人的惊呼声中，哥德堡号带着疲惫的身躯和价值连城的中国财富沉入海底。
关于哥德堡号沉没的原因，至今仍众说纷纭：有的说它负荷超重；有的说是船上的许多船员因即将返回祖国海岸高兴得喝醉了酒；有的说它在回程中经过南非海面时，因遭遇强烈风暴， 30名水手葬身大海，冲出风暴区后又有16名船员染上了可怕的传染病而命丧黄泉，所以船到哥德堡港时，船上的水手已经寥寥无几等等。
事后，船主东印度公司对哥德堡号进行了抢救性打捞，打捞上岸80匹丝绸、30吨茶叶和大量瓷器，拍卖所得竟然足够支付哥德堡号广州之行的全部成本，而且还获利14%。不过船上还有300多吨茶叶留在海底，难怪后人写道：“汉尼巴丹海域从此变成了世界上最大的茶碗！”
数年后，瑞典东印度公司哥德堡号Ⅱ号建成下水，然而它又沉没在南非海域。1813年瑞典东印度公司终于关闭，于是哥德堡号的一切神奇经历便永远留在了人们的记忆中。
240年的茶叶依然沁人心脾
1984年，瑞典的一次民间考古活动，意外地发现了沉睡在汉尼巴丹水域的哥德堡Ⅰ号残骸，潜水员安德斯第一次跃入冰冷的水中，一经潜入海底，那布满海底的碎瓷片顿时把他惊呆了，同时他又惊奇地发现散落海底的货物箱，有许多竟然完好无损！
瑞典据此当即进行海上科考发掘工作，在将近十年的时间里，共打捞出400多件完整的瓷器和9吨多瓷器残片。当我们在越秀山镇海楼广州博物馆细细观赏这些出水瓷器和碎瓷片时，我们的心跳骤然加快了：那出自清朝康、雍、乾三代艺人高手的瓷器，工艺是那样的精美，图案色彩是那样艳丽，不由得让人叹为观止！
更为令人惊叹的是展品中居然还有和瓷器一同出水的茶叶，这些茶叶虽然颜色已不很鲜亮，但据曾品尝过这200多年前陈茶的瑞典文化部长比吉特·弗雷雅布夫人介绍：这种陈茶有着特殊的清香，沁人心脾，这真是匪夷所思！
发掘催生了世纪之梦
凭借历时十年的海上打捞和发掘，哥德堡号260多年的传奇经历再次激发了瑞典人不尽的怀念和遐想：18世纪的光辉篇章今天还能延续和谱写吗？1993年，瑞典新东印度公司挂牌成立，公司决策者当即拍板：我们将以哥德堡Ⅰ号为原型，再造一艘哥德堡Ⅲ号，它将沿着前人的航迹，扬帆破浪，再驶中国广州，以重现当年的海上丝绸之旅！
再造哥德堡号愿望很美好，但是制造资金却大得惊人：据初步估算，重新打造哥德堡号需要3亿瑞典克郎(约3亿人民币)，完成整个航行计划还需要2亿克郎。这个愿望虽然耗资巨大，且短期内还看不到盈利的前景，但哥德堡人看中的是其背后的深远意义和长远效益。哥德堡市第一副市长芮德凯在接受中国记者采访时说：“我深信这个项目对中国人民是极具吸引力的，同时最重要的是，它是瑞典和中国之间的桥梁，这个项目能使我们更多地了解中国，中国人也可以更多地了解瑞典。”
这个以造船工业称雄世界的国家，没有想到复制一艘260年前的木桅仿古帆船，竟然比建造一艘现代化万吨巨轮要困难得多：没有原始设计图纸，设计师们不得不借鉴海底沉船残骸和仅有的文史资料摸索绘制；为了确保21世纪的仿古帆船万无一失，哥德堡Ⅲ号又需要尽可能在保持哥德堡I号原貌的情况下，巧妙调整船舱布局，增加现代的推进装置、电力供应设备和现代人的生活、医疗设施。
经过十年的艰辛努力，一艘长58.5米、宽11米、深9米、主桅杆高47米、排水量1250吨、压载400吨的哥德堡Ⅲ号以它矫健的英姿出现在人们视野中。它外形酷似它的前辈哥德堡Ⅰ号，所不同的是老船额定载员140名，新船设定80名；老船装备的30门大炮主要用于驱赶海盗，而新船上的大炮则用于施放礼炮。
重走海上丝绸之路
