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rigin of the Original Finding a way for fish Ourstory starts in the late 19th century with the rich fishing grounds found along the northern Norwegian coast. Abundant catches of herring, halibut, and cod needed to reach southern Norway, from where they could be exported to meet ever-increasing demand in southern Europe. However, the 1,250-nautical-mile-long route from Bergen to Kirkenes was lined with perilous reefs, small islands, and narrow inlets. There were only 28 lighthouses north of Trondheim and just two nautical maps, making night-time sailing a risky venture. Shipping services on steamers and single-sailed jakts were also unreliable and infrequent, making the journey long and arduous. Back then, just sendinga letter from Trondheim to Hammerfest took about three weeks, andas much as five months during winter. The Norwegian government wanted to find a remedy for the situation. In 1891, they invited shipping companies to sub- mit tenders to operate a state-sanctioned route between Trondheim and Tromso or Hammerfest, sailing through the night. Noone replied. The government tried again the following year, but the two main shipping companies of the day were completely disinterested. But where these others shied away, one man took on the challenge: Captain Richard With. The father of The Coastal Express Captain Richard Bernhard With was born in Stokmarknes in 1846 with sailing in his blood. The son ofa shipmaster who helped When shipping pioneer Richard With founded The Original Coastal Express back in 1893, it would forever change the future of the Norwegian coast. the city of Tromso acquire its first merchant ship, young Richard would follow in his fa- ther's footsteps, but on a much grander scale. Richard With spent his early days working asa helmsman on merchant ships. He later settled, married, and opened atrade store in Risoyhamn to take advantage of the boom in herring fishing. It was during this period that he quickly recognised the growing need for better sea transportation in the region. In the autumn of 1880, With embarked onanew venture to raise share capital for asteamship company. By November 1881, initial operations began with Captain With asshipmaster. Within three years, he was able to acquire two more ships, opening up trade routes between Bergen and Lofoten. With set about mapping the Norwegian coastline together with Anders Holte, an ex- perienced local sailor. That partnership led to the coast's first major navigation method, based on accurately recording observations of the sea and coast. Acanny businessman, With hired skilled captains who could use the system Holte had developed to navigate the coastal waters in the dark of night, shaving valuable time off each journey while his competitors slept. By the time the government tender came around in 1899, Captain Richard With was ready to defy sceptics and achieve the long-awaited vision of the “hurtig ruten’, “the fast route”, Anicon is born On 2nd July 1893, steamship DS Vesteraalen embarked on the maiden “hurtig ruten” voyage. From Trondheim, it called at nine Richard With, founder of The Original Coastal Express ports and arrived in Hammerfest three days later, 45-minutes ahead of schedule. Itwas a momentous occasion for families all along the coast who waved flags to wel- come the ship. The achievement heralded aradical transformation in communication where letters now only took days rather than weeks, and where people, no longer isolated, were able to freely move about the coastline. The fast, reliable service supported fishing communities, enabling local businesses to fluorish as their catch was sent to the south and exported worldwide. This revolution financed the development of other indus- tries, creating prosperity throughout the country. It didn’t take long for the swift yet safe weekly service to increase to daily. The route was also extended to Bergen in the south and all the way up to Kirkenes on the Russian border. With each milestone, new ships were added to the fleet, and the rest, as they say, ishistory. With retired as ashipmaster and became CEO of the company where he remained un- til1909. He was honoured by the nation and knighted First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St Olay, “a reward for distinguished services rendered to Norway and mankind’, We're proud to continue our founder's pioneering spirit. His legacy lives on with us today, as strong and as committed as ever.
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