Posted on Friday, June 11, 2010 by Peter Knego
SS PLATINUM II (ex INDEPENDENCE) at Gopnath, May 2010. Photographer unknown.
A haunting series of images taken of the stranded and now quite visibly broken SS PLATINUM II (ex INDEPENDENCE, SEA LUCK I, OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE, OCEANIC) have been forwarded to MaritimeMatters by James Hood. Once we get the URL for the website, we will provide a link but thus far, the source is unknown. The above photo confirms what a misty, very distant shot taken in late March indicated — the ship has broken her back and will be scrapped on the spot, four to five miles off the coast of Gopnath, some 30 miles southwest of Alang on the coast of Gujarat. There are reports that a crane is now alongside and the ship was recently “looted” and now has several guards posted on board. Further news from Alang, which is inundated with ships even though the steel market is in decline: WINNER 5 (ex AUSONIA, IVORY, etc.) continues to be pulled closer to the beach as stripping is complete and cutting begins; MAESTRO (ex RENAISSANCE, BLUE MONARCH, etc.) is still at Bombay and efforts continue to sell the ship for further trading with steel prices at their current rates; scrap buyers will soon be inspecting MONA LISA (ex KUNGSHOLM, SEA PRINCESS, VICTORIA). With thanks to James Hood.
steve toth
June 11, 2010 at 9:17 am
are there any more views of her, its hard to see her like this I have a tear in my eye seeing her derelict and broken like this.
Lance
June 11, 2010 at 9:53 am
I wish she could have chosen to break her back farther from shore in deeper water. It would have been nice for her to cheat the breakers like her sister the Constitution.
Katie
June 11, 2010 at 10:03 am
I got to know this ship up very close a few years back when I was working on the Norwegian Star and we dry docked next to her for a few weeks in San Francisco. The way she was positioned we saw her mainly from the stern (with the big letters “Independence Honolulu” written very large), and I had to find out the story of this amazing vessel. I am so sad to see such a gorgeous ship meet such a tragic end. I still cross my fingers every day that the S.S. United States will not meet a similar fate (and I take comfort when I see it on my way to work in Philadelphia several times a week!).
Aaron
June 11, 2010 at 1:23 pm
It’s too bad that another historic liner has suffered this fate. NCL will never see a sent of my money, for this and for the Norway (ex France). Hopefully, the SS United States will not end up like this.
Peter Knego
June 11, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Aaron and all who will use this as a platform for NCL-bashing, I suggest you carefully examine all the facts. First of all, the INDY was bought by NCL for a fraction higher than the scrap offers at the time. She would have been scrapped in 2003 if it were not for their intervention. Second, when it became clear the ship could not viably be rebuilt for the American operation, NCL sold the ship to Global Maritime when no one else made any sort of offer. Global Maritime sold the ship to an Indian breaker years after NCL was out of the picture. She sat in San Francisco, available for inspection and sale but no one was interested in operating her. Her engines were shot, she was not compliant with new SOLAS rules, her accommodation was filled with mold, she was structurally failing, etc., etc. INDY was abandoned because she was refused entry to Alang for carrying toxic waste (no more than any ship of her vintage but her illegal export from US waters by Global Maritime raised a furor that made her too hot for even Alang to deal with).
Peter
Will
June 11, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Oh god thats painful.
I thought the Kunsholm was suppose to end up preserved? Did the deal fall through?
steve toth
June 11, 2010 at 3:13 pm
peter will the link to the other photos be posted?
Griff Carey
June 11, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Fact is, she was old and in disrepair. We all wish there was money to save these classic lady’s, but there isn’t. I don’t blame any one company. Blame TIME, for everything has an expiration date.
Deborah
June 11, 2010 at 3:48 pm
I’m sure Peter will post the link. It’s just very sad to see this happen to her. Peter, will you be able to get anything from her??
Peter Knego
June 11, 2010 at 4:06 pm
I wish I had the link as I’d be most happy to post it. I do have the images but am hoping to find the link as I am uncomfortable posting a page full of images without the photographer’s permission. Unfortunately, I’m a lousy internet sleuth, so maybe one of our readers will come to the rescue. As for getting anything from her, I’m afraid there was nothing I could save even if there was access. Her brass equipment (only special because it was from her but otherwise standard stuff) was removed before she left San Francisco. The artwork that was still buried behind more recent panels has been destroyed by the sea. And her furniture was mostly new or not terribly interesting. Alas, it was her beautiful external architecture and decks that made her so appealing. My first “real” cruise was on this ship and I will miss her significantly but it is the memories that I will save.
