First of 27 steel cradles in place around the warship Vasa

The 17 pairs of external cradle elements on which Vasa currently rests will be replaced with 27 specially designed steel cradles, with a joint under the keel. All to preserve the ship for the future. The first of these has now been put in place. Work with the support structure will continue as planned in the autumn.

“It feels really good that today’s installation work went according to plan. It bodes well for the remaining work to build and install the new support structure,” says Magnus Olofsson, project director of the Support Vasa project.

The wood of the ship is fragile and has lost a lot of its original strength. Over time, deformations have occurred in the hull, while the ship as a whole moves too much. Although the movements themselves are small, they could have major consequences in the long term. If nothing is done, the ship will eventually keel over.

“The problem with the current support structure is that it doesn’t support the ship in enough places. As if that weren't enough, it also supports the wrong places here and there. To address this, the new support structure is completely tailored to the design of the ship, with the cradles positioned where they are needed most,” explains Magnus Olofsson.

Each cradle element is unique

Each individual cradle element is designed to suit the specific location on the ship where it will be installed. In addition, 182 load cells are being installed in the support structure.

“This will let us know exactly how much load the support structure bears in each unique support point. As a bonus, we’ll also be able to find out exactly how much the ship itself weighs – something we don’t know today,” says Magnus Olofsson. He continues:

“The weight is somewhere between 800 and 1,200 metric tonnes, and we used the higher figure as a starting point when dimensioning the new support structure. Vasa has difficulty bearing its own weight. This is why an internal support, like a steel skeleton, will eventually be installed in the ship. And to do this as well as possible, it is an advantage to know exactly how much the ship weighs.”

The biggest challenge since the salvage

In summary, the new support structure will fix the ship in position, bracing her to slow down movements in the hull, minimise the risk of crack formation and collapse, and ensure that she retains her existing shape.

The design and construction of the new support structure is the biggest challenge that the Vasa Museum has undertaken since the salvaging and the conservation of the ship. The museum needs help to fund construction of the support structure and has therefore launched a fundraising campaign aimed at the general public, donors and sponsors.

The warship Vasa is a globally unique cultural heritage asset that attracts more than a million visitors from all over the world every year. The Support Vasa project is expected to be completed in 2028 – just in time for the 400th anniversary of Vasa’s first and only voyage.

The Support Vasa Project

The support structure that has been holding Vasa since the 1960s needs to be replaced, as it is damaging the ship and causing deformations in the hull. This is due to the weakening of the ship’s wood. The entire support structure will be replaced over the course of several years. The construction started on 8 April 2024 and on 29 May the first new steel cradle was installed.

The 17 pairs of external cradle elements currently in place will be replaced with 27 steel cradles, with a joint under the keel. This will result in the ship being supported at a greater number of points compared to today. Once everything is complete, the external support will be supplemented with an internal support, similar to a skeleton. The internal support will run from the keel all the way up to the upper deck. It will help bear the loads from the decks and beams to slow down the movements in the hull.

The museum will be open as usual throughout the construction period.

The Support Vasa project is led by the Vasa Museum in close cooperation with external consultants.

Project management and construction management: Techtor AB
Design and construction drawings: Camatec Industriteknik AB
Production and assembly: Hjalmarssons Bygg- och Industrisvets AB

For media inquiries, please contact:

Maria Skuldt, Communications Officer, Vasa Museum
Tel: + 46 8 519 58 49
E-mail: maria.skuldt@smtm.se

Catrin Rising, Communications Officer, Vasa Museum
Tel: +46 737 35 16 02
E-mail: catrin.rising@smtm.se