[Home] [Table of Contents] [Shipping Mall] [Index of ships]
Shipping News: Passenger ship and cruise news from around the world
Click here for information on advertising on MaritimeMatters Shipping Mall
data not guaranteed
Disclaimer: Although accuracy is attempted, the Shipping News page on MaritimeMatters.com is culled from news sources, web sites, radio, press releases, private and commercial email, MaritimeMatters.com or Martin Cox or Peter Knego cannot be held responsible for its accuracy or for any action taken as a result of content or any other web page or email herein.SHIPPING NEWS January - May 2005
Click here to go to current shipping news page
SS ORIANA To Scrap
May 30: Reports from China confirm the fate of the 1960-built ORIANA. As previously reported on Maritimematters, SS ORIANA was delivered to Zhangjiagang shipyard in Eastern China's Jiangsu Province.Deal For Hugest Ferry
May 29: Finnish shipyard Aker has signed a 407m Euro contract to build a 73,000-gt cruise ferry for Norway's Color Line. The vessel, a sister ship to COLOR FANTASY, will be named COLOR MAGIC and is claimed to be the world's biggest cruise ferry. Aker have also agreed a buyer's option that could see a third large cruise ferry being ordered. Construction of the 22-knot COLOR MAGIC will be shared by Aker's Turku and Rauma shipyards with delivery is scheduled for the winter of 2007. The 15-deck ship will have 1,021 cabins, including 46 suites (more than COLOR FANTASY) and carry 750 cars. The ferry is due to go into service on the Oslo Ð Kiel route.Pods Not Bearing up?
May 29: Royal Caribbean Cruises reports it is facing more problems with the pod propulsion system fitted on its Celebrity ships. Celebrity Cruises has filed a US$300m lawsuit against French shipbuilder Alstom and UK engine builder Rolls Royce, claiming faulty propulsion systems were installed on SUMMIT, INFINITY, MILLENIUM and CONSTELLATION. The 2001-built SUMMIT will cancel an Alaskan cruise for an unscheduled drydocking to replace a radial bearing unit that is showing premature wear. SUMMIT will go to Washington Marine's Victoria Shipyard drydock in Vancouver from June 2 until June 10. Royal Caribbean's earnings for the first half of 2005 were already hit by the unscheduled dry docking of the INFINITY to replace a bearing in the driveline.DISNEY Goes West
May 27: Disney Cruise Line celebrated its inaugural US West Coast cruise to Mexico with a procession down the Main Channel at the Port of Los Angeles. DISNEY MAGIC was relocated for a season from Florida, to celebrate Disneyland's 50th anniversary. The cruise ship will sail 12 consecutive seven-night cruises from Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. The ship is scheduled to return to Florida September 3, 2005. Sister-ship DISNEY WONDER will continue three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral.PatSEA PRINCESS Renamed
May 27: British actress Joanna Lumley, who played the character Patsy on the hit TV comedy show "Absolutely Fabulous", sent the traditional bottle of champagne crashing against Princess Cruises' 1998-built SEA PRINCESS today in a ceremony at Southampton. "I know Patsy would just adore being here on SEA PRINCESS as there seems to be a lot of drink available", Lumley said. SEA PRINCESS was given her original name following an extensive refit in Southampton's dry dock after sailing for the past two years as the P&O Cruises ADONIA. The quayside ceremony in the city's Western Docks featured a firework display over the ship. Though shrouded in fog, the event was attended by many entertainment celebrities and expects to raise thousands of pounds for the children's charity, Barnardo's.New Life For The Last STELLA
May 25: After a long spell of layup at Eeemshaven, the MADAGASCAR (ex VIKING BORDEAUX, STELLA MARIS II, BREMERHAVEN) will receive a $1.5 million refit and upgrading at Odessa. Following a summer charter on the Black Sea through October, the former Sun Lines vessel will proceed to the Indian Ocean to operate a new series of cruises from Mombassa and Durban. Itineraries are still being finalized.Rites Of Passage
May 25: The decimation of the world's vintage passenger fleet continues at a torrid pace with no less than three of its most illustrious players on the block. SS ORIANA, after months of salvage work, finally left Dalian, her port side blackened from lying underwater for a year, for a shipyard in Zhangiagang in Eastern China's Jiangsu Province. Even the Chinese reports are speculating the former P&O and Orient liner is beyond any type of economic repair and all indications are that she will be broken up. Meanwhile, the Indian Ocean is home to two other dowagers awaiting their turn to be recycled by Asian steel mills. RITA (ex WINDSOR CASTLE, MARGARITA L) is off the coast of India as Alang breakers negotiate her purchase in a still depressed scrap market. It is speculated her current owners will lose on their investment to resell the former Union-Castle flagship for scrap in these conditions. RED BOAT (ex EUGENIO C, EUGENIO COSTA, EDINBURGH CASTLE, SS THE BIG RED BOAT II) passed through the Suez Canal on May 13 and was headed for Dubai. Her current whereabouts are unconfirmed, but she is in the region awaiting a change in the market.Meanwhile, on the beach, itself, work on EXPLORER (ex GENERAL WP RICHARDSON, PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, etc.) is now going at an accelerated pace. Cutting has reached her funnels, which are expected to topple this week. RIKY (ex KONG FREDERICK IX) is beached and the subject of much controversy with Danish environmentalists and Greenpeace rattling their sabers in protest since the Danish government was deceived into thinking the ship was sold for further service and her toxins were not removed prior to her departure from Denmark. The ex DFDS PRINCES (ex PRINSESSE MARGRETHE, PRINCESA CYPRIA, etc.) is cut back to her superstructure within sight of EXPLORER. Conditions at Alang must be unbearable with temperatures of 43 Celsius (118 Fahrenheit) and monsoons on the horizon.
A glimmer of hope from Japan that MS SCANDINAVIA (ex STELLA POLARIS) might somehow escape the breakers as two serious bids (one Norwegian and the other French) vie for the ship, which is for sale at an estimated $800,000 USD. Of course, getting the 78 year old ship from the idyllic sanctuary of Izu to her preservation destination will cost many times more than the supremely classic vessel, herself.
And, of course, the SS NORWAY (ex FRANCE) has finally left Bremerhaven under tow of the DE DA to Port Klang, Malaysia via the Cape of Good Hope. On her way out, there was a meeting of the old and new, much like when the brand new FRANCE passed the soon-to-be scrapped LIBERTE in 1961. This time, the role of dowager was given to the former FRANCE, looking very elegant without her two cumbersome bow tenders LITTLE NORWAY I and II. The role of newcomer has been assumed by NCL's somewhat ungainly PRIDE OF AMERICA, whose external design is certainly based more on economics than aesthetics.
Now the pundits speculate about possible piracy as NORWAY ultimately plods through the unfriendly seas of the West African coast (remember SEA, ex GRIPSHOLM, which was raided by looters on her final tow?) and Malaysia (notorious for its pirate-infested waters) since she is such a large and slow target. Many ask if she will make it round the horn, whose surging winter waters claimed BELOFIN-1 (ex BRITANIS), SUN (ex SHALOM), and SEA. (To add to the potential irony, DE DA was the tug bringing CONSTITUTION across the Pacific to Asian breakers when she sank. Others wonder if NORWAY will suddenly divert her itinerary to Alang or Chittagong at the last minute and if that is the real intent of this voyage, having duped European environmentalists in a similar but much bigger way than the KONG FREDERICK IX. To quell this rumor, there are some firm reports from Port Klang that NORWAY is, indeed, expected for a visit to the shipyard there. But, still others will ask, what will really become of NORWAY if she does continue to exist? Will she be a training ship for future cruise ship employees, a floating casino, an hotel? Whatever happens, Maritime Matters will keep you posted....
THOMSON CELEBRATION Aborts Cruise
May 13: THOMSON CELEBRATION (ex NOORDAM) is returning to Southampton (expected May 16), having cut short a 14-night cruise after plumbing problems affecting over 250 cabins had delayed the ship in Bilbao. Three planes were sent to Lisbon to return passengers to the UK. The problems with the plumbing system appeared on the third day of the cruise. Passengers were transferred to Bilbao hotels for an overnight stay while the problem was addressed. The cruise continued, but when the same plumbing woes struck again, it was decided to cancel. About 500 passengers in unaffected cabins chose to sail back to Southampton with the ship.On The Road To Alang
June: Maritime Matters exclusive: On The Road To Alang, a new feature by Peter Knego.RED Malta; Circling RITA
May 12: Scrap prices in India and Bangladesh have dropped some $20 per ton, keeping an overdue RITA (ex MARGARITA L, WINDSOR CASTLE) circling about the Indian Ocean awaiting an upsurge in the market before she can be sold onwards to a breaker at Alang for a profit. Meanwhile, the RED BOAT (ex EUGENIO C, etc.) is plodding along very slowly to her final destination, having just left Malta on 5 May enroute to India or Bangladesh via Suez for scrapping.NORWAY To Leave Germany
May 11: The SMITWIJS division of the SMIT towage company has reportedly been contracted to tow NORWAY from Bremerhaven around South Africa. NORWAY has an NCL crew of 40 on board and her destination is named as Singapore. Environmentalists in Germany have demanded the removal of asbestos before the ship leaves, as some shipping sources have already named Indian breakers as the current owners of the vessel. The ex FRANCE has been laid up at Bremerhaven since July 2003 after a fatal boiler explosion in Miami in May of that year. The tug towing the ship will be the Chinese tug DE DA.Princess Reshuffle Cunard Crew
May 11: It has been widely reported in maritime circles that Princess management has been shaking up personnel recently on the two Cunard Queens. Popular captains Paul Wright of the QM2 and Ian McNaught of the QE2, along with Chief Engineer Brian Waitling of the QM2,Êwere recently 'seconded' to Princess Cruises in a sudden move that is drawing raised eyebrows andÊpossible petitions to CEO Peter Ratcliffe from former passengers and reportedly causing discontent amongst the shipboard crew. In addition, both staff captains on the QM2 and one of the staff captains on QE2 are about to or have already been moved to Princess. Reports onboard indicate that neither the captain nor chief engineer were allowed to notify the crew of the impending change until the day before they signed off the ship. All the above officers hadÊeach served with Cunard for decades and represent a great loss of the heritage and tradition that passengers have come to expect fromÊCunard. The Hotel Department has similary been affected, with longtime hotel manager Jacqui Hodgon having been transferred to Princess Cruises last October and only one remaining Cunard hotel officer with three stripes or more left on QUEEN MARY 2.NORWAY News
May 8: SS NORWAY (ex FRANCE) is now rumoured to be leaving Bremerhaven next week under tow to Singapore. Pending approval from various authorities, plans are underway for her conversion to a casino and hotel ship at an amusement resort island near the Singapore cruise terminal. If the work goes ahead, it will be done at the Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore. If approvals do not materialize, an alternative plan will see the ship operate very slow speed casino cruises on her two undamaged boilers, most likely from Singapore.Breaking News!