2003年6月6日，哥德堡Ⅲ号在瑞典名城哥德堡市新地船厂成功下水，瑞典国王卡尔十六世——哥德堡Ⅲ号建造项目的监护人与瑞典皇室成员一起出席了盛大的下水典礼；2004年9月3日，瑞典王国西尔维娅王后作为新船的教母，为其命名祝福。王后将原称的哥德堡Ⅲ号正式命名为哥德堡号；2005年10月2日，哥德堡号从哥德堡港起锚，沿着“海上丝路”的轨迹，扬帆远航，驶向260多年前曾经多次造访过的中国。10万哥德堡市民和各国游客像赶集一样从四面八方涌向码头，向哥德堡号挥手告别。海军炮台发礼炮送行，无数航海爱好者驾着帆船、游艇，如众星拱月一般，在长鸣的汽笛中一直将哥德堡号送到出海口。
哥德堡号乘风破浪一路前行，途经西班牙的加迪斯港、巴西累西腓、南非开普敦，绕道骇浪滔天的好望角，穿越浩瀚的印度洋，取道澳大利亚的弗里曼特尔和印尼首都雅加达，历经19600海里的漫漫航程和290个日日夜夜，终于在2006年7月18日顺利抵达广州南沙港。
哥德堡号的远航，其意义早已超过哥德堡市和广州市之间的城际友好交往，它成了纪念中瑞两国建交55周年的外交盛事，中国政府和瑞典政府都非常重视这次海上丝绸之路的复航，欢迎仪式级别定为国家级。
哥德堡号在广州的一个月时间里，广州市政府为其举办了一系列纪念活动：盛大的欢迎仪式、纪念雕塑落成揭幕、白鹅潭龙舟竞渡、“哥德堡号与广州”大型图片展、双边贸易关系研讨会、“海上丝绸之路”纪念广场和哥德堡号访问广州纪念碑奠基典礼、中瑞国际海洋文化节等等。
直至8月19日，哥德堡号才在热情的羊城人民恋恋不舍的目光中缓缓离开广州洲头咀码头，前往中国之旅的第二站——远东最大的国际大都市上海。离开中国时，好客的中国人民为哥德堡号准备了珍贵的礼品：特制的一百坛高级茶叶、留着当年浓浓茶香的古徽道石板、产自中国云南的野生古茶树制成的普洱茶、融合了“三雕、一彩、一绣”工艺的一座中式仿古船、100套精美的紫砂茶具等等，至于船员自己采购的物品，更是不计其数。
2006年11月2日哥德堡号停靠浙江舟山，舟山各界盛情欢迎和款待了来自瑞典的友好使者。哥德堡号满载着中国人民的深情厚谊踏上回家之路时，沿途还将停靠中国香港、澳门。
Gotheborg Revisits China
On July 18, 2006, thousands of people flocked to the Nansha Port in Guangzhou in southern China’s Guangdong Province. They were there to cheer the arrival of the unique Gotheborg, the namesake predecessor of which paid its last visit to Guangzhou in 1744 and did not have a chance to come back.
If it was not the first voyage the Swedish ship took to China, then it was the first royal visit of the Swedish King and Queen to the city. After eight deafening cannon shots, Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia walked down the ship’s steps along a red carpet and set foot on the land of China.
