She is the senior of the existing Norwegian built square riggers, and for more than 50 years she held a central position in the education and training of young people.

Construction on the Sørlandet was started in 1925 at Høivolds Mek shipyard in the city of Kristiansand on the south coast of Norway based on a £25,000 grant from ship owner O.A.T.

The young men who received their training onboard disembarques as seamen and went in to service in the Norwegian Merchant Marine or in the Royal Navy.

The ship was in continuous service as a training vessel for the Norwegian Merchant Marine until 1939, when World War II started.

The same year, she was chartered by the Royal Norwegian Navy and used as a depot ship in the naval port of Horten where the Germans seized her in April 1940.

In 1982, Sørlandet hosted the exhibition "Women of the Coast" whilst visiting some 60 seaside destinations along Norwegian shoreline, sailing as far north as Kirkenes.

From 1986 to 1988 about 500 cadets from the Royal Norwegian Navy got their first life-at-sea experience through six-week courses, sailing and training aboard Sørlandet.

In keeping with International Maritime Organization (IMO) rules of the 1969 convention that dictate the measurement of vessels of her class, Sørlandet is now 499 gross tons.

In the summer of 2012, Sørlandet spent four months in dry-dock at Tuzla, Istanbul, for a major restoration project which included the replacement of many of her riveted steel hull plates, support systems and a complete rebuild of the main ‘Banjer’ area, where students sleep and attend classes.

The second school year started in Hong Kong August 2016 and sailed to Kristiansand, Norway via Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Christmas Island, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, Saint Helena, Brazil, Dominica, Puerto Rico, USA, Azores, France and the Netherlands.

Students follow an academic program based on Advanced Placement courses and may study subjects such as mathematics, calculus, physics, chemistry, biology, English, Spanish, politics, economics and history.

Tasks that they perform during watch include cleaning, maintenance, sail maneuvering, helming, lookout, galley and safety rounds.