May 4: The latest from Alang has it that most of UNIVERSE (ex BRASIL, etc.) has been cut down, leaving less than a third of the ship on the beach. ATALANTE (ex TAHITIEN, etc.) is apparently now gone, and EXPLORER (ex GENERAL WP RICHARDSON, PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, etc.) is 20% under way. RICKY (ex KONG FREDERICK IX) is beached just beyond UNIVERSE and has created her share of controversy with throngs of Danish environmentalists and Greenpeace up in arms about her scrapping since the vessel was supposed to be enroute to further service for Arab owners. PRINCES (ex PRINCESA CYPRIA, PRINSESSE MARGARETHE) is beached and being inspected by local traders and RITA (ex WINDSOR CASTLE) is due for arrival shortly with RED BOAT (ex EUGENIO C, SS THE BIG RED BOAT II) due in a month's time.Meanwhile, the more environmentally-friendly Brownsville, TX region is bursting at the seams with new tonnage. Workers at Marine Metals are finishing off the SS AMERICAN BANKER, which is cut down to the waterline with machinery spaces exposed. Nearby, the USNS PROTECTOR (ex MARSHFIELD) awaits her turn in the breaking slip while the handsome P2 transport USNS GENERAL WILLIAM O. DARBY is being cleared of asbestos and will be broken down in July. Her near sister, the USNS GENERAL NELSON W. WALKER is at All Star Metals awaiting demo as the remains of the last SANTA CRUZ are finished off. The MOOREMACWAVE is also starting her demo process with portions of bow and stern removed and superstructure sealed in asbestos removal casing.
CP Axe Historic Lines
May 3: CP Ships had decided to operate its 79 vessel fleet under a single name, dropping the historic Canada Maritime, Cast, Contship, Italia, Lykes, TMM and ANZDL banners. All the vessels will instead fly the CP Ships red and white chequered flag. It was almost 120 years ago that Canadian Pacific diversified from its railroad origins into shipping when it chartered a tea clipper. CP Ships has remained a holding company with its fleet operated under the lines it has acquired over the years. Canadian Pacific ran many famous transatlantic liners, as did Italia, which dates back to Genoese ship owner Raffaele Rubattino and Vincenzo Florio of Palermo. Lykes Lines was started by seven cattle ranching brothers in 1899 who exported cattle from the US on paddle steamers. Realigning the fleet will involve renaming and repainting many ships and will be carried out in conjunction with scheduled dry dockings.Long Live The QUEEN
May 2: Cunard's QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 will mark her 36th year of service when she arrives today in her homeport of Southampton - 36 years to the day that she sailed for New York on her Maiden Voyage in 1969. A special Birthday party will be held to honor the liner. Guests will include nine former and current captains and John Whitworth OBE, former Managing Director of Cunard Line at the time of QE2's introduction (and who was instrumental in the ship's construction). The statistics pile up; QE2 has sailed more than 5.3 million nautical miles (equivalent to traveling to the moon and back over 11 times). She has carried almost three million passengers. Her arrival today in Southampton will be her 641st visit there and mark the completion of her 1,374th voyage. It will be her 4,856th port call. She has sailed at an average speed of 24.75 knots over the last 36 years. She has made 795 Atlantic crossings and completed 23 full world voyages and been commanded by 23 Captains. It is also noted that on September 4, she becomes the longest serving Cunarder ever when she passes the 36 years 4 months and 2 days' record of SCYTHIA, which sailed from 1921 to 1957. QE2 was also the Cunard flagship longer than any other (from 1969 until 2004) when she handed over the role to QUEEN MARY 2, and in November last year she became the longest-serving Cunard express liner when she passed the 35 years 6 months and 1 day record previously set by AQUITANIA, which was operated by Cunard from May 1914 to December 1949.Ferry Strikes Whale
May 2: A Mirejet high-speed passenger ferry sailing from Busan in South Korea to Fukuoka, in south-western Japan, became waterlogged on Friday after hitting a whale. 18 passengers and a crew member were injured and 6 were hospitalised in the accident. The ship was carrying seven crew members and 163 passengers. The ferries usually travel between Busan and Fukuoka in about three hours at a cruising speed of about 80kph.RITA Transits Suez
April 25: RITA (ex WINDSOR CASTLE, MARGARITA L) passed through the Suez Canal April 19th on her way to scrap.Steamship Rotterdam Foundation
April 25: Steamship Rotterdam Foundation annouced today that last month a strong wave slammed the ship against the quay-side in Gibraltar. The exact damage, if any, to the ship is unknown. In other news, the asbestos clean-up is complete, awaiting certification, and negotiations between the Port of Rotterdam and potential new owners are ongoing.Grand Entrance
April 21: Passengers report RCCL's GRANDEUR OF THE SEAS scraped against the pier while docking at Costa Maya, Mexico, tearing a 42 foot gash in the hull just above the waterline on April 20. There were no reports of injuries.BIG RED Exits
April 16: The former beauty, EUGENIO C, was seen bunkering in the Azores April 15, en route to Alang, India via the Mediterranean and Suez Canal from long term layup in Freeport, Bahamas. This is her final voyage to the breakers. Her last name in active servie was SS THE BIG RED BOAT II.For Vandals, It's The Only Way To Cross
April 16: Reports of a ghastly scene aboard QE2 have been surfacing in the media. A stairwell tapestry by the Swedish-born artist Helena Barynina Hernmarck was apparently thrown overboard, while other art works and areas of the ship and including a lifeboat were damaged in a drunken melee. Three crew members were detained on board and arrested when the ship docked at Southampton today. The men, in their early twenties, were released on bail and a spokesman for Cunard confirmed that all had been dismissed. British police appealed for anyone who finds the tapestry to contact them.OPERA In Istanbul
April 15: MSC OPERA will be home-ported in Istanbul, Turkey sailing on her first cruise April 27, with departures every Wednesday. MSC OPERA will visit Dubrovnik, Croatia, and ports in Italy and Greece. The cruises will be run by MSC Cruises Turkiye, a new firm established by the Italian MSC and Turkish Arkas Holding.DAWN Meets Freak At Daybreak
April 15: NORWEGIAN DAWN was hit by a rogue wave during very rough weather on her return to New York. As the conditions seemingly improved at daybreak, the NCL ship was hit by a freak wave that broke windows in two separate cabins. 62 cabins were flooded and 4 passengers were reported injured. NORWEGIAN DAWN was diverted to Charleston, South Carolina for repairs and passengers whose cabins were flooded were being flown home from Charleston. The ship will continue to New York where she is expected to arrive on Monday.RITA's Final Line Voyage
April 14: At 10:40 AM, RITA (ex WINDSOR CASTLE, MARGARITA L) left her Eleusis/Petrola anchorage for the first time in fifteen years. With a torrent of smoke streaming from her black and buff funnel, she is bound for South Asian scrappers via the Suez Canal.EASYCRUISEONE A First
April 14: EASYCRUISEONE (ex RENAISSANCE TWO, NEPTUNE) is sailing from a major refit at Singapore's Keppel Corporation to Nice, where she will depart on her maiden voyage May 6 for Stelios Haji-Ioannou's easyGroup. The 1990-built ship, with capacity for 170 passengers, will be calling at Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Monaco, Genoa, Portofino, and Imperia (near San Remo), before returning to Nice. Passengers will spend a minimum of two days on board in cabins described as "minimalist chic". Cruise tickets will sell for as low as 42 euros (29 UK pounds/54 US dollars). The company noted that if the easyCruise concept proves a success, the group plans to enlarge the fleet to 5 or 6 vessels, carrying 500 passengers per ship"Lady of the Seas" Gets Face Lift
April 14: The 2,556-ton KAIWO MARU, affectionately known as "Lady of the Seas", one of the largest sailing ships in the world, entered Yokohama Port this week to undergo major repairs. The ship was dramatically stranded against the breakwater at Toyama Port by typhoon Tokage in October last year. Tokage was the worst typhoon to hit Japan in a quarter of a century. A Japanese Red Cross team rescued more than 167 people from the ship after it had run aground. The 1989-built sailing vessel, which belongs to the National Institute for Sea Training, had suffered numerous one meter long cracks around the portholes as well as a major dent on her port side. Repairs will be completed by the end of the year.Former NY Cunard Offices Become Museum
April 13: The National Sports Museum will create a 100,000 square-foot facility at 25 Broadway in New York's former Cunard Line building, scheduled to be completed in November 2006. Work will begin in June.6131 Named
April 13: Italy's Fincantieri yard no. 6131 in Monfalcone was officially named EMERALD PRINCESS April 12. The new cruise ship is an identical sister to the newest CROWN PRINCESS. Reports have it that the third vessel in the series will go to P&O and will be named CANBERRA.Hong Kong's new cruise ship terminal
April 13: The former Kai Tak airport site has been chosen for Hong Kong's new cruise ship terminal. Construction will begin in 2008.ARCADIA Named, AURORA To Return
April 12: The newest P&O cruise ship, ARCADIA, was officially named by double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes in a spectacular ceremony at Southampton. An auditorium was specially built dockside for the evening ceremony, accompanied by fireworks as Dame Kelly smashed a champagne bottle into the ship's side. ARCADIA, which arrived in Southampton last week from her Italian builders, has a top speed of 22 knots. In the summer months, she will sail around the Mediterranean, while the winter months she will be homeported in Barbados.
