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SHIPPING NEWS 2008

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The compiler of the shipping news disclaim all liability for any loss, damage or expense however caused, arising from the reading, sending, receipt, or use of this website communication and on any reliance placed upon the information provided through this free service and does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information. Maritime Matters, Martin Cox or Peter Knego cannot be held responsible for its accuracy or for any action taken as a result of content or any other web page or email communication herein.

L.A. Mod. 2008 Blog
May 13: View Peter Knego's latest blog, the L.A. Mod. 2008 Blog, from the L.A. Modernism Show at the Santa Monica Civic in CA. This year's theme "Design In Motion" included the wall of glass, mahogany and nickel from EMPRESS OF CANADA's Mayfair Room, Luzzati's Colonna Traiana and Heraldic ceramics from VICTORIA and Luzzati's masterpiece, the silver leaf painting "Chariots" from STELLA SOLARIS.

SPIRIT OF COLUMBIA Assisted
May 12: The US Coast Guard has escorted a disabled 1979-built SPIRIT OF COLUMBIA (ex NEW SHOREHAM II) to safety, after the vessel lost power to both generators Saturday night with 89 people on board near Warm Springs Bay about 80 miles south of Juneau. The cutter LIBERTY accompanied the 143-foot Cruise West ship until she arrived in Juneau last evening. No injuries reported.

AQUAMARINE Scraped But Not Broken
May 8: Today it was reported that Louis Cruise Lines' 1971-built AQUAMARINE ( ex NORDIC PRINCE, CAROUSEL, ARIELLE) sustained a gash in her hull as the ship contacted the pier while sailing from Heraklion, Crete. Her destination was Santorini with 1,200 people on board, however, the ship was diverted to the port of Milos on the island of Paros in the Southern Aegean for inspection. The 1.5-meter breach does not pose a risk to the passengers or crew as it is above the water line. AQUAMARINE will proceed to Piraeus for repairs and resume her three and four day Aegean cruise program.

MONA LISA Floats!
May 7: MONA LISA has been refloated after running aground May 4 with 984 people aboard in the Irben Strait off the Latvian coast. (See blow items from May 4). All 651 passengers and 11 crew members were evacuated from the ship on Monday while 322 crew remained on board. The ship sailed under her own power to Ventspils for a technical evaluation. There were no reports of leaks or spillage, although the ship's owners will have to pay all costs incurred for the rescue operation before the Latvian government will release her.

US on QM
May 7: The SS UNITED STATES Conservancy held its 5th annual meeting and gala premiere of the new documentary "SS United States: Lady in Waiting" aboard the QUEEN MARY in Long Beach, California, May 4 and 5. The events included the dedication of a recently installed SS UNITED STATES display in the QUEEN MARY Story Gallery's "Rivals and Running Mates" exhibit. Presentations included Bruce Vancil of the Steamship Historical Society's Southern California Chapter offering an overview of the QUEEN MARY's 40-year history in Long Beach and Greg Norris on the history and significance of the Blue Riband. Susan Gibbs, granddaughter of William Francis Gibbs (designer of the UNITED STATES) read from her manuscript, "Secrets at Sea" and was followed by an amusing session of crew reminiscences led by Joe Rota before a talk by maritime historian Bill Miller. The highlight, attended by a standing room only crowd, was the world premiere of "SS United States: Lady in Waiting". Filmmakers Bob Radler and Mark Perry spoke of their collaboration, which will be available at www.bigshipfilms.com/DVD

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Miami SKY
May 6: After a reported sale to Pullmantur Cruises failed to materialize, NCL Corporation (NCL) announced today that it will reflag and rename the 2002 passenger, 1999-built PRIDE OF ALOHA (ex COSTA OLYMPIA, NORWEGIAN SKY) as NORWEGIAN SKY for three and four-day Bahamas cruises from Miami. The NORWEGIAN SKY will be outfitted with NCL's Freestyle 2.0 enhancements and a casino during a wet dock in Miami prior to commencing her summer sailing schedule.

Abbreviated DISCOVERY Blog
May 5: Join Peter Knego on his latest Abbreviated DISCOVERY Blog, as he sails on Voyages of Discovery's 1972-built 20,216 gt MV DISCOVERY (ex ISLAND VENTURE, ISLAND PRINCESS, HYUNDAI PUNGAK, PLATINUM).

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MONA LISA Monday
May 5: MONA LISA enters her second day stranded on a Baltic sandbank off Latvia's coast. Her captain agreed to evacuate the vessel after unsuccessful efforts to tow her free. Using two naval ships, the Coast Guard will transfer the passengers to Ventspils in northwestern Latvia, some 37 kilometers / 23 miles away.

