quote:

---

Indian firms bid to dismantle asbestos-laden cruise ship
April 24, 2006

OSLO, -- Several Indian firms specialised in ship demolition are angling to dismantle the asbestos-laden BLUE LADY cruise ship, currently in limbo off the coast of Malaysia due to it status as a potential environmental hazard, according to a trade publication.

Citing industry sources from the Indian shipyards of Alang, the largest shipbreaking site in the world, the Tradewinds weekly said that several Indian breakers had already inspected the cruise liner.

The demolition of large ships constructed with asbestos has been an especially touchy subject since February, when the French government was forced to recall the decommissioned warship Clemenceau, at one time the pride of the French Navy, while it was en route to India for dismantling.

Greenpeace and anti-asbestos campaigners in France and India welcomed the court-imposed decision as a major victory, but shipbreakers in Gujarat said the move would devastate their industry.

"The fuss over the aircraft carrier Clemenceau has died down and the politicians are now making noises over different matters in other parts of India, so business is returning to normal," a ship breaker in Alang told the Oslo-based magazine.

The French-built BLUE LADY, sailing under the names "NORWAY" and "FRANCE" under previous owners, is today the property of Bangladeshi Lokman Hossain, who runs the Chittagong-based Jiri Sudebar steel re-rolling mills, according to trade winds. The vessel's last commercial owner, star cruises, said that the BLUE LADY lady had been sold, but would not confirm the identity of the buyer.

Zee News / Tradewinds

---

See also:

Alang Alert

Norway reportedly sold (again)

******

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ernst:
Whoever? - didn't you say in another thread that you are in contact with the present owners who provided you with facts about her?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ernst:
O.K. (....why didn't you say that firstplace?)

---

wich broker......

The latest news from Rueben who runs the Australian maritime website is that Blue Lady is due at Alang about the 25th May.

He has received this news from friends in Alang.

It is a sad day if another of the great liners is scrapped.

Neil ( Bob )

[ 04-25-2006: Message edited by: Neil Whitmore ( Bob ) ]

I received an email from Rueben with the details about 24.00 hours UK time today, Tuesday. with the details from his friends in Alang

I expect he will be updating his Website soon.

The other news in the email was that she was sold to a Liberian company last December which could be why Star Cruises are keeping quiet about who bought her !

Neil ( Bob )

[ 04-25-2006: Message edited by: Neil Whitmore ( Bob ) ]

[ 04-25-2006: Message edited by: Neil Whitmore ( Bob ) ]

quote:

---

J.S.S.Normandie wrote:
Whoever owns her is still wiling to sell her. So apparently she hasn't been sold for good.

---

Well, if you really want to save her you better hurry up and make them an offer they cannot refuse. Time is running out. Good luck.

******

quote:

---

J.S.S.Normandie Can you give a link to the site?

---

News at Reuben's site has not been updated from April 20, but here is the link:

Reuben Gossens

[ 04-26-2006: Message edited by: Indarra ]

With Star Cruises appearing to be keeping quiet about the sale of the ss Norway in December 2005 to Liberian interests, according to the email I received from Rueben, the question that must now be asked is do they still own the two American ships themselves !

The sale of ss Norway may have been done to draw attention away from themselves in selling the ship for scrap but does not appear to have worked.

It does make one wonder how far they can be trusted if the information received is correct.

An interesting item which appears in the groups yearly report to December 2003 for shareholders is that each of the Star Cruises ships is owned by a subsidery company which is incorporated in either the Isle of Mann or Bermuda.

This type of individual ship registration was used by some of the Greek passenger ship companies instead of all their ships being registered under the ownership of the parent company.

Most British cruise ships are owned by the parent company although some may have been sold and leased back to free up capital for new ships being built.

Re Ruebens - He is not is the best of health these days which is why his website is not updated daily.

I do receive frequent emails from him with the latest news he has received as he knows I am registered on various shipping forums and will pass out the information when it is received.

Neil ( Bob )

[ 04-26-2006: Message edited by: Neil Whitmore ( Bob ) ]

[ 04-26-2006: Message edited by: Neil Whitmore ( Bob ) ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Neil Whitmore ( Bob ):
An interesting item which appears in the groups yearly report to December 2003 for shareholders is that each of the Star Cruises ships is owned by a subsidery company which is incorporated in either the Isle of Mann or Bermuda.

This type of individual ship registration was used by some of the Greek passenger ships companies instead of all their ships being registered under the ownership of the parent company.

---

It is nothing unusual and often used for financing and/or tax purposes.

Legend of the Seas - Registered owner: CRUISE VISION ONE
Brilliance - Registered owner: HALIFAX LEASING SEPTEMBER
MSC Opera - LYCOPER HOLDINGS INC
..just examples... I thought RCCL have just set up something for Freedom too?

[ 04-26-2006: Message edited by: Ernst ]

I would check back it has always appeared it was Star cruises selling the ss Norway for scrapping.

This would not appear to be true as she was already sold to Liberian interests !

Regarding only a handful of people being interest in the Ex ss Norway I was under the impression she was always fairly full while cruising and no doubt would still be if she was still in service.

The ex Olympia which is now the Regal Empress and nearly 50 years old is a good example of how a classic ship can be run.

Neil ( Bob )

[ 04-26-2006: Message edited by: Neil Whitmore ( Bob ) ]

quote:

---

Ernst wrote:
...They always said that several options are under consideration (which I beleive - why would they have had her laid up that long?) - and they never promised or gave an 'guarantee' that the ship will not be scrapped. And it is certainly not seriouse to publish ANY informations before decisions have been made.

---

True. I would also add the asbestos issue. This is probably another reason why she has been laid-up so long. When this is sorted out, unless there is an eleventh-hour reprieve, she's destined to one of those eager scrappers.

******

The most poignant photo I saw of her, and will probably always carry in my mind's eye, was of her being towed away from Germany. It was taken from behind her with the tow very visible yet she maintained her dignity while her ship's soul must have known what was to come at the end of this very long journey. It was the one recent photo of her that truly brought tears to my eyes and I have saved it somewhere as a remembrance of a great and classy lady holding her head high right to the end.

Perhaps her fate would be better served if she were to slip into the embrace of the sea which was her home from the very beginning. I'd like to think of her resting, intact, in the ocean she was mistress of for so many years instead of brutally and unfeelingly taken apart piece by lovely piece. I'd like to know that in her ships soul would remain the echos of the laughter and gaity she brought to so many and that all of us would know that she rested in peace. We have lost so many of those lovely ships perhaps this time, if the end is really in sight for her, the gods of the seas will reach out and spare us all the agony of her painful demise.