AURORA, meanwhile, is expected back in Southampton from repairs at Lloydwerft in Bremerhaven on April 21, following her cancelled world cruise due to mechanical problems.Odds On ODYSSEUS
April 9: It is rumoured in maritime circles that ODYSSEUS may soon be joining the Asian gambling trade out of Hong Kong or China.ARCADIA Debut
April 8: Southampton witnessed the arrival of the brand new ARCADIA (laid down as Cunard's QUEEN VICTORIA) the 935 ft Fincantieri-built liner arrived to cheering crowds in blustery weather at the Mayflower Cruise Terminal at midday, today, captained by Steve Burgoine. A naming ceremony will be held on April 12 prior to ARCADIA's maiden voyage on April 14.LIBRA To India
April 8: Star Cruises have announced that they will base SUPERSTAR LIBRA (ex SEAWARD, NORWEGIAN SEA) in Mumbai. "The Indian Government's decision to waive the cabotage requirement for cruise ships for 5 years reflects the tremendous support for the growth of cruise tourism and has provided the impetus for Star Cruises to position a ship in India", said a spokesperson for the line. SUPERSTAR LIBRA will arrive in Mumbai on September 25th from Singapore after calling at Phuket in Thailand, Chennai and Colombo en route. After a series of one-night cruises to introduce the ship in Mumbai, she will commence regular 4-night destination cruises to Kadmat (Lakshadweep) and Goa, 2-night cruises to Goa and 1-night weekend getaway cruises from October 2nd.It takes a Village
April 7: Princess Cruises has announced that 1991-built REGAL PRINCESS will be transferred to the UK's Ocean Village subsidiary in the Autumn of 2006. Ocean Village offers fly-cruise packages to the Mediterranean and Caribbean.SCOTIA PRINCE To Leave Portland ME
April 6: Scotia Prince Cruises blamed Portland city officials for the cancellation of ferry service between Portland and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia after the city failed to eliminate continuing toxic mold problems in its passenger terminal. The city responded by severing its 35-year relationship with the ship. Problems with the International Marine Terminal were revealed last summer when the mold was discovered and the company pulled its employees and began processing passengers in a tent outside. Federal workers were also later removed.NORWAY's Plans Clang Shut
April 6: NCL has denied a German newspaper report that the laid up NORWAY, may be taken to Malaysia within the next two weeks.The COUNTESS Smiles At Fleetmate
April 6: The German tour operator Holiday Kreuzfahrten GmbH is expanding its fleet by chartering the 1975-built OCEAN COUNTESS (ex CUNARD COUNTESS, OLYMPIC COUNTESS, OLYMPIA COUNTESS) currently operated by Majestic International Cruises. The 17,593gt ship, most recently operated by Royal Olympia Cruises, carries 800 passengers and will be renamed LILI MARLEEN. She will be paired with the 778-passenger MONA LISA (ex KUNGSHOLM, SEA PRINCESS, VICTORIA).NORWAY To Klang?
April 4: Industry insiders speculate that Star Cruises plans to tow the NORWAY from Bremerhaven, to Port Klang in Malaysia for a new venture. NCL announced last year that NORWAY would not return to its fleet. It should be noted that many reports of her further use have been aired in the rumour mill.ROC Auction
April 4: The results of now defunct Royal Olympia Cruises' fleet auction:
The 1971-built 14,151 gt TRITON (ex CUNARD ADVENTURER, SUNWARD 2) has been acquired by Louis Cruises for $9.5 million. The 1966-built 11,724 gt WORLD RENAISSANCE (ex RENAISSANCE, HOMERIC RENAISSANCE) has gone to Ravenscroft Shipping-linked Elysian Cruises for $3.4 million.ÊThe 1962-built 9,821 gt ODYSSEUS (ex PRINCESA ISABEL, AQUAMARINE, MARCO POLO, etc.) has been acquired by "Asian buyers", future unknown. In related news, Louis has sold SUNBIRD (ex SONG OF AMERICA) to Norwegian K/S Investment Partnership for use by Med Cruises for $90 million.On The Road To Alang
April 3 : Maritime Matters exclusive: On The Road To Alang, a new feature by Peter KnegoBERLIN to Saga
April 3: Peter Deilmann's BERLIN has been sold Saga Holidays and will join their fleet as SAGA OPAL.ENCHANTED Replacement
April 2: The 1975-built, 16,631 gt ENCHANTED CAPRI (ex AZERBAYDZHAN) is reportedly chartered to Metropolis Tur, a Russian cruise operator, as a replacement for the OLVIA which is headed to Asia as the casino ship CT NEPTUNE. The Ukrainian owners (part of the old Black Sea Steamship Company) refurbished the vessel in Freeport to bring her up to the latest SOLAS standards. The gambling areas have been replaced by a dining room. The ship will sail in June on cruises from Sochi and continue around Western Europe to St. Petersburg, her homeport for the summer season, for mainly Russian and Ukrainian passengers.Three-Dom For RCI
April 1: Royal Caribbean Cruises signed the order today with Finnish shipbuilder Aker Finnyards for a third ship in its Freedom class of vessels. Destined for the Royal Caribbean International fleet, the three 158,000 gt ships will carry 3,600 passengers. The third vessel will enter service in early 2008.HARMONY to ASUKA II
March 30: Crystal Cruises announced that the 48,621 gt, 1990-built, 940-passenger CRYSTAL HARMONY will join its parent company's Japanese cruise division, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), in December 2005, as ASUKA II following a scheduled dry-dock. Crystal Cruises also announced it is developing plans to replace CRYSTAL HARMONY with a new ship. Meanwhile, NYK's current vessel, the highly rated and extremely popular 27,000 gt 1991 built ASUKA will be sold.SKY and Dry?
March 27: PACIFIC SKY (ex FAIRSKY, SKY PRINCESS) experienced an engine problem while at the Isle of Pines, New Caledonia in mid-March. Passengers were stranded at New Caledonia for two days before being air-lifted back to Australia aboard specially chartered aircraft. PACIFIC SKY reportedly was limping toward Nouema on a single engine. P&O have announced that the damage to PACIFIC SKY's gearbox is far more serious than first thought. She will be withdrawn from service and will not recommence her season of cruises until June when she is due in New Zealand. Passengers on the affected cruises have been offered refunds.STENA To Strait
March 15: Australian-owned Toll Shipping reports it will begin operating the STENA CHALLENGER (ex ISLE OF INNISFREE, PRIDE OF CHERBOURG) in the Cook Strait on New Zealand interisland service in early 2006. The new vessel will be able to carry up to 1660 passengers and 600 cars. Toll's current ferries, ARAHURA and ARATERE, have a capacity for only 975 and 350 passengers, respectively.Interislander ferry ARATERE resumes sailing with passengers today after being impounded by The Maritime Safety Authority in Picton early last month after its steering failed in Wellington Harbour with about 190 passengers on board. When the ship was released (after one day), she was allowed to carry cargo only until a risk assessment had been completed.
Greenships?
March 14: A scale model of the planned 820ft E/S ORCELLE a revolutionary environmentally sound cargo vessel run on solar, wind and wave power, will be unveiled this month at the world trade fair Expo in Japan. ORCELLE, named after a dolphin, was designed by Scandinavia's Wallenius Wilhelmsonwill will carry up to 10,000 cars. Ships with some of the ORCELLE's green features could be launched by 2010 with a complete version on the seas by 2025. The design, if sucessful will likely be used on passenger ferries and cruise ships.Sea The World With P&O!
March 3: P&O Cruises announces two around-the-world cruises in 2006 aboard ORIANA and AURORA. The world cruise itineraries will include a 100-day "Grand Voyage" aboard ORIANA, and an "Around the World in 80 Days" cruise on AURORA. Both liners will sail round trip from Southampton, England, January 7 and January 8, 2006 respectively.Monumental FRANCE?
March 3: It was reported that the French government offered NORWAY "partial classification as an historical monument", with tax breaks to offset the expenses of investors who would purchase and restore the former FRANCE and bring her home to France. However, plans for her demolition are proceeding, with sources at Bremerhaven expecting an order to remove auxiliary engines and other equipment before the 76,000-gt liner leaves for the breakers' beach.Fitting Out PRIDE
ÊÊ
March 2: News from Lloyd Werft, shows PRIDE OF AMERICA has left the dry dock and is now alongside the outfitting pier at Bremerhaven. Her sea trials are scheduled May 19 through May 22, and NCL America is expected to take delivery on June 6. After a series of inaugural events and cruises in the U.K. and the U.S. , PRIDE OF AMERICA will sail to her intended homeport of Honolulu and begin year-round cruising July 23. She will join NCL America's first U.S.-flagged ship, PRIDE OF ALOHA, which began sailing seven-day round-trip Hawaii voyages in July 2004.Rotterdam waits for ROTTERDAM
March 1: The Steamship Rotterdam FoundationÊreports that Hotel Cruiseship Operations needs more time to prepare the contract with the Port of Rotterdam to take over the SS ROTTERDAM. Asbestos cleanup, negotiations about refurbishment, and fire protection are all being considered. The plans are based on using the ship for at least 25 years. Commercial interest in the ship berthed in the Maashaven, Rotterdam has been growing.QUEEN MARY In The Dock?
