A South African company's representatives will arrive in Singapore next week to complete negotitations for her purchase. They intend to use her as a Museum and Marine Training Centre.

While I do not nessersarily support the purchase of old ships (as most of you know !) there is a certain logic to this one, most certainly our National Maritime Museum on the harbour front in Durban would benefit from having Doulos berthed there (there is room) as it is pretty useless (actually really pathethic) at present but more importantly with the new tonnage tax being introduced next year (2010) in SA it is expected that there will be an explosion of demand for SA seafarers.

Currently the SA register comprises 1 large vessel (get it 1 !) and Unicorn, Safmarine and others have commited to re-register their ships in SA before the end of 2010, it is expected that the register would comprise just over 100 ocean going vessels by the end of the year with even more joining in 2011. This of course requires the provision of many more SA crew etc and our local Tech and Varsity have established large faculties to provide these, Doulos would be a potentially valuable resource even if she is static only.

Lets hope that Doulos does find a new home in South Africa.

Alang is another very serious hypothesis. The SA track is true but it depends how is REALLY the Doulos. The "false surprise" of severe corrosion of the structure will be the same for a static ship. Corrosion is corrosion and it doesn't only affect the navigability of the ship. It does also affect a static museum.

Rina was clever enough to remove her navigability certificate with passengers today and it's a very rare case with Rina. I have no information about the real shape of Doulos, but it should be not very clear ...

quote:

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Originally posted by LenKinap:
But if the Doulos could be an interesting case of preservation, I agree with you. If the shape permits it ...

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There seems some confusion as to where she might end up, Cape Town has been mentioned elsewhere - however you have the same problem as the QE2 did - no berth and no access, Simonstown could be another possibility but that is a naval base so access would be a problem and it is far from anywhere. Durban is again the only logical choice and indeed is the place mentioned here in news reports.

quote:

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Originally posted by LenKinap:
The "false surprise" of severe corrosion of the structure will be the same for a static ship. Corrosion is corrosion and it doesn't only affect the navigability of the ship. It does also affect a static museum.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Lubber:

It has taken ships "out of service" as museums too. Case in point: the N/S Savannah, which was a museum ship in the '80s up through the early '90s. Her hull was supposedly under cathodic protection against corrosion, but a leak occurred in an aft hold resulting in the museum deciding against renewing the ship's bareboat charter. She went straight to drydock, but she's been a ghost fleet ship ever since.

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Blue Monarch (ex. Renaissance) has a close future (if plans have not changed) as an hotel ship for the Canadian winter-games. Temporary, of course ... After it could be Alang ... I do not see one serious cruise operator upgrading the old renaissance for Solas 2010 and her certificates are over in 2011. She is now considered to be broken up on Equasis database, but when ...

http://vancouverbluemonarch.com/

[ 02-06-2010: Message edited by: LenKinap ]

Unfortunately, I think the plan fell through. It was reported in TradeWinds that she was sold for scrap for approx. USD $2 million a couple weeks ago. On the other hand, no particular breaker at Alang has made a bid on her, as far as my contacts there know....

All the best,

quote:

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Originally posted by Midshipcentury:
Hi Len,

Unfortunately, I think the plan fell through. It was reported in TradeWinds that she was sold for scrap for approx. USD $2 million a couple weeks ago. On the other hand, no particular breaker at Alang has made a bid on her, as far as my contacts there know....

All the best,

Peter

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I am almost never attacking someone directly for an article. But R. Goossens (the champion of lasso campaign) has gone to far with the Doulos.

Here is a copy of the mail sent to Mr Goossens and in CC to GBA and OM ship management.

The link of the article is there (dated 19 february ????):

http://www.ssmaritime.com/newsupdates.htm

quote:

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Dear Mr. Goossens,

I have never liked the way you practice in your so called campaigns, but for the Doulos you are going too far. Much too far.... If you find readers that have enough credulity to believe your writing (remember the Norway Campaign), it's good. If this vessel is important for you, it could be true. But the way you practice with Alang is absolutely scandalous, false and a shame.

The Doulos is scheduled to be sold at one of the best plot of Alang, certified by Bureau Veritas ISO 13 000. Most of the big plot, who handled the large vessels haves ISO 900x, ISO 14 000 certification. Only the few remaining small plots have a BIG problem of security, but you are never talking about these plots because it's not for attractive vessels. The pictures illustrated have at least 10-15 years for the oldest and in ten years, a lot of things have changed..So its a melting-pot of old, new photographs and an outrageous melting-pot.

Anastasis (also a Christian ship) was also recycled at Alang, without accident and at a very good plot. Blue Lady, Maxim M too, even if you do not like S. Mehta. The lethal accidents this years are coming from small plot that we have to eliminate, but you are battling against the best ones ...

Alang is not the Palm Beach, but a lot of progress have been released the past ten years and only 10-15 small plots are to eliminate. And they will be eliminated because GMB wants a "clean Alang".

To finish, you have taken you retirement to "campaigns" and then come back again. It's like Maurice Chevalier's "Adieux", an endless retirement. It doesn't sound very serious and I suggest you to take a real retirement because your credibility in maritime world is close to zero.

