BROCHURE

Old times come to life

In the 19th century, before the development of steamships, a spectacular, new type of fast sailing vessel was developed: the clipper.

This ship was ideal for transporting freight and passengers. Legendary ships like the Flying Cloud, Thermopylae, and the Cutty Sark enjoyed world fame. Harbors were packed with large windjammers, but they couldn't come close to the speed of the clippers.

During that time, considerable profits could be made from transporting bureaucrats, soldiers and businessmen to the Dutch Indies.

 English clippers took gold prospectors to Australia and brought wool back with them. There was also plenty to do for the American clippers. Gold fever had broken out in California and there was huge demand for transport.

There was already a strong market for freight like tea and spices, but speed became important. The faster the cargo, passengers, or freight arrived at their destination, the higher the additional transport charge and prices. Therefore, the captains got everything they could out of their ship and crew. Records were broken, legends were born.

The monopoly of these square-rigged, triple-mast vessels collapsed at the end of 1870. The Suez Canal was opened, and the sailing time for competing steamships going to Asia was greatly reduced. Cargo and passenger transportation with clippers, and later windjammers, became uneconomical. In the end, the sailing ships disappeared completely from commercial trade after 1940.

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Now, more than 130 years after the last clipper was built, a new one emerges: the Stad Amsterdam. The ship was jointly commissioned by Randstad and the municipal council of Amsterdam. Together they could envisage a multitude of possibilities for the ship, both as a promotional tool for the company and the city and for the organization of cruises and daytrips all over the world. The ship made its debut during SAIL Amsterdam 2000, when it headed up the international parade of Tall Ships

The StadAmsterdam combines the radiance and romance of the past with the technology and comfort of the future. Just like the ships it is based upon, Clipper StadAmsterdam is extremely fast-one of the fastest ocean sailing vessels in the world in fact. And so the tradition goes on.

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