Sean
June 11, 2010 at 4:10 pm
That picture is so unbearably difficult to see. I fondly remember sailing on the Indy back in May of 2000 and had an absolutely fantastic time, I even still remember the stateroom number, Room 320 and can see the porthole in that shot above. I visited her many times since her lay-up too, from when she was at the Mothball Fleet in Suisun Bay to Mare Island in Vallejo to the BAE systems dock in SF.
Please, Peter. If you can salvage anything from her, do your best. Indy is a treasure. It is unfortunate she is suffering from such a cruel fate.
Travis
June 11, 2010 at 4:18 pm
She must have been in terrible shape to split like that. I hate to say it but you cannot save them all. Best to cut her up and get it done with.
Glenn
June 11, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Very sad! She was beautiful.
Scott
June 11, 2010 at 4:48 pm
Wow!! Are there any plans on doing something with it. More pics would be great!
Dieter Killinger
June 11, 2010 at 4:57 pm
I worked for American Export Isbrandtsen in the 60′s selling Cabin Class accommodation on the ships. I remember sailing days with “Hello Dolly” being played by the band on deck. Those were the days. I remember those “white ladies” floating out into the Hudson en-route to the Med. Much better memories than this picture.
John Cant
June 11, 2010 at 6:45 pm
I was manager for US LInes in Toronto in the late 50′s and 60′s and we handled American Export Isbrandtsen in the mid 60′ s as American Lines were consolidating their reservation offices, so booked many pax on Independence and Constitution. I remember Diners Fugazy putting the pink face on the side of the ship and offering cheap cruises but pax had to pay for food etc. This died a quick death. We also were agents for French Line as The Big U and France teamed up to offer weekly transat crossings. Travelled on the France, United States and America. Fond memories.
Sam Lawrence
June 11, 2010 at 7:05 pm
I know this doesn’t say much, but even though I have never seen Indy in person she was basically built in my Massachusetts backyard. This picture is so sad, but lets for all of us who have sailed on her or have seen her, treasure those memories. Indy has lived longer than most ships do and has impressed many with her classic and graceful lines. It has been a pleasure to have her around for this long. You will live forever in our memories. Rest in Peace Indy!
David L. NYC
June 11, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Peter and Martin, your website is extremely interesting and informative. I’ve been a regular visitor to Maritime Matters for several years now, and have had the pleasure of meeting Peter at South Street Seaport in New York City a few years back. It was, if I recall correctly, when Peter was in town for a fascinating presentation about one of his trips to the scrapyards at Alang. You guys should have your own cable channel.
The Constitution and Independence were two of my “favorite” U.S.-flagged liners of the 1950′s. I liked the fact that there were two of them, and that their rather traditional profiles contrasted nicely with the other (but no less beautiful) “sisters”, the America and United States. I do feel that their external appearance was somewhat marred during the 1959 refit, but I suppose it’s in the nature of most things to gain an unsightly bit of bulk as one matures!
Thanks for the great website and photos. While it’s sad to see the Independence in such a condition, it’s also important from a historical viewpoint to have a visual record of their respective ends.
By the way, (and I hope this won’t be considered too off-topic) I just acquired a little treasure from the RMS Queen Mary. It’s a piece of wood – lignum vitae – about 3″ x 1.5″ x 3/4″ on which has been engraved with a tool die: “This piece of Lignum Vitae was taken from the S.S. Queen Mary at Boston Oct. 1942.” This would’ve been when she was drydocked in Boston following her collision with the HMS Curacao.
Andy
June 11, 2010 at 9:10 pm
I was a 3rd engineer on board the Indy back in the 80s. That picture is difficult to look at. Many a time I walked down shaft alley to check those line shaft bearings. It must look like a disaster down there now. Lots of good memories. Very hard work on that ship. I too would have preferred her to go down like her sister the Cony.