This message have been also posted to GBA and OM Ship, because you have been too far.

Regards.

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This message can be edited if it is not compliant to forum rules, but I have really been offended by the way a so called "Maritime Historian" is reversing his vest. GBA was the best vessel keeper in the world and now he is a bad (maybe the worst) Christian of the earth. And the way he show Alang, with historical pictures and some from Bangladesh.

Yes Alang is far than perfect! Yes Alang needs to progress ! But are they like China breaking yards, or former/actual Bangladesh yards ? A few plots, that must be eliminated, yes! But the majority of big plots are at the same level as eastern Europe or Turkey. One or two are better tan many cars scrapyards in France ...

We have NOW to prepare the future and to learn to dismantle a vessel in closed docks, in India or somewhere else. Today, we have no other valuable solution.

[ 02-11-2010: Message edited by: LenKinap ]

This company deals in the sale of old ships

The other pictures are from the Greenpeace site taken between 1998 & 2000; times have moved on. DOULOS has had her day and time for scrap imo, but if others think not, then perhaps she will end up joining PLATINUM II in a worse fate; run aground, cracked and spilling whatever toxins are aboard into the sea adlib, while arguments ensue. Best scrapped on the beach.

quote:

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Originally posted by Neil - Ex P. & O. S. N. Company.:
[QB]According to an email I have seen from the owners of the mv Doulos they are having talks with Global Marketing about selling their ship as they are a reliable company !

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Not only, but it's true. Just because the plot 2 is ISO 13000 certified and owned by the brother of the Director of Global Marketing.

For the Platinum II, Global Marketing has done many faults but US authorities are mostly responsible of the situation. A such vessel had one destiny and they know it perfectly. And they were volontary blind on the situation....

You should remember that Global Marketing were found guilty of breaking the laws of the USA, regarding the removal of the ss Oceanic from San Francisco when she had not been de-contaminated.

That is why they were fined.

They could have appealed, if they thought they had not committed any offences, but there was no appeal !

quote:

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Originally posted by Neil - Ex P. & O. S. N. Company.:
Lenkinap

They could have appealed, if they thought they had not committed any offences, but there was no appeal !

Instead they paid the fine, so they must have known they were guilty !

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Not necessarily, sometimes it is cheaper and quicker to pay the fine, and get the case behind you, instead of being involved in a long and costly court case, of which you don't control the outcome.

Read this article Neil, which is not likely to appear on BAN or Australian websites.

"Half million dollar deal keeps boat case out of litigation"

"Sharma said he feared the cost of a protracted litigation process would have exceeded the $518,500 civil penalty fee his company agreed to pay. Sharma said the fine was far short of the $5 million the EPA sought. “The fact that the EPA decided to come to mediation ... if it had a case, they don’t mediate,” Sharma said. “As my lawyers said, it’s hard to fight the U.S. government. They can go forever. This means you pay a little bit extra and you make it go away. There is a side of you that wants to prove a point. The recommendation was to just do it.”"

Pam

[ 02-12-2010: Message edited by: PamM ]

As far as the Doulos is concerned, along with every other ship that Mr Goossens wants to save, raise the money and buy it.

[ 02-12-2010: Message edited by: jetwet1 ]

While he claimed to have a great relationship for many years with the owners of Doulos the minute he found out that it was almost certain she was to be scrapped he immediately ranted on his website that the Doulos owners were unchristian etc etc.

Her is just the unedited answer of OM ship representative:

quote:

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Thank you for your e-mail. Up to this point (despite what you have read on the ssmaritime internet site) none of the groups interested in preserving the ship have been able to put together arrangements that would make preserving the vessel viable. We are concerned that any group considering preservation understands as fully as possible what they would be taking on.

I am disturbed by the inaccurate and misleading information being presented recently on the ssmaritime website. The author is very passionate about the ship, and a great fan of our work as you can see from all the information about the ship presented on his site. Nevertherless, what is presented there is not an accurate picture of the current situation, our decisions, or our motives.

Best regards,
Ken Miller
Director of Communications
OM Ships International

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I have nothing against Mr Goossens, but I do not like the way he practices. I have been very gentle during his Norway "so called Campaign" even if I had elements to states that:

- it was "wind";
- the ship was not in good shape as described.

quote:

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Originally posted by mike sa:
Mr Goosens must be slightly mad imo. Certainly he is at best bloody rude.

While he claimed to have a great relationship for many years with the owners of Doulos the minute he found out that it was almost certain she was to be scrapped he immediately ranted on his website that the Doulos owners were unchristian etc etc.

Seems unless he gets his own way (with other peoples money of course) he stamps his foot and yells and screams just like a 5 year old.

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Hello,

In term of psychology he has a great need to exist, to be recognized. That's all ... If I had the power, the money, the influence, I will be happy and proud to save a cruiser like QE2, France, Eugenio C, etc.... because they are or were important part of maritime transport history.

But we have to be realistic ! If only we are able to save one vessel/cruiser representing 25 years of technical evolution, it will be great. I wish good luck to Mona Lisa, Saga rose (even if I'm not optimistic), QE2 future.

[ 02-12-2010: Message edited by: LenKinap ]