Thor (1903)

Thor was a Danish research vessel from 1903 to 1927. She was built by Edwards Brothers at North Shields, England in 1899 as a steam trawler. Thor conducted hydrographical and oceanographical research in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean and helped locate the spawning grounds of the Icelandic cod.[3] Most importantly, Thor conducted two expeditions to the Mediterranean Sea in 1908-1910 with Johannes Schmidt as cruise leader. The aim of the expeditions, funded by the Carlsberg Foundation, was to locate the spawning grounds of the European eel. Contrary to their expectations the expeditions found that fewer eel larvae (leptocephals) were found the deeper they went into the Mediterranean, but they also grew larger. The logical conclusion was that the spawning grounds were not in the Mediterranean, but in the Atlantic Ocean. In a broader perspective, the greatest result of the two expeditions was the very large contribution to the general understanding of the oceanography and pelagic fauna of the Mediterranean.[3]

The Danish Research trawler Thor (1903-1927)
History
Denmark
Name: Thor
Owner: Islands Handel & Fiskeri A/S
Port of registry: Copenhagen
Builder: Edwards Bros., North Shields, England
Yard number: 606
Launched: 1898-11-26
Completed: 1899
Out of service: 1902
Denmark
Name: Thor
Owner: Danish Steam Trawling
Operator: Adolph Carl
Port of registry: Copenhagen
In service: 1902
Out of service: 1903
Denmark
Name: Thor
Owner: Danish Ministry for Agriculture and Fishing
Port of registry: Copenhagen
In service: 1903
Out of service: 1927
Identification: Call sign: NLBT[1]
Iceland
Name: Thor
Owner: Bjergningsselskabet Vestmannaø, Iceland
Port of registry: Vestmannaeyjar
In service: 1929
Out of service: 1930
Fate: wrecked[2]
General characteristics
Type: Steam trawler
Tonnage: 190 BT / 71 NT
Length: 115.3 feet
Beam: 21.3 feet
Draught: 11.0 feet
Decks: 1
Propulsion: 325 hp triple expansion steam engine, G.T. Grey, South Shields, 1 x screw
Notes: Rigged as trawler

In 1914, Thor was commissioned into to the Royal Danish Navy, in which she remained until decommissioned in 1929, and transferred to Icelandic ownership, but was wrecked the following year.

The two Thor expeditions to the Mediterranean Sea
  • First expedition in 1908-09.
  • Second expedition in 1910.

References
  1. "www.jmarcussen.dk". Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  2. "Tynebuildships.co.uk". Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  3. Wolff, Torben (1967). 200 years of Danish Marine Exploration. Copenhagen: Rhodos.
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