MARITIME (NON) PRESERVATION: SS Norway Beached

Kevin Gillespie · **Posted:** Mon Aug 14, 2006 9:22 pm

According to Maritime Matters, and SS Maritime, the SS Blue Lady, formerly the SS Norway, nee SS France has just been beached in Alang, India.

This is a very sad day for all of us who love transportation history. The France was among the last ocean liners built for transatlantic service, and her demise diminishes us all.

Mr. Ed · **Posted:** Tue Aug 15, 2006 3:03 pm

The SS United States languishes at a dock in Philadelphia. It is supposed to be restored for either cruise service or a floating casino. It was in Baltimore harbor for years after being returned from Turkey where it had it's asbestos removed. Or did that happen in the Clive Cussler book? Either way, it is huge! It presents a very large presence!

Later!
Mr. Ed

Steve Singer · **Posted:** Tue Aug 15, 2006 3:42 pm

I see the SS United States easily from the Walt Whitman bridge, sadly rusting away.

Kevin Gillespie · **Posted:** Wed Aug 16, 2006 7:30 am

The SS United States, and SS Oceanic (formerly SS Independence) are both owned by Star Cruises, the parent of NCL.

Unfortunately I have no hope for either ship at this point. Colin Veitch, the CEO has already admitted that Independence has deteriorated to the point that she will probably soon be scrapped.

We all know how difficult railway preservation is. Ship preservation is at least 10 times harder given the size of the vessels involved.

In any event, it has been a sad summer for those of us who love ships with the demise of Nobska, NYC Tug #16, and Norway. They will be joined later this month by the cruiser USS Des Moines (CA-134) which is to be scrapped at Brownsville, TX.

John D · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 2:28 pm **Posts:** 479

I was sorry to hear about the Des Moines being scrapped. Back in 1984, while in the Navy our ship went to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for repairs (port propeller shaft seized up). While jogging one evening I came across the Des Moines, Newport News, and one other sister cruiser. I found these ships to be visually more impressive than the two battleships that were moored there at the time. It looked like every available inch of deck space was bristling with armament. One could even liken the superstructure of these ships to the Imperial battle cruisers in the first "Star Wars" movies. At one point the Des Moines was purportedly being looked at for display in Milwaukee; sorry it didn't come to that.

John D

USS FULTON (AS 11), 1984-1987

Ed Fritz · **Posted:** Wed Aug 16, 2006 11:24 am

And on the flip side, here's a good news story:

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=109315&ran=130462&tref=po

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Wed Aug 16, 2006 12:00 pm

I think previous management at Norwegian Cruise Lines was enthusiastic about these classic liners operating as cruise ships. The United States and Independence were further of interest because of their USA construction, making them eligible for Jones Act (U.S. port to U.S. port) service.

However, I think the rise in fuel costs, plus the market success of NCL's new build mega-ships, voided the market assumptions supporting restoration of United States and Independence. The customer base is much more excited by huge, architectual mega-ship wonders (with water slides and onboard golf courses) than with nostalgic old liners.

rjenkins · **Posted:** Wed Aug 16, 2006 12:39 pm

What seems more likely is that they bought up the United States and Independence to keep them out of the hands of potential competitors in the Hawaiin cruise market.

mxdata · **Joined:** Thu Jun 16, 2005 11:54 am **Posts:** 609

Going back to my favorite preserved historic vessel, the Destroyer Escort USS SLATER (located in the Port of Albany, New York), the Chief Engineer (Gus) has made tremendous progress with the 3-268A Cleveland Diesel (the former Winton Engine Company) generator so she now has onboard power for the changes of berths in the river. He is also working on one of the 8-268A engines.

While the USS SLATER is not an ocean liner, I think this ship provides an outstanding example of a very successful preservation effort. This ship has attracted support from groups of navy veterans all across the United States. They have several groups of volunteers who travel considerable distances by pooling the transportation and take their vacations working on the ship. I think there are a number of contributing factors to the large volunteer turnout for the SLATER, one is that the ship is quite unique in being the only surviving destroyer escort that is still afloat (one other exists that is landlocked), the ship is very professionally managed, and they have an excellent website and communications with their supporters and volunteers.

The USS SLATER also has several factors acting in its favor. One is that she is berthed at a fresh water port, so the restoration work does not get deteriorated as rapidly as being in salt water would do. Another is that the ship is actually a fairly reasonable size for a volunteer crew to help maintain. And she is very unique among "retired" warships in that she was not handed over by the US Navy, she was sold to Greece after the war and returned to this country as a gift. Consequently although she was worn out and deteriorated on her return, much of her machinery was still complete and intact, making mechanical restoration an attainable goal.

The management and crew of the USS SLATER have done a tremendous job of restoring this vessel. If you are anywhere near downtown Albany, New York, you should make an effort to see this fabulous ship. Much of the ship is now fully restored, and she looks like the crew tied her up at the pier back in 1945 and went on shore leave.

Mr. Ed · **Posted:** Wed Aug 16, 2006 3:24 pm

My brother-in-law was at the dedication of the Savanah when he was a little kid. When he was cleaning out his closet recently, he found the brochure that was handed out. He gave it to me and sveral weeks ago I pitched it. Murphy's law strikes again!

Later!
Mr. Ed

mxdata · **Joined:** Thu Jun 16, 2005 11:54 am **Posts:** 609

The next vessel that is likely to become available for historic preservation is the M/V ISLANDER of the Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, which will probably be retired when her replacement is delivered next year. The chunky little double ended ferry has operated for more than half a century between Woods Hole and Martha's Vineyard while a fleet of other vessels have come and gone. She has survived several hurricanes, starred in movies (The Last Ferry Home) and knocked down a few piers with her "controlled crash" dockings in Woods Hole back in the old days when her elderly 5-1/4 OP engines would stall on reversing. Back in the early 1990s she got a pair of eight cylinder EMD engines with enormous flywheels, that solved the stalling problem, her record of destroying piers has been less spectacular since then.