Please visit Peter Knego's six page suite of images dedicated to the this handsome British-built ship while she operated as the popular VICTORIA of P & O Lines.

MONA LISA Stuck - Updated
May 4: The 1966-built MONA LISA (ex KUNGSHOLM, SEA PRINCESS, VICTORIA, OCEANIC II, SCHOLARSHIP) has run aground with 984 people on board early this morning in the Baltic Sea, off the northwest coast of Latvia. All the passengers, mostly from Germany, are safe, with agencies and various vessels on standby. There are no signs of damage to the Bahamas-registered vessel, which stranded on a sand bank in the Irbe Strait separating Latvia and the Estonian island of Saaremaa. Ballast water is being pumped out to reduce the ship's draft and three tugs are set to begin towing the ship clear. No leaks or oil have been detected in the water. Coast Guard officials said early indications were that there had been no damage to the ship.

NORWAY Report
May 2: Industry reports note that Norwegian Cruise Line will likely plead guilty to a criminal charge of "grossly negligent operation of a ship". This news is in connection with the explosion on SS NORWAY that killed eight crewmen in Miami in 2003. NCL is set to pay an undisclosed criminal fine. A boiler exploded on May 25, 2003 while SS NORWAY was docked at the Port of Miami. Ten crew were seriously injured by steam in addition to the eight who died. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded after almost five years that a weld on a seam of a high-pressure drum ruptured, releasing nearly 20 tonnes of scalding hot water which turned to steam. The agency pointed to "a failure to adequately maintain, operate and inspect the ship's boilers." NORWAY is currently being scrapped in India.

Berth of F3, Knego's New Sea Trek
April 30: Blogging from St. Nazaire's latest keel laying and the introduction of the "New Wave" cabins, Peter Knego continues his trek spectacular. Please click on NCL's F3, New Wave cabins and keel laying at St. Nazaire.

Sayonara TOPAZ
April 30: The 1956-built SS THE TOPAZ (ex EMPRESS OF BRITAIN, QUEEN ANNA MARIA, CARNIVALE, FIESTA MARINA, OLYMPIC) departed Yokohama for Singapore and an uncertain future. Rumours of her scrapping persist but still others suggest future preservation. THE TOPAZ has been replaced in Peace Boat service by 1970-built CLIPPER PACIFIC (ex SONG OF NORWAY). Click here for last look on the SHIPPING NEWS photos page.

Majestic Cruise Line For Sale
April 30: Press reports announced that Ambassadors International, Inc. plans to sell Majestic America Line, the North American river and coastal cruising company, after the 2008 season. A number of potential buyers have expressed interest. Majestic America Line operates DELTA QUEEN, AMERICAN QUEEN, EMPRESS OF THE NORTH, QUEEN OF THE WEST and COLUMBIA QUEEN. Ambassadors International also owns Windstar Cruises and is a global provider of construction and consulting services to marina owners headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

Blow To DELTA QUEEN
April 30: An attempt to save the historic steamboat DELTA QUEEN was narrowly defeated on April 24, 2008, in the U.S. House Of Representatives. Representative Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, had attached an amendment to the Coast Guard Authorization Act which would have granted a 10-year exemption from the Safety Of Life At Sea Act, which bans overnight passenger cruises on vessels with wooden superstructures. The legislation was defeated 208-195. Exemptions have been routinely granted over the past 40 years. Without the exemption, the DELTA QUEEN will be forced out of service on November 1, 2008. "I am deeply disappointed that the House has turned it's back on an important part of our history," Chabot said. The DELTA QUEEN entered service in 1927 and is the last authentic survivor of the overnight passenger steamboat era in America.

Louis Latest
April 29, 2008: Inside industry reports indicate Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines' laid up SERENADE (ex JEAN MERMOZ, MERMOZ) and PRINCESA MARISSA (ex FINNHANSA, etc.) have been sold for scrap. Meanwhile, the Cypriot company has purchased two vessels from Star Cruises/NCL to begin service in late 2008 and 2009, respectively, after completing their scheduled NCL programs. The NORWEGIAN DREAM was sold to Louis for $218 million USD and will be chartered back to NCL through November of 2008. The NORWEGIAN MAJESTY was sold for $162 million and will be chartered back to NCL through December of 2009.

