As ship number 44 to be built at the Hamburg shipyard of “Blohm & Voss”, the “Freia” was launched on 20th May 1885.  Due to the customer’s lack of money, “Blohm & Voss” completed the “Freia” at their own cost.  The ship’s first voyage on 18th July 1885 was to Helgoland.  The “Freia” was sold to Albert Ballin.  However, with the additional purchase of the “Cuxhafen”, the young Ballin overstretched himself and he joined forces with Braeunlich in 1890 to set up the “Ballin & Braeunlich Coastal Shipping Company of Stettin”.  But the loss of the “Cuxhafen” on 27th July 1891 (on the Vineta bank near Zinnowitz), Braeunlich and Ballin’s brief collaboration came to an end.  The “Freia” remained in service for Braeunlich until 1929.