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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 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.

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Originally posted by VDK:
Sad and depressing to hear that the end is near for NORWAY. I am not surprised though given her age and technical state. I trust MaritimeMatters info so where there is smoke there is fire....in this case the cutting tourches. It will be heartbreaking to see photos of her in her demise.

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Originally posted by Noordam:
This is ridiculous that she can't be saved for Static service in France.

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It's the same old problems:

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Malcolm wrote:
What about the huge maintenance costs? Its cheaper to build a brick Hotel.

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Very true, Malcolm. Maybe SS Norway was built in the wrong era for saving her as a floating hotel. When the seas have risen and the coastal resorts are under water and the cost of land has skyrocketed, only then would SS Norway have a second life.

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Originally posted by Noordam:
What a bad attitude Malcolm... You should actually be ashamed of yourself...

The France was built against all odds... She was never profitable as a french liner, but she was built as a testament to the french turnaround from WWII. It was the pride in the french state that made her a reality, and I for one am glad she was built... Its this very pride that should see her return to France as a static ship... A tribute to a bygone era in the French establishment... Profit or not....

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She is not as the Rotterdam wich (ex)interior was almost as that was whene she enters service in 1959. And look how much it cost to bring here back to Rotterdam (don't forget the difficulty's with here owners)

At the end how sad it is that she end on a beach and the emotions that bring to many poeple. Its all about money and not emotions.

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Originally posted by Ernst:
Look at all these "static" ships: They are usually in a disgusting condition! Only a very, very special ship, like Queen Mary can compensate that.

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With regard to NORWAY, my contact at Alang says he was told by the Indian authorities she was purchased by a cash buyer for scrapping. At this point, it is just a rumor, but one with some degree of interest and was unsolicited. Thus far, he has been pretty accurate. It certainly came as a surprise to me. If I hear anymore, I'll post it.

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:
On another forum, Peter Knego was asked if he could confirm the SS Norway to be scrapped rumor:

With regard to NORWAY, my contact at Alang says he was told by the Indian authorities she was purchased by a cash buyer for scrapping. At this point, it is just a rumor, but one with some degree of interest and was unsolicited. Thus far, he has been pretty accurate. It certainly came as a surprise to me. If I hear anymore, I'll post it.

Peter

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Thad

LinerList

[ 02-17-2005: Message edited by: Thad ]

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Originally posted by Westerdam:
Just curious there Malcolm what chat forum was this posted on? I would be interested in reading the entire thing.

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Originally posted by Noordam:
What a bad attitude Malcolm... You should actually be ashamed of yourself...

The France was built against all odds... She was never profitable as a french liner, but she was built as a testament to the french turnaround from WWII. It was the pride in the french state that made her a reality, and I for one am glad she was built... Its this very pride that should see her return to France as a static ship... A tribute to a bygone era in the French establishment... Profit or not....

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I have no shame! Don't get me wrong I love the SS Norway, but I'm a realist. The French already let her go because they could not afford her. NCL/Star, one of the world's biggest cruise lines have decided that they cannot generate a profit from her either.

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Originally posted by Noordam:
With all this negative attitude, we should just scrap the Rotterdam V as well...

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Unfortunately they probably will, in my opinion - for the same reasons as the SS Norway.

Preseving ships as hotels/museums is largely a 'pipe-dream'. How many in the world have been? Those few that have, quickly fall into a terrible state of disrepair and are then scrapped. It just delays there inevitable fate.There is only really one exception, the Queen Mary.

In the next five years, we will lose just about ALL of our 'classic' ships. We will have to redefine what we class as a 'classic' ship.

[ 02-17-2005: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:

Yes 'Linerslist' the nets second best cruise forum. (That was the entire thing, realy).

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For the public opinion a classic ship is something like the Titanic or maybe a ship from the 30ies, but certainly not the France. So can you imagine, how disappointed customers of an "static ship hotel" would be, if they get a nearly not mantained Norway in a dock in the middle of nowwhere?

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Originally posted by desirod7:
Liner's List is a bunch of dour curmudgeons with no sense of humor and put endless posts about Baltic Ferry water tight doors, and Allstom Life Boat Davits.

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To be honest I don't like it either - I rarely ever read it or post on it. However, some very knowlegable (also some opinionated and/or rude) people in the maritime world do read it and contribute to it. That in itself does give it some worth.