February 25: Reports from Long Beach, California indicate that QUEEN MARY is in default on her lease and the City of Long Beach has demanded USD$3.45 million from her operators, thus ending negotiations on rent credits and clearing the way for a possible court battle. For the last nine months, Long Beach has negotiated with Queen's Seaport Development Inc., which leases the ship, over rent credits the company has claimed since 2000. This dramatic turn of events marks the first time Long Beach has declared a default in QSDI's lease since J. Prevratil took over QUEEN MARY's operation in 1993. The city has demanded $3,452,098 in unpaid rent from January 2000 to December 2004 to be paid by March 6.NORWAY Readied For Removal
February 25: The latest reports indicate that if NORWAY (ex FRANCE) is not sold for $20 Million USD by Monday, 28 February, she will, indeed, go for scrap. Meanwhile, at Bremerhaven, where NORWAY has sat for over two years, fittings are being removed and transfered to containers. Some reports indicate there may be an auction and others suggest these fittings may well be incorporated into a rebuilt UNITED STATES or INDEPENDENCE, or both. As her sale for scrapping seems imminent, it now must be decided whether the ship will be towed via the expensive Suez Canal or the long, somewhat risky route around Africa.No NORWAY In Northern France
February 23: The French leisure group, Pierre & Vacances, announced today that it has decided not to buy SS NORWAY (ex FRANCE) (laid up at Bremerhaven since 2003). A feasibility study was conducted on the ambitious plan which had included removing the asbestos, extensive refurbishment to create a 650-bed hotel with six restaurants, three bars, casino, theatre, conference centre and a maritime museum. She would have been towed to Honfleur, France for operation. However, the plan was considered too expensive. This news comes just days after Peter Knego of MaritimeMatters reported from Asia, "Our source in the region says there is much buzz about the SS NORWAY supposedly having just been sold to an Indian scrap merchant for breaking". Further reports state that the ship's scrap price is USD $18 million.Passenger Ferry MAHARAJA Capsizes
February 20: The double-decker passenger ferry MV MAHARAJA capsized during a tropical storm on the Buriganga River just outside Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The ship was carrying about 200 people at least 75 of whom were reported dead and more than 100 still missing. Some passengers were rescued by villagers and fishing boats. A salvage ship was trying to recover the ferry, which lies in about six metres of water. An investigation into the accident is underway.Hong Kong Ferry Collision
February 19: Over 102 were reported injured when a twin hulled passenger ferry (previously incorrectly reported as a hovercraft) was in collision with a Chinese freighter in Hong Kong waters, with two people in serious condition. The unamed ferry was traveling to China's Nansha Island and the city of Panyu with 165 people onboard. The collision occured in foggy conditions near the island of Tsing Yi.Fred Olsen's New Queen
February 18: Fred Olsen Cruise Lines announced today that their fourth cruise ship, which will join the fleet in early 2006, will be named BOADICEA"Between AD 61 and AD 63 Boadicea led her Iceni people to a glorious but bloody war against the Romans. The Iceni Celts had submitted their kingdom in East Anglia to the conquering Romans and the rule of Emperor Claudius in AD 43. In AD 61, Prasutagus, Boadicea's husband and King of the Iceni died. A dispute followed during which Boadicea was publicly beaten by the soldiers of the emperor and her two daughters raped. The Iceni were insulted and rose in revolt led by their queen Boadicea. So successful was the uprising that the Romans were almost defeated. Unfortunately for the Iceni and their allies, the military skill of the Roman army finally led to the crushing of the rebellion. After the revolt, Roman rule was re-established. For almost two glorious years, Boadicea pillaged the Roman settlements; she remains to this day, the greatest of the heroines of Britain." A huge bronze statue of Boadicea on a chariot by Thomas Thornycroft was presented to London by his son and placed near the Houses of Parliament in 1902 by the London County Council.
The ship, presently operating as Iberojet Cruceros' GRAND LATINO (ex ROYAL VIKING SKY, SUNWARD (3), BIRKA QUEEN, GOLDEN PRINCESS, SUPERSTAR CAPRICORN, HYUNDAI KUMGANG, SUPERSTAR CAPRICORN), will undergo an extensive refit in early 2006 with capacity expected to be around 810 lower berths. The aquisition of BOADICEA will unite her with her former sister ROYAL VIKING STAR, now sailing as Fred Olsens' BLACK WATCH.
Flickering Light At The End Of The Tunnel For Train Ferry?
February 18: A media debate continues in Denmark over the future for the laid up 4,084 gt 1954-built train ferry KONG FREDERIK IX. Environmentalists say she is going for scrap, while owners reportedly claim to have sold the vessel for continued trading, possibly for use as a pilgrim ship.And DARBY Makes Ten...
February 16: The tenth vessel to be removed and sold for scrap from MARAD's Reserve Fleet since June of 2004 is now under way. The aging troopship GENERAL WILLIAM O. DARBY was removed at 10:00 AM from her Ft. Eustis moorings in raft seven of the US Maritime Administration's Reserve Fleet, bound for shipbreakers in Brownsville, TX. Her departure, following rather quickly on the heels of her near sister, GENERAL NELSON W. WALKER (see January 4 news item) depletes the Reserve Fleet of any surviving P-2 class vessels outside of California, where the similarly-fated GENERALS JOHN POPE (P2-S2-R2 type) and EDWIN D. PATRICK (P2-SE2-R1 type) remain for the time being at Suisuin Bay. The handsome twin funneled DARBY (similar in appearance to the modified P2 liners PRESIDENT CLEVELAND and PRESIDENT WILSON) was built at Alameda in 1946 as the ADMIRAL W. S. SIMS (AP-127). By the time of her completion, she was modified from wartime transport to peacetime duties. In 1950, she became the GENERAL WILLIAM O. DARBY, serving until 1967, when she was laid up at Ft. Eustis. In 1980, she became a barracks ship for the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, eventually returning to layup in the James River Reserve Fleet.Bits On The Beach
February 16: The latest reports from Alang have the ATALANTE (ex TAHITIEN, ATALANTE, HOMERICUS) cut back to her funnel, which is expected to be toppled down in the next three to four days. On her port side, the UNIVERSE (ex BRASIL, VOLENDAM, UNIVERSE EXPLORER, etc.) has been nearly stripped. The tip of her once sharply pointed bow has been shorn off along with a chunk of her starboard forward superstructure. The EXPLORER (ex GENERAL W.P. RICHARDSON, LA GUARDIA, LEILANI, PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, EMERALD SEAS, OCEAN EXPLORER I, etc.) is still beached far out and, aside from holes cut into her bow for winching purposes, remains unstripped and intact for the time being. Our source in the region says there is much buzz about the SS NORWAY (ex FRANCE) supposedly having just been sold to an Indian scrap merchant for breaking, but this remains to be confirmed. Meanwhile, clouds of smoke have been emanating from RITA's (ex WINDSOR CASTLE, MARGARITA L) funnel while she prepares for her departure from Petrola to the breakers in either India or Bangladesh. And, speaking of Bangladesh, the lovely TARA (ex TARAS SHEVCHENKO) met terra firma on 29 January when she was beached at Chittagong for scrapping. Reports of RED BOAT's (ex EUGENIO C, EUGENIO COSTA, EDINBURGH CASTLE, SS THE BIG RED BOAT II) being retubed for further trading have proven false. She is being retubed for the voyage to South Asian shipbreakers as this will be more cost-efficient than towing. Her departure from Freeport is expected in the very near future. Further, ship historian and author Bruce Peter reports the ferry MENHIR (ex CHRISTIAN IV of 1968) is heading eastward for the breakers to join so many of her contemporaries in demolition.VOYAGER Safe
February 15: Iberojet's VOYAGER (ex OLYMPIC VOYAGER, OLYMPIA VOYAGER) reached land. Bruises and eight broken bones were reported among those disembarking, according to officials at the port of Cagliari in Sardina.VOYAGER Powerless In Storm
February 14: Iberojet's (Spain) VOYAGER (ex OLYMPIC VOYAGER, OLYMPIA VOYAGER) was battered by 30-foot (10 meter) waves in the western Mediterranean leaving the ship without power. With 480 mostly Spanish passengers and 296 crew on board, the ship (sister to EXPLORER, which was also recently left powerless by a Pacific storm -- see January 27th news below) was departing Sardinia on a voyage between Tunis and Barcelona. A French-led rescue operation was reportedly under way to reach the stricken ship, about 100 km (60 miles) from Menorca. There were reports of minor injuries and the crew were battling to restore engine power. A liquefied gas tanker, GIMMI, was standing by after receiving the VOYAGER's distress call sent just after 0900 GMT February 14. A large wave smashed the bridge windows at about 0800 GMT, damaging electronics and causing the loss of power. The distress call said it was taking on water, the coast guard reported. Two tugs were on their way to the scene and several aircraft have also been sent to the scene. Click here for Peter knego's tour of the ship as OLYMPIC VOYAGERUPDATE: Crew were successful in restarting two of four engines. VOYAGER now heading for Sardinia. Passengers with minor injuries and were being treated on board. V Ships, her operators, report none were life-threatening. VOYAGER is expected at Cagliari, Sardinia, early on February 15 and her messages are being relayed by the liquefied gas tanker, GIMMI, which was standing by.