I don't have all the in service and retirement dates for the vessels operated by the authority and its predecessors readily available, but I would suspect the ISLANDER has either served the longest, or is close to having served the longest, of any vessel operated by the line. The NOBSKA operated about 48 years, the ISLANDER is up around 55 years in service.

Of course the ISLANDER, which has a power plant that is maintainable with parts that are still available, probably won't be of any interest to marine historians because she is a chunky little bathtub that moves under the power of DIESEL engines. But here is an incredibly successful and practical vessel that has served superbly and would perform many of the the tourism and "educational" functions that the NOBSKA group had intended for their vessel, if in fact that ever really was a goal of the preservation effort. It would certainly be interesting to apply those stated goals to the ISLANDER and see if marine preservation is really about history, education, and tourism, or whether it is just about STEAM.

Feel free to generate all the steam you want.

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 7:15 pm

The Norway is still intact!

Surprising news from, of all sources, a discount cruise travel agency (Vacationstogo.com):

Quote:

Another chapter has been added to the saga of the SS Norway, which originally made its debut in 1961 as the SS France. The Norway was built as a classic ocean liner, and was one of the most beloved cruise ships of all time. In her later years, she sailed for Norwegian Cruise Line and offered the lowest Caribbean cruise prices in the industry, further endearing the ship to budget-conscious cruisers.

On May 25, 2003, while docked in Miami, a boiler room explosion caused extensive damage to the Norway. Though no passengers were injured, the explosion killed seven crew members and injured more than a dozen others. The ship was towed to Europe for repairs, but the difficulty and expense of rebuilding the ship's outdated equipment turned out to be far greater than the cruise line originally anticipated.

In March of 2004, NCL announced that the Norway would not rejoin the line's fleet. The vessel was towed to a shipyard in Port Klang, Malaysia, where she languished for months before being sold for scrap last spring. After that sale, the Norway was renamed Blue Lady, and was transferred to a ship breaking yard in Alang, India, where she floats intact as of this writing. (To read my first newsletter report about ship breaking at Alang, click here.)

The operation in Alang has been criticized for unsafe working conditions and environmental hazards caused by the dismantling of old ships. Over the past several months, there has been intense debate about whether or not the former Norway is safe for dismantling. As a result, the Indian Supreme Court ordered an inspection of the vessel to determine whether workers might be exposed to hazardous materials such as asbestos. The court is currently reviewing the findings, and is set to make a decision on the fate of this venerable ship on March 7.

Meanwhile, recent photos we've seen show that items that would normally be removed prior to a ship's decommissioning--including furniture, art work and pianos--are still on the vessel, frozen in time since that tragic night in 2003. Restaurants, lounges and other public areas are still intact and ready for action as the Blue Lady and her skeleton crew wait silently in the muddy waters off the Indian coast. It must be strange indeed to walk the darkened decks of this broken giant that once played host to millions of fun-seeking vacationers. I'll keep you posted.

survivingworldsteam · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:15 pm

It really is hard to get one's hope up. Removing it from the beach now would be extremely difficult; it is well grounded and would require digging a trench to remove her. Her hull has also been severely stressed and further damaged by the waves and tides.

One hopes for a miracle; but after four years and one dashed hope after another, it looks less likely than ever that something will come of it. Some are ready for her to have a digified death.

Here is a video (with music) that shows her on the beach, and some of her public rooms on the web:

http://www.ssnorway.no/video/norway.wmv

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

softwerkslex wrote:

The Norway is still intact!

Surprising news from, of all sources, a discount cruise travel agency (Vacationstogo.com):

Quote:

Another chapter has been added to the saga of the SS Norway, which originally made its debut in 1961 as the SS France. The Norway was built as a classic ocean liner, and was one of the most beloved cruise ships of all time. In her later years, she sailed for Norwegian Cruise Line and offered the lowest Caribbean cruise prices in the industry, further endearing the ship to budget-conscious cruisers.

On May 25, 2003, while docked in Miami, a boiler room explosion caused extensive damage to the Norway. Though no passengers were injured, the explosion killed seven crew members and injured more than a dozen others. The ship was towed to Europe for repairs, but the difficulty and expense of rebuilding the ship's outdated equipment turned out to be far greater than the cruise line originally anticipated.

In March of 2004, NCL announced that the Norway would not rejoin the line's fleet. The vessel was towed to a shipyard in Port Klang, Malaysia, where she languished for months before being sold for scrap last spring. After that sale, the Norway was renamed Blue Lady, and was transferred to a ship breaking yard in Alang, India, where she floats intact as of this writing. (To read my first newsletter report about ship breaking at Alang, click here.)

The operation in Alang has been criticized for unsafe working conditions and environmental hazards caused by the dismantling of old ships. Over the past several months, there has been intense debate about whether or not the former Norway is safe for dismantling. As a result, the Indian Supreme Court ordered an inspection of the vessel to determine whether workers might be exposed to hazardous materials such as asbestos. The court is currently reviewing the findings, and is set to make a decision on the fate of this venerable ship on March 7.

Meanwhile, recent photos we've seen show that items that would normally be removed prior to a ship's decommissioning--including furniture, art work and pianos--are still on the vessel, frozen in time since that tragic night in 2003. Restaurants, lounges and other public areas are still intact and ready for action as the Blue Lady and her skeleton crew wait silently in the muddy waters off the Indian coast. It must be strange indeed to walk the darkened decks of this broken giant that once played host to millions of fun-seeking vacationers. I'll keep you posted.

MARITIME (NON) PRESERVATION: SS Norway Beached

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