19:30: The Oseberg ship has now safely arrived at port. Experienced professionals have ensured that Norway's great cultural treasure has been transported securely to its location.
17:50: The Oseberg Ship is now hanging over the ship base and is being gently lowered to its final position. The ship will be lowered 4.6 meters and will move six centimeters per minute.
16:50: The Oseberg ship is now halfway over the ship base.
15:30: The Oseberg ship is on its way over the edge and will soon be lowered to the floor below.
15:00: The Oseberg Ship is approaching the edge where it will be lowered to the floor below. It will be lowered at approximately six cm per minute.
14:30: The Oseberg Ship is in the new museum building.
12:50: The Oseberg Ship is entering the new museum building.
11:30: The Oseberg Ship is halfway through the fourth wing of the old museum building.
10:00: The Oseberg Ship is finally on its way to the new Museum of the Viking Age Museum.
After 10 years of planning, the Oseberg ship is now being moved into the new Museum of the Viking Age. The old building is not suitable for preserving the ships, and if they are to survive for future generations, they must be relocated.
"I actually find it quite moving to think that it is now going on its final voyage", says director Aud V. Tønnessen of the Museum of the Viking Age to NTB.
In the past few days, skilled professionals from the museum, Statsbygg, and Imenco have been working to prepare the Oseberg Ship for relocation. Last Monday, the protective dust cover that has been over the ship for the past 2.5 years was removed. On Thursday, the crane that will lift the ship was driven over the bow – with a clearance of only a few centimeters.
The very last preparations for the major move have now been completed. The Oseberg Ship was lifted into the crane that will transport it, and responsible conservator David Hauer was anxious to see how the ship would react to being lifted.
Timelapse of the test relocation on September 9. Credit: Screen/Museum of the Viking Age, University of Oslo.
Where is the center of gravity on the ship? Will it tilt sideways when lifted? After making the last adjustments and calculations, the ship was moved 20 meters forward, where it now stands waiting for the big moving day. Hauer is relieved to be underway.
"It feels good! 20 % of the move has been completed today. It’s strange to see the emptiness of the ship's previous location, but everything has gone really well today. Now we are ready for the big voyage. Hopefully, it will be smooth sailing", says Hauer.
The story will be updated throughout the day.
Follow the relocation of the Oseberg Ship
Listen to NRK P2, the Norwegian Broadcasting Cooperation, from 09:00 to 18:00: About the moving process and Viking-related themes.
Keep updated on the relocation throughout the day:
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