OCEAN MONARCH Relief Begins Slowly
February 12: The Sri Lankan Navy has now permitted the Greek Hospital ship OCEAN MONARCH (ex PORT SYDNEY, AKROTIRI EXPRESS, DAPHNE, SWITZERLAND, OCEAN ODYSSEY) to begin providing medical services. The Navy had previously blocked transfer of patients from the Trincomalee General Hospital to the vessel, citing security reasons. Greek authorities have been told to ensure that no more than six patients should be inside the vessel at a time while the vessel is moored at the Ashraff Jetty. Agreeing to these conditions, Greek medical personnel have commenced their humanitarian mission.AMSTERDAM's Passengers Overnight On Falklands
February 11: When Holland America Lines' AMSTERDAM arrived at Port William, Stanley's outer harbour, on February 2, no one imagined it was going to be an overnight stop. Tenders brought passengers ashore to explore for the day with a planned 5pm departure. However, the wind picked up and by 1pm, conditions in the outer harbour had deteriorated, suspending launch operations. Conditions deteriorated still further with gale force winds whipping up white-caps, leaving 936 passengers and 63 crew stranded overnight in a town with two tiny full hotels where the population is normally under 2,000. The drill hall of the Falkland Islands Defence Force, the parish hall and the secondary school gymnasium were converted into temporary shelter while all commercial kitchens were pressed into service to feed the thousand stranded people. With volunteers and agency staff working the phones, some 520 beds were found for passengers, mostly in private homes, including the official residences of the island's governor and chief executive. Mattresses were found for the rest of the passengers. AMSTERDAM rode out the storm at sea and returned at first light. By early morning, all were safely back aboard, bound for Ushuaia, Argentina. The captain of the AMSTERDAM used the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Service to send a message to the people of Stanley, thanking them for the kindness shown to them.Huge New NORMANDIE Model Headed For QUEEN MARY
February 10: Roberto Pirrone has completed a 22 foot model of the NORMANDIE. The starboard side is a complete external replica, while the port side is a full three dimensional meticulously reproduced cutaway revealing the inner layout of her decks and public rooms. The model, which took 16 years to build, is to be displayed onboard QUEEN MARY in Long Beach, CaliforniaFundraiser: The RMS QUEEN MARY FOUNDATION and the Southern California branch of the Steamship Historical Society of America are committed to constructing a suitable display case to house the model. Thus far only a portion of the required funds have been raised. Donations may be sent to:
RMS QUEEN MARY FOUNDATION
1126 Queens Highway
Long Beach, CA 90802-6390
Attention: Lovetta KramerBe sure to designate your donation for the "Pirrone Normandie Model."
Images of this remarkable model can be viewed at www.shipgeek.com/NormandieModelMSA Concern Over ARATERE
February 10: The Maritime Safety Authority (MSA) is reportedly "having a crisis of confidence" over problem-plagued inter-island ferry ARATERE, which was detained today in Picton, New Zealand after experiencing steering trouble. It began off Point Halswell inside Wellington Harbour at about 9pm yesterday, but the ship sailed on to Picton. The vessel's owners, Toll Shipping, allegedly ignored the MSA's advice to voluntarily withdraw the ferry from service. MSA director Russell Kilvington today said ARATERE would be held at Picton until the authority was satisfied it was safe to sail. It was speculated that the ship had made an unplanned 360 degree turn, which a passenger reported by cell phone to the local media. Picton's harbourmaster warned the ARATERE's Master that the ship could not re-enter Queen Charlotte Sound by the usual Tory Channel route. A tug was placed on standby for the ferry's scheduled 2am arrival at Picton.Navy Blocks Aid Ship
February 10: Greece's floating hospital, the 1955-built OCEAN MONARCH (ex PORT SYDNEY, AKROTIRI EXPRESS, DAPHNE, SWITZERLAND, OCEAN ODYSSEY) has been idling since her arrival at Trincomalee, Sri Lanka February 5th. The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has blocked transfer of patients from the Trincomalee General Hospital to the vessel citing security reasons. The former passenger ship is now anchored at the Ashraff Jetty, awaiting instruction from Colombo government authorities before it can fulfill its mission. Mr. Efstathios Lozos, Ambassador of Greece to Sri Lanka, who arrived in Trincomalee to meet the ship, has been staying on board the vessel while conducting negotiations with the SNL authorities and Colombo government officials to sort out the problem.PACIFIC SUN Named
February 9: Australian Olympian Lisa Curry-Kenny became the godmother to P&O Cruises PACIFIC SUN (ex JUBILEE) at a colourful ceremony in Sydney's Darling Harbour on February 7. Ms Curry-Kenny released a bottle of champagne against the bow of the 47,000 gt ship before a crowd of 300 guests. PACIFIC SUN will be the biggest cruise ship to be based full-time in Australia.SS UNITED STATES Loss
February 9: From the SS United States Conservancy: The SS United States Conservancy joins in mourning the loss of Mike Alexander, one of the SS UNITED STATES' most loyal and talented supporters. Since 1997 Mike's website - www.ss-united-states.com - has served as an enduring testament to the ship he dearly loved.Mike's connection to the SS UNITED STATES began when he traveled aboard her from Southampton to New York as an 11-year-old, and he never forgot seeing the Statue of Liberty at sunrise in New York harbor or the ship that took him home. Many years later, he was struck by the poignant image of the SS UNITED STATES being towed across the ocean by a single tug for asbestos removal and he set forth to raise public awareness of the ship's plight and potential. As he told the Denver Post back in 1998: "Preserve is not a term I am fond of. I want to create something new, a bridge that connects the past, the present and the future. And in this case, the bridge is a beautiful ship." At this, Mike succeeded. The bridge he worked so hard to construct still stands, granting passage to so many. Debate over the ship and her future continues; those who cherish the legacy of the ship continue to engage in spirited discussions, debate the financial viability of a refit and the key priorities for preservation. But Mike's majestic bridge still towers above, inspiring awe. He made his bridge strong enough and wide enough for all of us to travel on, despite our different views and perspectives, and regardless of what drew us to the ship in the first place.
Mike liked to quote William Francis Gibbs, who said at the ship's christening: "To bring a project of this magnitude to a successful conclusion requires the skill, ability, effort and enthusiasm of many individuals and organizations... who with head, heart and hand have collaborated to make this dream come true." Mike recognized that the SS UNITED STATES' story is really a story about the people who worked together to create and sustain her. Mike realized that the dream of the SS UNITED STATES didn't end with her design and her launch; the dream began there.
Mike inspired all of us to believe in the dream of the SS UNITED STATES and to work hard on the ship's behalf. As Mike wrote on his website: "Thousands of people helped build and maintain the beautiful SS UNITED STATES. At every port of call she shined.... This all-American beauty was always ready and sailed on an equally important mission. You see, where ever this ship went she reflected the best of America. Her real secret mission: INSPIRATION." This mission is one that Mike and his beloved ship shared.
The SS United States Conservancy extends our heartfelt condolences to all of Mike's family and friends, and we pledge to work harder than ever for the cause that Mike believed in. We will post updated information on our website in the coming days about a memorial service for Mike being planned in Ohio. Mike was laid to rest on Saturday, February 5th in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and leaves behind his mother Toni, his father Gregory, and brothers Gregory and Ted.
RUBY Returns
February 7: SAGA RUBY has arrived at Southampton (where she was a familiar caller as VISTAFJORD and as CARONIA). A three month refit in Malta has seen the ship made ready for sailing with the Saga Cruises fleet, which includes her former Norwegian America Line fleetmate, SAGA ROSE (ex SAGAFJORD, GRIPSHOLM). SAGA RUBY will sail from Southampton on her inaugural voyage, a 32-night cruise, March 1st.Floridas Floating Hotels
February 7: Jacksonville, Florida was home to the Super Bowl this year, and offering much needed hotel accommodation, Carnival Cruise Lines' CARNIVAL MIRACLE, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises' SEVEN SEAS NAVIGATOR, Holland Americas' VOLENDAM, ZAANDAM and ZUIDERDAM provided 7,638 extra beds. Silversea Cruises' SILVER WIND was also in Jacksonville under charter.Tsunami Relief Liner Arrives
February 5: Greece's tsunami aid vessel, the 1955-built OCEAN MONARCH (ex PORT SYDNEY, AKROTIRI EXPRESS, DAPHNE, SWITZERLAND, OCEAN ODYSSEY) arrived at Trincomalee, Sri Lanka today with 800 tons of humanitarian aid for the victims of the tsunamis. Majestic International Cruises offered the vessel, which has been converted to a floating hospital. OCEAN MONARCH will remain docked for an extended period of time to provide medical care to the many. On board is a team of 70 doctors and other experts from differing medical fields.The government of Greece previously had despatched military aircraft transporting humanitarian aid, and a medium term emergency development aid of 150,000 Euros and other resources to the island.
Beach Of Doom
February 1: Although the TARA (ex TARAS SHEVCHENKO) skipped Alang for Chittagong, many interesting ships are still lying on the beach at the Indian yards in various stages of dismantling. Freshly arrived on January 20 is the 4,792 gt LIMON, the former Sealink Swan Hunter-built VORTIGERN (later MILOS EPRESS, EXPRESS MILOS, NISSOS LEMNOS) of 1969.ATALANTE (ex TAHITIEN, ATALANTE, HOMERICUS) is 30% demolished with cutting reaching back to her wheelhouse. At the adjacent plot on her starboard side, UNIVERSE (ex BRAZIL, VOLENDAM, MONARCH SUN, etc.) is still undergoing removal of her fittings. Breaking of her hull and superstructure has not yet begun. OCEAN EXPLORER I (ex GENERAL W. P. RICHARDSON, LA GUARDIA, LEILANI, PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, etc.) is still beached far out from shore. Dismantling will begin once the breaker has finished with another vessel that arrived earlier. She will possibly be joined in the near future by the 1965-built 3,050 gt KRAJLICA MIRA (ex HAMERSHUS, PEDER OLSEN, CYNTHIA I) and the 4,084 gt 1954-built train ferry KONG FREDERIK IX.
Meanwhile, RITA (ex WINDSOR CASTLE, MARGARITA L) is apparently still at her Petrola anchorage as preparations are underway for her final voyage. But will she go to Alang or onward to Bangladesh?