Richard Osborne
June 11, 2010 at 9:41 pm
I thought the mona Lisa was going to made into hotel? It sounded like viable plan what happen? Is there any chance of somebody else buying the sage rose? It just make me sick to see such a nice ship like that get scraped
Kevin
June 11, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Is there any news how this crack happened? I know she suffered a blow on her starboard side near or on the opposite side of whre the damage we see is now. Be curious to know how this happened.
David
June 11, 2010 at 10:03 pm
What a sad sight. She would have been better off if she had sunk on the the way to her scrappers like her sister the CONSTITUTION. The above picture is a SAD sight indeed. Like Dieter K, I to remember better days. I took the Independence on a early Hawaii cruise and remember standing on deck streamers and more streamers fluttering down to the dock below ,visitors waving goodbye with the band playing ” ANCHORS AWEIGH” . I then again took her on a Trans Pacific sailing back to Hawaii after a drydock period from San Francisco to Honolulu again a festive departure. my memories sure beat the photo above. Good Bye beatiful lady.
David
James
June 12, 2010 at 4:53 am
Hi All, I have been desperatly trying find the link that had the pictures of the sunken SS Independence near Alang. I sent the photos to Peter a few days ago and have been trying ever since to find the link! I can only presume that the link of the topic has been removed along with the pictures. The website was NOT in english.
All I can remember is that they came from an Indian forum discussion site and could only find 5 pictures on there at the time. I have now given up! as I was hoping to pass the link to them to Peter. All I did was use a well known search engine and basicly trawled through the images!
Aaron
June 12, 2010 at 5:03 am
Has there ever been an expedition to explore the CONSTITUTION’s wreck? I’m interested in what she looks like on the sea floor. I’d imagine she’s pretty deep, but Robert Ballard was able to find the USS YORKTOWN three miles down.
LenKinap
June 12, 2010 at 8:04 am
By the way, Maestro has a new owner:
ARGO SYSTEMS FZE
PO Box 61173,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
R.G. Whiteside
June 12, 2010 at 8:20 am
This saddens me so much. This ship took my grandmother to Italy and back to get married in 1957 and she came to America on her sister in 1951. It’s rather depressing.
Peter Knego
June 12, 2010 at 8:56 am
Hi Len,
Indeed, it is Argo. They have had the ship for a couple months and are looking to sell her for further trading. Same final owners of BIG RED BOAT II, OCEAN EXPLORER, MARIANNA 9, MARIANNA VI and others…
Peter
Paul
June 12, 2010 at 8:56 am
You have other photos of differing views of this scene? Because this image looks Photoshopped to me, something odd about the look of the water & the warped area of superstructure below the aft funnel just doesn’t look right. If it isn’t, it’s a crying shame for sure. One by one we’re losing our liners, soon all we’ll be left with are the ugly wedding-cake-apartment-block-on-a-raft box cruise ships. :/
Ben
June 12, 2010 at 12:30 pm
What a sad photo. At this point, this looks very similar to AMERICAN STAR / SS AMERICA in the Canaries.
LenKinap
June 12, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Hello Peter,
Former Blue Monarch was not sold for almost “peanuts” when she was in Greece. I sincerely doubt that now Maestro could be sold – even for coastal service – anywhere in the world. For me, Alang is full and has more “quick” vessels to dismantle. A dry-docking is needed soon and they are storing the Maestro expecting better days in term of steel prices. To put Maestro to SOLAS new rules, with an average mechanical condition it’s only for a dreamer. When you look “the almost sure” final destiny of Mona Lisa and the now certain fate of Saga Rose (also tired for the mechanical plant), there is no other future than scrapping.
Peter Knego
June 12, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Hi Paul. I do have more photos and will probably post them tomorrow. I’ve studied them, compared them with my very distant image taken at nearly the same time and they appear to be real. I agree that the shot posted looks bizarre and almost too surreal but then so did AMERICAN STAR when she grounded. Len, I agree any chance for BLUE MONARCH to continue trading is a slim one, unless it is as an accommodation ship somewhere. Same owners did try and resell BIG RED BOAT II unsuccessfully and finally broke her up in 2005.
Rat
June 12, 2010 at 9:30 pm
rip SS Indy
time to focus on saving the United States people.
Max
June 13, 2010 at 1:06 am
What happened to the people who wanted to save the Mona Lisa from the scrapyard? Has the plan to have her become a hotel ship failed?