Preserved Liner Returns
April 28: The 1930-built HIKAWA MARU, designed for NYK Line's Kobe to Seattle service and since 1961 preserved as a floating museum in Yokahama, has reopened to the public after undergoing renovations since August 2007. She was officially renamed NYK HIKAWAMARU on April 16 with an elaborate ceremony held at the wharf adjacent to Yamashita Park in Yokohama. From NYK's press release; "The event was attended by Yokohama mayor Hiroshi Nakata and a number of other distinguished guests. New vessels are often symbolically launched by cutting a rope leading to the ship, and actress Yoshie Ichige, whose father served as a ship doctor on an NYK vessel years ago, proudly cut the rope for the 'launch' of NYK HIKAWAMARU."

"The renovated ship has an elegant first class dining room, first class smoking room, and cabins that include a special suite in the Art Deco style that was common during the ship's heyday. Visitors can also view large screen video and photographs of the HIKAWA MARU over the years."

The vessel opened to the public on April 25, exactly 78 years after the ship was delivered.

Knego's JADE Sea Trek Continues
April 27: Blogging from onboard NORWEGIAN JADE, Peter Knego continues his trek spectacular. Please click on Made on The Jade blog.

Third Freedom Class named - Updated
April 27: Royal Caribbean International's INDEPENDENCE OF THE SEAS the third of the Freedom Class vessels from Aker Finnyards (Turku, Finland) arrived in her new home port on April 25. Her maiden voyage is set to depart May 2 to Cork, Ireland. She joins two sisters FREEDOM OF THE SEAS and LIBERTY OF THE SEAS as the largest cruise ships in the world at 160,000 gt, 1,112 feet (339 meters) long. INDEPENDENCE OF THE SEAS has 15-decks and can accommodate 4,370 passengers with by 1,360 crew. A naming ceremony will take place in Southampton on April 30.

Breaking The Mold And Laying The Keel
April 25, 2008: NCL achieved two milestones today at St. Nazaire's Aker Yard with the unveiling of innovative New Wave cabins designed exclusively for the new building 150,000 ton F3 ships and the keel laying of the first of these two as of yet unnamed vessels, scheduled for completion in 2010.

"With the new F3 ships, NCL has thrown the book of traditional cruise design away in many areas," stated NCL's CEO, Colin Veitch, prior to leading a gathering of media through mock ups of three cabins. Although approximately the same square footage as current standard industry cabins, more efficient use of space by splitting the w/c and shower unit to either side of the entry way, and curving the bulkheads and furniture to give the staterooms a much more open feel.

A limited palette of sophisticated soft fitting colors in each room melds beautifully with walnut colored rose wood veneers and stark white surfaces. Tilburg Design is responsible for the look and layout of the cabins as well as many of the ship's public rooms.

The media group was then taken to the shipyard's graving dock to witness the lowering of the first F3's keel plate into place under a magnificent blue sky. Special coins pressed by each of the attendees were welded into the keel as part of the ceremony. Please click here for SHIPPING NEWS photos page.

AIDA Models
April 24: Yesterday at around 9:30 pm the newest addition to the AIDA Cruises fleet -- AIDABELLA -- was officially named by international model Eva Padberg in Rostock-Warnemuende , Germany and was attended by 1,400 guests, including people from politics, economy and show business, with music played by Berlin's Symphony Orchestra. AIDAELLA is the second of six new AIDA new cruise ships to be built at Meyer ship yard in Papenburg up until 2012. Following the ceremony, AIDABELLA cast off for an over night Baltic cruise, Today, April 24 AIDABELLA began her maiden voyage to Bergen, Oslo, Goeteborg and Copenhagen and will remain the Baltic. for the summer sailing to the Canary Isles in winter.

FRANCE Fades
April 21: From Midshipcentury.com comes the latest and sadest image of the destruction of FRANACE/NORWAY. Please click here for SHIPPING NEWS photos page.

Knego's JADE Sea Trek Begins
April 21: Blogging from onboard NORWEGIAN JADE, Peter Knego begins another trek spectacular. Please click on Made on The Jade blog.

SS UNITED STATES Conservancy Meeting
April 20: The 5th annual meeting and Gala World Premiere of the new documentary film, "SS United States: Lady in Waiting" is scheduled to take place onboard the RMS QUEEN MARY, May 2-4, 2008 in Long Beach, CA, (note guests must register by April 25).

Begining Friday, May 2 from 5:00 -7:00pm SS United States exhibit dedication and cocktail reception. Saturday, May 3; 10:00 am-4:00pm 5th Annual SS United States Seminar and Conference Speakers will include; Bill Miller, Greg Norris, Bruce Vancil, Susan Gibbs and Mark Perry, film producer, showing scenes from "Lady in Waiting". At 6:30pm - World premiere of "SS United States: Lady in Waiting" - in High Definition. Sunday, May 4; 11:00am - 2pm Gala Champagne Brunch. For more information visit the SS United States Conservancy.