EXPLORER Lands In Hawaii
January 31: MV EXPLORER (ex OLYMPIC EXPLORER, OLYMPIA EXPLORER), damaged by a 50-foot wave during severe weather on January 27, changed course from the intended destination of Pusan, South Korea, to Midway Island, then to Hawaii, for better repair facilities and places for the students to stay. EXPLORER arrived at 3:20pm local time. Students from the "Semester at Sea" program have reported that the night before the big wave struck, the pitching of the vessel had made it impossible to sleep. They were instructed to put on warm clothes and life jackets and were gathered in hallways and stairwells for safety. The students may be flown on from Hawaii, to Japan or China to continue their journey while the ship catches up with them after repairs are complete.TARA Skips Alang For Bangladesh
January 31: Bangladeshi breakers have apparently outbid those at Alang, India in pursuit of TARA (ex TARAS SHEVCHENKO). TARA anchored off Chittagong, Bangladesh on 26 January and was boarded for inspection by local scrap merchants. She was beached January 29.
Click here to see photographer Mehmet Yapici's images of TARA entering the Bosphorus January 8 2005.Sell A POLARIS?
January 31: Reports from Izu, Japan, suggest that the MS SCANDINAVIA (ex STELLA POLARIS), open in recent years as a restaurant ship after decades as a floating hotel in the dreamy shadow of Mt. Fujiyama, may be shut down and sold off this Spring.Old ORIANA Upright?
January 30: A news report from China suggests that work has indeed continued to right the now static former P & O SS ORIANA, damaged by storms at Dalian on June 18, 2004. The report states that after considerable work with pumps and divers, the ship has been returned to only a 3 degree list, due to material shifting while she was canted over to her port side. It is hoped that she will be towed to Tianjin for repairs before being returned to Dalian. Click for image of almost righted shipALEXANDER The Late...
January 29: ALEXANDER THE GREAT (ex RANGATIRA, CARLO R) was beached at Aliaga, Turkey this week. The sleek 13,102 gt Swan Hunter-built vessel was most recently laid up in Croatia when her conversion to a Greek cruise ship was terminated. The largely stripped former ferry was sold to Turkish breakers and reportedly resold to Indian breakers, but the second deal apparently fell through.Nearby, the half demolished REGINA (ex ORION, VIXEN, ARGONAUT, REGINA MARIS) lies with hull and superstructure cut back to the funnel.
Meanwhile, in India, another celebrated ferry, the 1975-built TAMA (ex MAREN MOLS) has arrived at Alang for scrapping.
PACIFIC SKY Goes East
January 28: P&O Cruises has announced plans to base PACIFIC SKY (ex FAIRSKY, SKY PRINCESS) in Singapore for a three month season from February to April 2006, offering cruises to Thailand and Malaysia.Monster Wave Strikes School Ship
January 27: MV EXPLORER (ex OLYMPIC EXPLORER, OLYMPIA EXPLORER) was struck by a fifty foot wave while sailing 650 miles south of the Aleutian Islands and about 1,600 miles from Honolulu. The wave smashed through the bridge windows of the 591-foot ship around 2:30pm January 26. The salt water poured over electrical instruments and disabled all four engines. One engine was brought back online about an hour later and still later, a second, giving about 10 knots.Sailing for the "Semester at Sea" program, the 100-day voyage began January 18 in Vancouver, British Columbia, with 990 people aboard sailing to Japan. There are 681 students, 113 faculty and staff and 196 crew members on the EXPLORER. The 378-foot Coast Guard cutter JARVIS was sent from Dutch Harbor, Alaska but will take two days to reach the ship. Two Coast Guard HC-130s from Kodiak and another from Hawaii are on their way, as well. The Coast Guard plan to have the planes take turns watching for any developments and have coordinated with four merchant vessels to rendezvous with the ship. It was reported there were injuries on the bridge, with no reports of anyone critically hurt but few details were available. The ship may head toward Midway Island, a distance of some 800 miles. The weather was described as poor, with gusts up to 50-mph. The EXPLORER has maintained regular communication with the Coast Guard. A medical staff of two doctors and two nurses is on board.
AURORA Sails For Lengthy Repair
January 26: P & O's AURORA sailed from Southampton tonight at about 7pm for repairs at Bremerhaven, Germany following her cancelled world cruise. SCRATCH, (Southampton City and Region Action to Combat Hardship), a Christian charity aiding impoverished individuals and families in the Southampton area, was given a donation of 3 1/2 tonnes of food already stocked for the long cruise. AURORA is expected in Germany on the morning of January 28. It was reported that a hole will be cut in the hull allowing the problematic 180-ton electrical motor to be replaced. The work may take 10 weeks to complete.DIAMOND Cancels Early
January 26: Radisson Seven Seas Cruises today announced that RADISSON DIAMOND will leave their fleet earlier than previously reported. The ship was sold by her Finnish owners from whom RSSC charter. The twin-hulled ship will be leave the fleet on June 4, instead of October as had been indicated, and sail for Hong Kong to be renamed and operated as a casino vessel. According to RSSC, deposits for canceled sailings will be fully refunded.Blatino
January 25: Fred Olsen Cruise Lines have bought, Iberojet Cruceros' 1973-built GRAND LATINO (ex ROYAL VIKING SKY, SUPERSTAR CAPRICORN, HYUNDAI KUMGANG, SUPERSTAR CAPRICORN), she will undergo an extensive refit before joining the Olsen fleet in early 2006.Beach-ward
January 25: TARA (ex-TARAS SHEVCHENKO) is due to arrive at Alang, India in the next few days, while maritime reports have MARGARITA L (ex WINDSOR CASTLE) renamed RITA for her final delivery voyage.Minor Fire at Falmouth
January 22: P&O Ferries 37,583 gt ferry PRIDE OF BILBAO suffered a minor fire at Falmouth, Cornwall. The fire broke out in a restaurant while the ship was undergoing a refit at the A&P dock yard. It was quickly brought under control with A&P Falmouth evacuating of the ship.Three Visions of Business
January 21: On January 8 we reported on plans for three Vision Quest ships. More information has emerged the Norwegian Press: Mr Olav Norum of Trondheim has plans for three conference cruise ships to be developed in cooperation with Aker Finnyard Technology (formerly Kvaerner Masa Yards), which will bid on the contracts along with yards in Germany and France. The designs include very modern exteriors with a classically styled interiors. It is reported that the Norwegian architects Yran & Storbraaten are involved with the project. Each Vision Quest ship will be built identically: Length 273 meters; breadth 32 meters; 70,000 gt. Passenger capacity wil be 1200 and crew 600. Speed 27 knots. The cost estimate for the venture is discussed at US 1.7 billion USD (10Êbillion NOK) and includes a yacht to be used for marketing purposes. Construction of the first unit could begin as early as March 2005.AURORA's World Cruise Cancelled
January 20: After last night's tests in the English Channel, AURORA failed to achieve desired speeds and returned to Southampton, arriving at midnight tonight. The ship sailed Wednesday evening, passing the Isle of Wight and down the channel to a point just northwest of the Channel Islands, averaging only about 13 knots. Passengers on the affected voyage are being provided refunds and 25% of their world cruise fare toward a future cruise. Passengers will leave the ship Friday, January 21. The company expects the vessel will return to service prior to the date it was to end its world cruise and anticipates scheduling shorter replacement cruises.Tampa-ing With MIRACLE
January 20: Local pilots refused to sail CARNIVAL MIRACLE through the channel to reach the passenger terminal at Tampa, Florida January 16. The 960-foot-long ship docked, instead, at an industrial area of the port with buses carrying thousands of passengers and their luggage between the berth at Hooker's Point and the cruise terminal. The problem is that when a fuel tanker unloads its cargo, it restricts the channel, making it too narrow for the MIRACLE to navigate safely. Carnival, port officials, and the pilot asociation are in talks to keep the cruise ship operating from the terminal. The port has also asked for federal money to widen the channel, since local traffic cannot pass cruise ships and must wait until they clear, thus causing delays.AURORA Sails
January 19: P&O's AURORA sailed from the Western Docks in Southampton tonight at 8:30PM local time. It is reported that she will go to sea to test the durability of the repairs that have prevented her world cruise departure. A spokesperson said, "If the tests are successful she will carry on her voyage. If not, she will return to Southampton dock". It was also reported as a possibility that if the ship returned to Southampton, having failed the latest tests, the round-the-world cruise could be cancelled. Roughly 1,367 passengers have remained on board, with 385 leaving the ship since the repair work began. The itinerary has been changed with some of the 40 stops missed out and the ship coming home via the Suez Canal and not the Panama Canal. Acapulco, Barbados, Honolulu and San Francisco are among some of the 16 ports that have been dropped.TARA To Beach
January 19: TARA (ex-TARAS SHEVCHENKO) sailing from the Ukraine, entered the Bosphorus Jan 8 at 1500 hrs. The last surviving, largely original 1965-built IVAN FRANKO class ship, was sold for scrap in November 2004. After some of her fittings were removed at Odessa, the 19,549 gt vessel sailed for Alang, India.
Click here to see photographer Mehmet Yapici's imagesAURORA Remains
January 19: P&O's AURORA remained in Southampton as the Tuesday deadline for her proposed belated cast-off on her world cruise passed. A brass band played dockside as expectant passengers lined the decks for the 5pm sailing. At 6pm the Captain delivered the news that the ship was further delayed. The 2000-built AURORA was still undergoing repairs after sea trials in the Solent following problems with her propulsion system. No new departure date has yet been announced.Thai Cruise Companies Try To Salvage Business
January 19: Both Siam Cruise Co. and Ocean Princess Cruises had to cancel their cruise programmes in the aftermath of the tsumani disaster. ANDAMAN PRINCESS and OCEAN PRINCESS initially helped to rescue survivors stranded on islands after the waves first struck but since have remained laid up at Phuket. Both operators will attempt to salvage what they can of their Phuket-based winter cruise season, originally scheduled to end in April.