John Cant
June 13, 2010 at 8:25 am
I agree with Rat. Time to work on saving the United States A sad sight to see the Big U sitting in Philly. As manager in Toronto, I worked with the cruise staff once a year on the America, when she was in service for US Lines, and the United States. The America was not air conditioned in the cabins, so got pretty hot in the Caribbean!!. I remember waking at night and feeling the power of the United States engines thrusting her through the water. I am sure that they opened up the engines occasionally to give them a work out.. Quite a vibration in the aft end!! Hope that she can be saved from the breakers. She is living symbol of US workmanship.
Croix
June 13, 2010 at 10:40 am
Such a sad sight… as with all the ships, great and small, at Alang. One thinks of the glories at their launches and their histories, checkered or valiant. I have some prelaunch press releases about the Independence and Constitution. They received quite a bit of press in the early fifties. It would have been nice as stated previously if she could have gone down like the Constitution or Gripsholm. While I am sad, I am anxious to see the other pictures.
On the NCL bashing: It is a sad state of economics, for any older ship. Can the cost of a refit be turned into a profitable run for the ship and the company? Can a ship with classic lines compete with “Central Parks” massive spas, 3 story dining rooms and ice skating rinks?
There are many devotees, like our selves, that long for and love the classic experience. However, there are MANY more people out there that want to have a cruise vacation, and yet dont want to feel like they are on a ship so they flock to these behemoths and spend money on them. That is where the companies are profiting.
I, too, am hopeful that the Kungsholm(Mona Lisa) cheats the torch. She would be a wonderful attraction at the quayside in Gotenborg.
Andew
June 13, 2010 at 1:42 pm
This is why they send ships to the scrap yard would all those whinging about her cracking up prefer to be on her in a cruise when she fell apart!
Nope
June 13, 2010 at 2:31 pm
she didn’t break up because of age. she was stuck on a sandbar. the sea kept on flexing the hull till she broke just like the America. its obvious the sea has been working on her judging by the downed railing and mangled outer edge of the stern.
Rolande Howey
June 14, 2010 at 12:59 am
Hi, I saw the Mona Lisa docked in Bergen on the 26 May next to the Discovery; we were in the Marco Polo. She sailed out that afternoon. I have some Photos; as all pre 80′s were in dock at the same time. I believe that she is being used as a support ship for the oil industry.
Lupe Sanchez
June 14, 2010 at 2:52 pm
I worked on both the Independence & Constitution as Recreational Director in 1983 & 1984 mature then but the experience was an unforgetable time. I agree with all the posts how very sad the way the Indy ended up as an American built ship. I agree, the Constitution’s end was poetic. Many lives were touched by the sister ships and the islanders relied on them as one of the only inter-island lines in those time. Not sure what can be done now …but again very sad.
Sal
June 15, 2010 at 11:44 am
I would love to see Indy just slip over on her side and let the sea take her.
I live in Philly and Big U is here. Hopefully we can save . Maybe we can block the channel with USS New Jersey that will scare the scrappers away. Big J to save Big U.
Elias
June 16, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I was under the impression that Global Maritime was owned by NCL/Star Cruises company
Corey
June 17, 2010 at 1:04 am
I wish they would cut off her stern and put it in a museum. I would see her in port in Maui and look at her stern. Very similiar to titanic. Maybe a propeller or some part of her should be saved. It’s a shame everyone who cares doesn’t have the money to save the classic liners. I thought it would be great if someone made movie about William Francis Gibbs the designer of the united states. He was a lawyer who was a self taught ship designer a eccentric almost like Howard hughes. They could use the ship as a floating prop and maybe someone with money would save the ship for history
Brian Villa
June 19, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Of these ships a small memento for some American museum should have been preserved. You would think the Indian government would have the good sense to require that the breakers offer a railing or wheel or fog horn or something to give to her home port of construction city. It would take away the India bashing and NCL bashing which these funerals occasion. I don’t see why NCL did not take her bell or wheel or life boat and present it to Quincy. where there is a museum at the former Fore River Shipyard. NCL executives have known for years that they have had a serious public reliations problem over these ships but in mys opinion they are dumb becauase they think that pinching pennies will ever make up for the good will they have lost. The Feininger mural behind the latter panels should haves been saved. I suspect New York’s museum of modern art would have been glad to accept. I have no sympathy for NCL at all and would never sail with themj
Geo. Hale
June 19, 2010 at 2:29 pm
My thanks to you Peter for posting the photos of the SS Independence. It breaks ones heart to see her in such a state. To be honest I’d rather she broke her back in mid Pacific as they were towing her to Alang.