The collaborative effort of producer Mark Perry and director Robert Radler, the documentary about America's last flagship is intended for everyone, not just the avid ship enthusiast. It covers the glory and the aftermath with personal interviews, vintage footage, and modern high definition video, and provides hope for rebuilding the ship and returning her to cruise service.

Rest In Peace Boat?
April 13: Industry sources report the 1956-built SS THE TOPAZ (ex EMPRESS OF BRITAIN, QUEEN ANNA MARIA, CARNIVALE, FIESTA MARINA, OLYMPIC) has been sold for scrap. The venerable liner will finish her current Peace Boat voyage on April 28 at Yokohama and proceed from there to an undetermined Indian shipbreaking yard. THE TOPAZ' place in Peace Boat service will be taken over by CLIPPER PACIFIC, which was built in 1970 as RCCL's SONG OF NORWAY. Click here for Peter Knego's heavily illustrated tour of SS TOPAZ from her launching as EMPRESS OF BRITAIN onward.

USS WEST POINT Site
April 12: The USS WEST POINT Association has gone "live" with a new website at www.usswestpoint.com dealing in depth with the wartime career of United States Lines' SS AMERICA.

A quote form the site: "Between 15 June 1941 and 28 February 1946, the USS WEST POINT (AP 23) sailed 436,144 nautical miles, and transported 505,020 souls to their destinations all over the world. During that period of time, she never lost a single passenger to hostile action."

LE PONANT and Crew Free!
April 12: Seized LE PONANT and her crew have been rescued while six of the pirates involved have been captured by French forces and are being detained on board a French naval vessel.

Reportedly, a randsom was paid for the release of the 30 crew and a vehicle used by the pirates was tracked by French military aircraft. Four French helicopters intercepted the vehicle and took the six into custody.

After LE PONANT's crew were checked on board a French warship, they returned to LE PONANT and put out to sea with the assistance of French naval personnel.

QUEEN OF THE WEST Fire
April 8: Majestic America Line's 1995-built sternwheeler, QUEEN OF THE WEST, is in the news today after a small engine room fire necessitated nudging the vessel into the river bank at Maryhill State Park after power was lost, evacuating all 124 passengers and half the crew. The tug CHALLENGER was assisting the 230-foot vessel and the coast guard had responded to the incident, which took place on the Columbia River in Oregon. The engine room fire was contained and passengers were bused to a nearby lodge. Three crew members were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Majestic America offers cruises from Astoria and Portland to Clarkston, Wash., on the Columbia and Snake Rivers, as well as on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers between New Orleans and Pittsburgh and from Seattle to the Alaska Panhandle.

1884 Ferry Demolished
April 8: What is left of the 1884-built Great Lakes side-wheeler, LANDSDOWNE, is being demolished this week on the shore of Lake Erie. The Detroit River saw the paddle-driven railway ferry, LANSDOWNE, operating for 87 years before being retired in 1956. The former ferry served briefly as a restaurant in downtown Detroit in the 1980s. At 294 feet in length, built by the Detroit Dry Dock Co., at Wyandotte, her iron hull was known as Hull 66. Originally LANDSDOWNE was equipped with four stacks and two pilothouses but in later life the ferry carried just two stacks and one bridge. This week, demolition crews began dismantling her as she been deemed an "eyesore" by developers in Buffalo, N.Y., seeking to rebuild the Lake Erie waterfront.

POESIA Named
April 8: In a first for MSC, their latest ship, MSC POESIA, was named outside of Italy in a celebration at Dover, England. Godmother, actress Sophia Loren, (also godmother of the line's last four ships) and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, representing the British Royal Family, presided over the midnight event.

At 94,600 gt and 1,275 staterooms (double occupancy for 2,550 passengers), MSC POESIA is a sister ship to the MSC ORCHESTRA (2007) and MSC MUSICA (2006) and is the ninth ship in the MSC Cruises fleet.

So'ton's Main eVENTURA
April 7: Hundreds of people braved the chilly temperatures and snow flurries along Southampton water yesterday to welcome P & O Cruises' new VENTURA, fresh from the shipyard in Italy. The ship arrived at Mayflower Terminal in the Western Docks, passing another P & O ship, AURORA, in the Eastern Docks. VENTURA is billed as the biggest cruise ship ever built specifically for British passengers (3,600 capacity with almost 900 of her cabins with private balconies). VENTURA will depart at 7PM local time today for a two-night shake-down voyage for P&O employees, then on April 11 VENTURA sails on an extra "pre-maiden voyage" two-night cruise, allowed by her early arrival form the shipyard. On April 16, Oscar-winning actress, Dame Helen Mirren, officially names VENTURA in quayside ceremony followed by a reception and gala charity dinner on board the 115,000 gt ship, after which VENTURA sails on her maiden Mediterranean voyage, Friday, April 18.