ANDAMAN PRINCESS (ex SVEA JARL, APOLLO III) - http://www.andamanprincess.com/
OCEAN PRINCESS (ex BASHKIRIYA, ODESSA SONG, ROYAL DREAM, SILVER STAR) - http://www.oceanprincess.co.th/Easily Re-routed
January 19: In the wake of the tsunami damage, Stelios Haji-Ioannou's new pay-as-you-go cruise venture, EasyCruise has reportely cancelled the six-week Asian cruise programme, which was to have begun from Singapore in March. The 4,100-gt EASYCRUISE ONE (ex NEPTUNE) will now sail directly from the Keppel Shipyard (where she was overhauled) to the Mediterranean, instead.REGATTA Goes West
January 18: Today, Oceania Cruises REGATTA (ex R-2, INSIGNIA) arrived on her maiden call at Los Angeles, California. The 1998-built, 684-passenger deluxe ship will sail from Los Angeles returning to Miami via the Panama Canal on a 17 day cruise.Small Fire Cancels Cruise
January 18: A small fire broke out on Radisson's SEVEN SEAS NAVIGATOR about eight miles south of Great Inagua in the southern Bahamas. The fire erupted in the ship's generator room and was immediately extinguished but it shut down power to the ship and her engines. NAVIGATOR operated on emergency power for three hours before main power was restored. Though damage was minor, her next Caribbean cruise was cancelled. None of the 481 passengers or crew members were injured and the ship remained at Port Everglades, Florida. In February, NAVIGATOR will sail to Jacksonville, Florida, joining a handful of cruise ships to provide additional hotel rooms during Super Bowl football festivities.New Brooklyn Terminal
January 17: The New York Times announced the city will begin building a $30 million passenger terminal for luxury ships in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The plan is part of a $200 million effort by the Bloomberg administration to respond to the booming cruise industry. The terminal is planned for Piers 11 and 12 by the close of 2005. It is expected that the new Brooklyn terminal will be used by Norwegian Cruise Line and the Carnival Corporation, among others.Doom Lecture Uplifting
January 17: MaritimeMatters' Contributing Editor and ship historian Peter Knego presented a lecture on board QUEEN MARY in Long Beach, CA entitled "Alang, Beach of Doom". Illustrated with photographs by both Peter Knego and MaritimeMatters' Founder, photographer Martin Cox, the talk covered Peter's mission to Alang, India. Former ocean liners, such as Cunard's ex IVERNIA/FRANCONIA and SYLVANIA, Canadian Pacific's ex EMPRESS OF CANADA (later Carnival's first ship, MARDI GRAS) Moore McCormack's ex ARGENTINA, and Sun Line's STELLA SOLARIS, among others, were gathered at their ultimate resting place in various stages of dismantling. The event proved so popular that it was moved from the Caronia Room on B Deck to the much larger Windsor Saloon on R Deck. Among the attendees were notable passengers alighting from the QE2 on her annual LA visit, a world famous maritime painter, as well as others flying from New York, Chicago, North Carolina, Arizona, and the San Francisco Bay Area specifically for the event, as well as local chapter members of the Steam Ship Historical Society of America and other maritime luminaries. On display were recovered treasures from the ships, some of which were available for purchase, along with Peter's latest THE WORLD'S PASSENGER FLEET videos. videos. A sneak preview of Peter's work in progress, "On The Road to Alang" video was also screened. The video is expected to be available shortly. Proceeds from the event were dedicated to the Historic Preservation and Restoration of the RMS QUEEN MARY.Wreck May Blow
January 15: According to the BBC, the wreck of the USS RICHARD MONTGOMERY which is visible at low tide off the Kent coast, could cause a massive explosion in the next ten years. The US cargo ship had 1,400 tonnes of explosives onboard when she grounded in strong winds on August 20, 1944 2km off Sheerness, and later broke in two. A recent report stated that if the wreck exploded, it would cause a metre-high wave, causing injuries and £1bn worth of damage. The wreck lies in 15m of water off the mouth of the River Medway. One solution presented was containment, by building a barrier around the wreck and then covering it with clay and concrete.Chennai's Tsunami Legacy
January 14: A survey of the port at Chennai since the devastating tsunamis show that the port was "dredged" by the action of the currents and is now the deepest in India. According to the survey by 450,000m3 of sediment were removed on 26 December leaving an average increase in 1 - 2 meters.AURORA Adjourned
January 13: For AURORA's world cruise passengers, the wait continues. After the ship sailed on a trial run and returned to Southampton, P & O have offered compensation for delayed days while technicians struggle to fix the propulsion problems plaguing the liner. The 1,752 passengers have now been given the 18th as the new sailing date, nine days after her scheduled departure.HOLIDAY Fixed
January 12: Carnival Cruise Lines announced that the HOLIDAY has been repaired. A propulsion problem first detected December 30 had necessitated cutting out port visits on two cruises from Mobile, Alabama. "Following repair work on the cruise ship HOLIDAY last week and extensive evaluation by professional technicians, the ship now appears to be operating normally," according to the statement. HOLIDAY is the smallest and oldest ship in the company's growing fleet.Ships Return To Thailand
January 12: After receiving reports that the infrastructure in Thailand is ready for tourists, STAR FLYER will return to her homeport of Phuket, Star Clippers announced. Begining with her February 12 sailing the 170-passenger ship will return from Singapore. SEABOURN SPIRIT has dropped its April calls in Sri Lanka but will call at Ko Ngai, Thailand instead.MUSICA To Their Ears
January 10: Mediterranean Shipping Cruises (MSC) have decided on names for their two newbuildings, the 90,000 gt pair will be named MSC MUSICA and MSC ORCHESTRA. They will be built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique with MUSICA expected in June 2006 and ORCHESTRA in spring 2007.HIGHLANDER To Lower Ground
January 10: The Ferry EUROPEAN HIGHLANDER, which ran aground off Cairnryan Harbour in the west of Scotland, has been refloated after being stuck on a shingle bank for more than 30 hours. Two tugs from the River Clyde at Greenock pulled the P&O car ferry off the beach at high tide at about 11:00AM local time Sunday. The operation to free the ship took less than 30 minutes to complete, and then the EUROPEAN HIGHLANDER had to sail only another 100 metres to dock at the terminal. An initial inspection of the hull carried out by Maritime and Coastguard Agency divers found limited damage. The ferry was taken to Liverpool for dry docking. A reduced service is now in effect between Larne and Cairnryan.Business Ship Business
January 9: The Norwegian firm, Vision Quest Lines, is planning three cruise ships dedicated to serving the conference market. The ships are expected to carry 1,200 passengers and cost some US$1.6bn. They are being designed by Aker Finnyards Technology and will be ordered from Finland's Aker Finnyards.Late AURORA
January 9: P & O's AURORA arrived 12 hours late at Southampton today, delaying the departure of her world cruise by a day. The reason given for the delay was technical difficulites in the Atlantic. It was reported later that the problem was with one propeller reducing speed to 15 knots.NORWEGIAN SEA Transfer Delayed
January 9: Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that it will keep NORWEGIAN SEA sailing from Houston, Texas until July of 2005. NCL are adding 11 Western Caribbean sailings to the ship's current itinerary plus one Panama Canal sailing. Originally NORWEGIAN SEA was transfering to NCL's parent company, Star Cruises in May 2005, this will now take place in the summer of 2005. NCL is transfering all six of the mid-size middle-aged ships to Star Cruises between 2005 and 2009 and is building five new larger ships for delivery on or before the summer 2007 with an option for one more. NORWEGIAN SEA's transfer will commence with a two-week Panama Canal sailing from Houston calling in Cozumel, Mexico; Cartagena, Columbia; Panama Canal transit, Los Angeles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. From there, the ship will be transferred into the Star Cruises fleet.WALKER's Smooth Departure
January 9: Maritime Matter's co-editor Peter Knego has just returned from Virginia where he was able to witness the smooth January 4 departure of the 1946-built P2-SE2-R1 type transport USNS NELSON M. WALKER from her layup berth of 34 years at the James River Reserve Fleet in Ft. Eustis. The venerable twin funneled ship, streaked in years of rust, was carefully dislodged from her moorings, first from her near sister, the 1946-built USNS GENERAL WILLIAM O. DARBY (ex ADMIRAL W. S. SIMMS -- also due to depart for scrapping imminently), then from a neighboring supply ship. After the raft was parted, the WALKER was edged out toward the other rafts upstream, then majestically turned around in brilliant sunlight for her slow, yet still dignified journey toward the Atlantic. The tow was comandeered by the tug HOLLYWOOD and accompanied by two Moran tugs, the DRUM POINT and CAPE HENLOPEN, in addition to an environmental patrol vessel, all of which stayed with the ship until she reached Chesapeake Bay. The WALKER, which was built as the ADMIRAL H. T. MAYO by the Bethlehem Alameda Shipyard at Alameda, CA, looked in fine trim on her final journey, which will see her round Florida and enter the Gulf of Mexico enroute to Brownsville, TX, where she will be dismantled for scrap. A third of the eight original P2-SE2-R1, the GENERAL EDWIN D. PATRICK of 1946 (ex ADMIRAL C. F. HUGHES) still exists in Suisuin Bay, California and will likely join her surviving sisters for scrapping soon. The last two vessels of this type ordered, the ADMIRAL S. W. TAYLOR and ADMIRAL F. B. UPHAM were converted on the stocks into the famed American President Liners PRESIDENT CLEVELAND and PRESIDENT WILSON.REGAL Revenues!