I noted in some of your remarks that what was left of her works of art were under water for the past six months and therefore there was nothing left to save. For many people like myself a few pieces of her china, photos or models of the ship that had been on board would be nice “treasures” to have. Please don’t think I am being critical of you. I’m not. I have seen some of the things you have saved from other ships and I think its great that these items will find a home for posterity. But many of us can only afford the smaller items, cost wise. But as far as the Indy goes we shall have to settle for memories, books and of course the DVD’s that you put out from time to time. Again, my sincerest thanks for keeping us posted on whats going on with the Indy and the many other ships that you have written about.
Matthew
June 20, 2010 at 8:20 am
Hi Peter,
Do you know if there is anything new in the case of the Maestro, ex-Renaissance? I am currently working on her Wikipedia article, and I haven’t been able to update her status in a while.
Peter Knego
June 20, 2010 at 10:53 am
Hi Matthew,
I’m told she is still off Mumbai. Her owners are in no hurry to beach her with steel prices as they are now but that could change at any moment. There have been some efforts to trade her for accommodation purposes but so far nothing firm.
Peter
LenKinap
June 20, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Well, I think that it’s not a very interesting ship for Alang, but the cost of fuel, delivery crew will be one day too much important. Argo is keeping the Maestro “as is” because for the moment they loose money. That’s all…
The certificates are valid until 2013, except an overdue hull control (including a dry-docking) and ISPS renewal. They have validated the rest before her voyage to India. That’s why Argo believe that the Maestro has a little potential, but I don’t believe in that hypothesis. A close view of the hull show that the Maestro is VERY tired and the problems into the mechanical plant are real.
gerry sears
June 21, 2010 at 1:42 pm
NCL is being bashed for buying the Independence and the United States , to get around the U.S. rules for ships sailing around and between the Hawaiian islands. It appears they never planned to put her to sea again. Independence was not in bad shape when they bought her, but they allowed her to “weather” for years, then stated she could not be restored or fit in with the rest of the NCL America fleet. Photos taken at San Francisco show how bad she was allowed to get : shredded lifeboat covers, stripped out wheelhouse, plants growing between her teak planks on deck, rust, no “mothballing” or maintainence done at all. When her radar mast was snapped off and never fixed we should have a clue as to her importance to NCL. I did sail on a NCL America ship in Hawaii, the Pride of Hawaii, with its all american crew…… , maybe it was a good thing the Indie didn’t get restored and founder with the rest of NCL America. She should not have been allowed to leave the U.S. Hope the Norwegian Jade is a happier and cleaner vessel than she was as the Pride of Hawaii.
Peter Knego
June 21, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Hmmm. Let’s see if some facts can intrude on this never-ending bash at NCL, whatever their motives in buying INDY and US (which is why they even exist at all right now). The INDY would have been rebuilt from keel upwards if she ever returned to service. So, her condition in SF was not of consequence to them. Anything you could see on her in her final incarnation would have been replaced with something new. The ship hitting the Carquinez Bridge was pilot error — that had nothing to do with NCL. Why should they have repaired the mast when it would not have been used, anyway? Wheelhouse was stripped after it was determined the ship would not return and much of what was stripped went to a good cause — the California Maritime Academy at Vallejo. At this particular moment, I’m not a huge fan of how NCL handles certain things but let’s please put some facts forward if accusations are going to be made in a public forum.
Corey
June 22, 2010 at 2:34 am
In the past I had many great times provided by ncl on the Norway and a 18 day panama canal cruise in 2001. If their product is now inferior the tough economy will put them out of business. Than a lot of people will be out of work. the united states is still around because of them. They should of tried harder to find Norway a new owner though. The people who run the company are not ship people they are numbers people . If it wasn’t for ncl the France might of been scrapped or a hotel ship. She had a great second career. I just don’t like their new ships. The Norwegian sky that I was on was good looking inside. I might go on epic if I got a great deal but it’s kind of like u get what u pay for. They should of saved her funnels and put them on a new ship