OCEANIC's Wake
April 7: According to various press items, the US Environmental Protection Agency has reportedly cited the owner of OCEANIC (ex INDEPENDENCE, SEA LUCK I, OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE, INDEPENDENCE) for violating US environmental laws by exporting PCB-containing materials on board. AÊdaily fine against Global Shipping LLC and Global Marketing Systems Inc., both of Baltimore may be levied. The companies have until late April to respond.

OCEANIC was towed from her berth at BAE Shipyard in San Francisco's China Basin on February 28, 2008 by the ocean-going tug, PACIFIC HICKORY. The ship had been laid up in various parts of the San Francisco Bay since the collapse of American Hawaii Cruises in late 2001.Ê

Alang Update
April 5: Cutting of BLUE LADY (FRANCE, NORWAY) has reached the forward portion of the first funnel and taken more away from the bridge area. The 1972-built ZAMAN (ex FERRY ATSUTA, EL GRECO, CAPTAIN ZAMAN) has arrived. Click here for Shipping News Photos to see the latest view of BLUE LADY.

GOGH Goes!
April 4: MV VAN GOGH (ex GRUZIYA, ODESSA SKY, CLUB CRUISE I, CLUB I) has resumed her journey back to the UK after being stranded in Madeira for two days, on the last leg of her a three-month world cruise, the result of a legal dispute. The ship's owners, Dutch-based Club Cruise, reached an agreement with administrators and the vessel is now expected to arrive in Falmouth, Cornwall on April 6, one day later than planned. The cruise began on January 4 from Falmouth, with calls in the Mediterranean, Egypt, the Caribbean, Ecuador, Tahiti, New Zealand, Sydney, Mauritius and Cape Town.

Pirates Seize Cruise Ship
April 4: Press reports have been coming in regarding the seizure by pirates of the French luxury cruise ship LE PONANT in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia's coast. Attackers stormed the three-masted, 288-foot vessel, as it returned without passengers from the Seychelles, to the Mediterranean according to CMA-CGM officials. There are reported to be 30 crew members on the ship.

The French-flagged LE PONANT is a 1489 gt, 290-foot long, sleek white, three-masted sailing vessel owned by Compagnie des Iles du Ponant, a subsidiary of CMA CGM, and built in France in 1991 by Societe Francaise de Construction Naval, (SFCN) near Paris, and renovated in 2004. She carries only 64 passengers in considerable luxury, with a crew compliment of 30. In addition to her 16,140 square feet of sail, she features a gourmet and open-air restaurant, lounge, bar, and library and video room. The ship is also fully equipped with Zodiacs and has the capabilities and equipment needed for snorkeling and diving. Her service speed is 14 knots.

Can't GOGH!
April 3: The 15,402 gt 1975-built VAN GOGH (ex GRUZIYA, ODESSA SKY, CLUB CRUISE I, CLUB I) was arrested at Funchal, Madeira near the end of her 93 day world cruise with 460 passengers and 200 crew stranded aboard due to claims made against charterers, Travelscope, who declared bankruptcy in 2007. VAN GOGH was also arrested in Cape Town while on the same voyage but released hours later.

TAHITIAN To OCEAN
April 3: Princess Cruises announced today that its 30,277 gt, 1999-built TAHITIAN PRINCESS (ex R FOUR) will be renamed OCEAN PRINCESS in November 2009 during a refit in Singapore. As OCEAN PRINCESS, the ship will be deployed on a variety of world-wide itineraries, including a new program in Asia.

Breaking The Breakers
April 2: With scrap ship prices reaching highs between $700 and $750 US per ldt, the yards of Alang are suffering losses to aggressive bidders at Bangladesh. Meanwhile, news and images of BLUE LADY at Alang have been at an ebb, although LUCKY still remains intact (aside from her bow snip) on the beach. See the Shipping News Photos page for an image of LUCKY (ex PRINCESA ISABEL, ODYSSEUS, etc.)

"QE2 Blues" Blog
April 1: Click here for Peter Knego's beautifully illustrated "QE2 Blues" Blog following her last visit to Los Angeles.

Click here for previous SHIPPING NEWS January - March 2008

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