January 9: Imperial Majesty Cruise Line's 1953-built REGAL EMPRESS (ex OLYMPIA, CARIBE, CARIBE I) was Port Everglades' number one revenue producer for the fiscal year 2004, according to the Port Everglades Passenger Ship Revenue and Volume Report. The celebrated classic ship, rife with acres of wood paneling and mid century ocean liner ambiance, generated $2.8 million for the fiscal year ending in September. She also carried the second highest total of passengers, a remarkable 246,000 during the same fiscal period. REGAL EMPRESS sails every other day from Port Everglades to Nassau. For more information, contact Imperial Majesty Cruises at www.imperialmajesty.com or visit Maritime Matters' extensive tour and history of this important liner by clicking here.EUROPEAN HIGHLANDER Aground
January 8: The 2002-built P & O passenger ferry EUROPEAN HIGHLANDER has run aground off the coast of Scotland with about 100 people on board, 43 passengers and 57 crew. Winds of up to 100 knots pushed the vessel on to a shingle beach only 100 yards from her intended berth. Tugs would not be able to reach the stricken vessel until tomorrow due to hurricane force weather. the ferry sailed from Larne, Northern Island on the usually two-hour crossing and was about to berth when the accident occurred. None of the passengers or crew were reported injured when the ferry hit a sandbank at Cairnryan as gales battered Britain today.Prima ATHENA
January 7: Classic International Cruises of Lisbon took delivery of NINA Cruises 1948-built CARIBE (ex STOCKHOLM, VOLKERFREUNDSCHAFT, VOLKER, FRIDTJOF NANSEN, ITALIA I, ITALIA PRIMA, VALTUR PRIMA), which has been laid up at Lisbon since October of 2004. The ceremonies took place alongside the Santa Apolonia wharf, whereupon the ship was renamed ATHENA and given Portuguese registry. Before entering cruise service for Classic International on 31 March 2005, the ship will be given an overhaul that will include work on the main and auxiliary engines as well as some structural and accommodation refurbishment.As Portuguese ship historian Luis Miguel Correia reports: "The renaming of the CARIBE into ATHENA was performed in a very simple way in the presence of Lisbon Greek shipowner Mr. George P. Potamianos, his wife Mrs. Athina Potamianos and their two twin sons,Alex and Emilios Potamianos, the former and new Captains, Director of Classic International Cruises and myself, the only independent guest at the ceremony. While the name CARIBE was painted out at the bow, first on the starboard side and the letters ATHENA added, the Portuguese flag was raised at the stern by Captain Pizarro and Mr. George Potamianos on the stern. Oporto, and Madeira wines as well as Champagne were served and later an icon with St. Nokolay (Agios Nicholaos) was added to the ship's bridge in order to enroll the "new" ship under holly protection. This icon joined another depicting St. Francesco Di Paola who is the protector of Italian merchant ships. ATHENA needs a deep protection as since she started her career as the ITALIA PRIMA in October 1994 she has been a particularly unlucky ship. It was stated she never made money to the NINA company now in receivership at the hands of an Italian bank." Indeed, as STOCKHOLM, she had an unlucky collision with the ANDREA DORIA on July 25, 1956 resulting in the loss of 52 lives.
Ships Aid Victims
January 7: The 894-foot hospital ship USNS MERCY departed the US Naval Station at San Diego, California, January 5 en route to the Indian Ocean to aid victims of the tsunamis in south Asia. It will take about 30 days for the 1,000-bed ship to reach the region. USNS MERCY will serve as a base of operations and provide warehousing for joint military medical organizations and non-government relief groups. USNS MERCY is one of two US Navy hospital ships, her sister ship, USNS COMFORT, is stationed in Baltimore, Maryland.Greece's Foreign Ministry has chartered the 1955-built OCEAN MONARCH (ex PORT SYDNEY, AKROTIRI EXPRESS, DAPHNE, SWITZERLAND, OCEAN ODYSSEY) to send to Sri Lanka with 800 tons of humanitarian aid (tents, clothing, medicines, food, etc) for the victims of the tsunamis that struck southeast Asia. Majestic International Cruises, offered the vessel which will be used as a floating hospital with specialized medical personnel by Greek non-governmental organizations.
S/S NOMADIC In the News
January 6: S/S NOMADIC, the last remaining Harland & Wolff-built White Star ship, a tender which has enjoyed a checked past (most recently as a restaurant in Paris), is back in the news. The French Titanic Society has launched a petiton to raise awareness of the plight of the historic vessel at http://www.petitiononline.com/NOMADIC. MaritimeMatters page on the 1911-built ship can be found at SS NOMADICCosta To P & O Cruises
January 5: COSTA TROPICALE (ex TROPICALE) will transfer to Carnival's sister company, P&O Cruises Australia, in October 2005. Renamed PACIFIC STAR she will join PACIFIC SUN and PACIFIC SKY in the expanding Australia and New Zealand market. The 1982-built ship was operated by Carnival as TROPICALE until she was tranfered to Costa in 2001, after an extensive refurbishment in which the distinctive whale-tail funnel was replaced by a "chimney pot" with the Costa "C".More Costa
January 5: Carnival Corporation announced a new ship will be constructed at Fincantieri's Sestri Ponente yard, a 112,000-ton vessel for Costa Cruises. The order is for a Euro 475 million as-yet-unnamed ship for delivery in the spring 2007. The vessel will be a sister to the COSTA CONCORDIA, a new class for Costa which is expected in early summer 2006.Cunard's QUEEN VICTORIA Rescheduled
January 5: Carnival Corporation announced today that the previously announced date for the new Cunard ship QUEEN VICTORIA has been modified from July to December 2007.Tsunamis Aftermath's Shipping Changes
January 5: Continuing changes to itineraries are being reported in the tsunami-ravaged region of southern Asia this week: Swan Hellenic's MINERVA II dropped calls at Colombo, Sri Lanka; Male, Maldives; and Port Blair, India. Revised itineraries for future cruises were to be announced. The SEABOURN SPIRIT, which was scheduled to visit to Phuket and Yangon, Myanmar, may be altering her ports as the line assesses the situation.WALKER's Departure Deferred
January 3: The 1944-built 19,169 gt P2 transport GENERAL NELSON M. WALKER (ex ADMIRAL HT MAYO) is due to depart the reserve fleet at Ft. Eustis, VA on January 4, for scrapping at Star Metals of Brownsvile, TX. (Previously MaritimeMatters had posted December 28 as her departure date). The WALKER and her Alameda-built sisters were the prototypes of the famous American President Liners PRESIDENT CLEVELAND and PRESIDENT WILSON, which were converted from transports into luxury liners in 1948.Wind Delays Liners
January 2: THE WORLD and DELPHIN RENAISSANCE were unable to sail from Cape Town, South Africa yesterday while a gale force south easter held the two vessels in port. THE WORLD finally departed at 6:20AM and DELPHIN RENAISANCE at 7:30AM today.All Quiet On QE2's New Year's Day
January 1: According to passengers aboard QE2, the liner lost power in the early hours of New Year's Day while on her Christmas Cruise. Without power there is no propulsion, ventilation, lighting or water. Apparently, the ship drifted in this state for about an hour before power was restored.Shipping Disrupted After Massive Earthquake
January 1: Following the massive undersea earthquake (9.0) off the north-western coast of Sumatra, tsunamis have caused havoc and a huge loss of life on many coasts (aprox 150,000 deaths reported). "This may be the worst national disaster in recent history because it is affecting so many heavily populated coastal areas" according to the U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator.January 2 : The cargo ship MV NAZISH, carrying relief material sent by the West Bengal government and voluntary organisations for Tsunami-affected people in Andaman and Nicobar islands, sailed from Kolkata for Port Blair. Another passenger/cargo ship, MV HARSHAVARDHAN, carrying relief sent by the Ramakrishna Mission, Indian Red Cross Society, UNICEF, Navy and social welfare agencies, leaves Kolkata for Port Blair tomorrow.
MV LAKSHMI sailed from Vishakapatnam Port on December 31, with over 1000 tonnes of relief material and another passenger ship, MV AKBAR, which had brought more than 1,000 refugees from Port Blair, sailed with 300 tonnes of material, including: rice, provisions, drinking water, clothes and medicines.
Following reports of damage and destruction in parts of Phuket, Thailand, Star Cruises has temporarily amended the itineraries of SUPERSTAR VIRGO and SUPERSTAR GEMINI (ex CROWN JEWEL, CUNARD CROWN JEWEL). Both ships were in Singapore when the waves were striking the north-western coast of the Malay peninsula and Thailand. Star Cruises have cancelled calls at Phuket on the current sailings, which departed from Singapore and Port Klang, Malaysia on December 26th. Star Cruises will continue to monitor the situation.
Star Clippers has relocated STAR FLYER from its homeport of Phuket, Thailand, to Singapore for January and some February seven-night sailings. Star Clippers expects to return to Phuket, Thailand in the middle of February 2005. STAR FLYER was at Pangkor Island in Malaysia, bound for Singapore, at the time of the disaster, and was not affected by the tsunami. STAR FLYER's new 7-night itinerary from Singapore will feature the highlights of Malaysia, including Pangkor Island, Langkawi, Penang and Malacca. All of these ports experienced almost no impact from the tsunami.
December 26: OCEAN PRINCESS (ex BASHKIRIYA, ODESSA SONG, ROYAL DREAM, SILVER STAR), was at anchor off Surin Island National Park, Thailand when the waves hit, but rode out the swells. Officers from the ship, whose passengers were ashore, organised the evactaion of the island after it appeared that the waves had ceased. Bringing all 300-plus evacuees to safety on board, where they were given blankets, a floor to sleep on, and free food and drink.
Siam Cruise Co's 5,100-gt cruise ship ANDAMAN PRINCESS (ex SVEA JARL, APOLLO III) survived the tsunami unscathed, while anchored in deep water far offshore from Phi Phi Island, but it appears that the ships trade may have been wiped out. Following the tsunmais, the vessel's medical facilities were used to resuscitate three Taiwanese tourists who had almost drowned. The passengers, along with many other stranded foreign tourists, were then transferred back to the ship via its lifeboats, and returned to Phuket. The company has cancelled its cruises for now and may be forced to cancel the entire season. ANDAMAN PRINCESS is usually based in Phuket from November to May and spends the rest of the year sailing from Bangkok to islands in the Gulf of Thailand.
Click here for SHIPPING NEWS from June - December 2004