As early as the 1730s, Sweden started to trade with China. The Gotheborg I, launched to the sea in 1738 and one of the fleet under the banner of the Swedish East India Company, took three voyages to Guangzhou, bringing woolen cloth, leather, timepieces, pearls, and silverware to China and shipping China’s silk, tea, fabric, porcelain, and artifacts to Europe.
The third voyage to Guangzhou started in March 1743. After a journey of one year and six months full of untold hardships, it arrived at the Huangpu Port, Guangzhou. In January, 1745, the ship was ready for the home voyage, with a full cargo of 19 cases of silk, 2,677 cases of tea, more than 500,000 porcelains, 6,000 ingots of iron-zinc alloy as well as ginseng and other herbal medicines, furniture, rattans, wine and pearls.
On September 12, 1745, the citizens of Gothenburg, Sweden flocked to the port to welcome the return of the ship. At just about 900 meters away from the port, the ship veered inexplicably off the route and ran into rocks and sank with all the wealth.
There were hypotheses about the sinking of the Gotheborg. Some said the ship was overloaded; some guessed that the ship crew got drunk and mishandled the ship; some concluded that the ship was seriously understaffed after dozens of sailors perished in a storm on its way back to Sweden.
The East India Company salvaged 80 bolts of silk, 30 tons of tea and a lot of porcelains from the wrecked ship. The rest of the cargo was lost. After an auction, however, the company was able to cover all the costs and cashed an unexpected 14 percent profit.
A few years later, the Swedish East India Company built the Gotheborg II, but the ship was wrecked near South Africa. In 1813, the company was closed, leaving the Gotheborg stories in people’s memory.
In 1984, a diver found the sunken Gotheborg I by accident. The following salvage project lasted nearly 10 years and more than 400 porcelains kept intact were salvaged and more than 9 tons of porcelain shards were scooped up. Today, some porcelain shards and tea from the wrecked ship are on display in Guangzhou Museum.
The archaeological findings of the Gotheborg I inspired the Swedish people. Could the glory of the 18th century come back today? The new East India Company, which came into being in 1993, decided to build the Gotheborg III on the basis of the prototype so that the new ship would follow the Silk Road on the sea all the way to Guangzhou.
The new ship would cost nearly 300 million Swedish Kronor and the whole voyage would cost another 200 million. It would be an investment with no predictable monetary return. However, the company decided to go ahead with the project. The King supervised over the building of the ship.
Rebuilding the Gotheborg proved no easy task for the country’s powerful shipbuilding industry. It was more difficult than to build a modern ship. With no available drawings of the original ship, designers had to study the wreck and the historical archive to reproduce a blueprint. To ensure the seaworthiness of the ship, the structure was readjusted inside to install a modern propulsion system, an electricity system and medical instruments.
After ten years?hard work, the Gotheborg III came into being. The replica ship measures 58.5 meters in length, 11 meters in width, 9 meters in depth, and the mainmast 47 meters in height. The 1,250 tonnage ship carries a ballast of 400 tons. The ship looks like the old one in appearance, but the crew is reduced from 140 to 80 and the cannons are designed to fire salutation, not to fight pirates.
The new Gotheborg III was launched on June 6, 2003. A gala ceremony was held in Gothenburg, attended by the Swedish royal family. On September 3, 2004, Queen Silvia, as godmother of the ship, christened the ship as Gotheborg officially. The ship set sail to China on October 2, 2005. One hundred thousands of Gothenburg residents and foreign tourists waved goodbye to the sailing ship on its maiden voyage.
The voyage was more than an event of friendship between Gothenburg and Guangzhou. It was a diplomatic celebration to mark the 55th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Sweden. The two governments gave first priority to the event. All the welcome ceremonies were held at the state level.
The Gotheborg stayed in Guangzhou for a month. A series of events and activities were staged to celebrate the revisit of the Gotheborg. The ship then left Guangzhou on August 19, 2006 for Shanghai, carrying precious gifts from Guangzhou people.
On its way to Shanghai, the ship docked at Zhoushan on October 2, where it received warm welcome, too.
(Translated by David)