I was wondering what is going on? I checked out a few of the French sites, Club France Prestige and the Association of the SS France for updates. The last news posted was that there are talks taking place with the scrappers to buy the ship.

Everything is quiet news wise until the Indian Supreme Court decide if she can be broken up at Alang or has to be removed from the beaches there.

There was talk, and messages appeared on some websites, that she had been towed too close to the shore to be moved back into deep water but this has been proved to be untrue and the work of people supporting her being broken up at Alang.

These messages appear to have been sent out to put off anyone still interested in buying the ship
and maybe using her in a static roll if they are not allowed to break her up at Alang.

The court decision is expected about the 7th March.

Neil ( Bob )

[ 02-03-2007: Message edited by: Neil Whitmore ( Bob ) ]

I certainly hope that the ship is purchased and removed from the Alang beach.

I remember reading late last year that a small access hole had been cut into her hull about midship below the water line.Now as the tide comes in the water would flow into this hole and flood the lowest parts of the ship.Can anyone tell me if this was true or not?.Im not sure if i read it on here in one of the many postings about this ship or another site.

If it turns out to be true then the scrappers have done it in order to cause as much pernament damage as possible -or- it could be as Neil says just a rumour to throw off any possible return to service.

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Originally posted by Linerdan:
In regards to the rumours ect.

I remember reading late last year that a small access hole had been cut into her hull about midship below the water line.

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It was at one stage thought that a hole had been cut in the hull but examination of photos of her at Alang have proved otherwise.

Somebody had mistaken an opening already in the hull as a new opening.

Regards,

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Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:

I doubt that is true. The pictures of her on the Maritime Matters site show the service doors are open on the port side. These doors are usually used when a ship is beached to gain access via rope ladders. If she is flooded, it would be nearly impossible to bring her closer to shore for beaching.

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She is flooded?

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Originally posted by Jonathan:

She is flooded?

Jonathan

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Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:

Unless her hull has been opened, I have not heard her being flooded. She was floating during high tides (and back on the sand when the tides where low) and there was a rumor her hull may have been damaged as a result. The question I have is why would an access door be cut below the waterline when there are plenty of service doors higher up?

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Where did you see a report that the ship is flooded.

Nothing has appeared on the many shipping forums and websites I use plus some which I do not think you would be able to access unless you are in the trade and can use them.

The only report in circulation was that her hull had been damaged, due to her being towed closer to the shore at Alang, but this report has been proved to be incorrect and the work of people supporting her being broken up at Alang.

With no power now available on board, as far as is known, it is possible that there will be some water in her bilges but this is not uncommon in a older ship which has been laid up for some time and has no generators running on board.

One place leaks are know to happen is where the propeller shaft goes out from the ships hull, due to damaged or worn out gland packing, which can result in water leaking into the bilges !

This water can soon be removed either with portable pumps or her own bilge pumps, once any of her generators are running again, and is not a problem.

The emergency generators on a ship operated independant of the main engine room equipment

These may have been used, since the explosion on board, to keep her bilges free of water as her main engines have not been running, as far as is known, and also may have been used to supply lighting etc when she was being towed around the world.

Neil ( Bob )

[ 02-04-2007: Message edited by: Neil Whitmore ( Bob ) ]

Face it she's finneshed.

While I have a great deal of respect of the Dutch refiting the SS Rotterdam V, I would be even more elated if the same approach is applied to the SS Norway.

Remember this notion: If it were not for all of the SS Norway supporters, the ship would have been scrapped by now. When it was realized that the ship had over 1240 tons of asbestos, that was the perfect motivation to prevent the breakup of the ship. So far, the delay will give Club France Prestige the time it needs.

The only people who can save the SS Norway are the French. Just as the only people who had saved the SS Rotterdam are the Dutch.

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Originally posted by Redlinekid2:
Don't underestimate the SS Norway. As long as there are people who are willing to spend money, big business will take on the risk of buying and refiting the SS Norway as a SS Rotterdam V attraction. ...

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Originally posted by PamM:
Is not Augustus well cared for? Privately owned and even gets a run up the coast to drydock every so often. Why does she need more 'saving'?

Pam

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While there is no danger to the ship at the moment, who knows what the future holds? When the owner of the SS Winsor Castle died, his son sold the ship for scrap before a buyer could be found. This is what concerns me about the Augustus. It's the last Italian Ship of State.

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Originally posted by Redlinekid2:
Hi Pam,
I feel that the MV Augustus needs to be brought back to Italy, as the ship is the only existing link to the Andrea Doria. If the ship is permanently docked at the same pier where the Andrea Doria once docked, it would be an excellent attraction.

While there is no danger to the ship at the moment, who knows what the future holds? When the owner of the SS Winsor Castle died, his son sold the ship for scrap before a buyer could be found. This is what concerns me about the Augustus. It's the last Italian Ship of State.

A foundation must be established to bring awarness to the ship.

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August was original the Italian Line flagship on the South America trade. But never the Italian ship of state. Beautifull ships outside and inside but never ship of state.

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Originally posted by Redlinekid2:
Hi Pam,
I feel that the MV Augustus needs to be brought back to Italy, as the ship is the only existing link to the Andrea Doria.

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...Ausonia is still around. Smaller, but she resembles her too.

If the ship is permanently docked at the same pier where the Andrea Doria once docked, it would be an excellent attraction.[/QUOTE]

This pier is in use. Isn't it?

While there is no danger to the ship at the moment, who knows what the future holds? [/QUOTE]

Very likely, a transfer to Italy might be more dangerous than leaving her where she is right now.

It's the last Italian Ship of State.
[/QUOTE]

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Originally posted by Globaliser:
I think your proposition has missed out the word "if". And that's a very big "if". (If it exists.)

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Charlie Brown Halloween

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Linus states that one must never say "If the Great Pumpkin comes", but rather, "When the Great Pumpkin comes"; a lack of sufficient faith, he avers, might cause the Great Pumpkin to pass one by at the critical time.

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Putting faith in any idea that the SSNorway will be saved is like putting faith in the Great Pumpkin

[ 02-06-2007: Message edited by: desirod7 ]

By that time, we're know soon enough to see what will happen to the ship. I was hoping that Club France Presitge would have gotten the ship by now. But the only news that I received was that they returned all of the subcription funds back to the contributors.

Beside that, do not forget that a major clean-up might not only be necessary for scrapping her in a proper manner BUT ALSO for using her in a static role.