Thursday 12 July
The passenger liner SEA (ex-Gripshom] sank at 05h00 local (South African) time this morning in a position 83 miles SSW of Cape Recife on the Cape south coast.
The liner and the towing tug SIMOON had reportedly been hove to in this position since last Friday, after permission to enter
Algoa Bay as a place of refuge was refused by the South African authorities.

Reasons for refusing entry into the calmer waters of Algoa Bay were given as a concern over the 30 degree list of the vessel, plus the apparent presence of 60 tons of gasoil
aboard.
These were deemed to be a threat to the pristine beaches of the area.

The liner sank in 4,200 metres of water.
A sad passing, but perhaps more dignified than the torches of Alang....

The southern Cape coast has been battered by a series of massive winter gales over the last two weeks so SEA's transit was always going to be a harrowing affair.

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Sad news...

Regards

Alang Arrivals Rival Taiwan in the 1970's!

Not since the heartbreaking procession of passenger ships to the breakers at Kaohsiung during the peak of the fuel crisis in the 1970's has there been such an alarming list of liners on a one-way voyage to doom. The Indian scrap yards on the dreaded beach at Alang are dismantling many favorites that in a better world would have been saved for their singular beauty and precious maritime heritage. In chronological order, here are some of the recent arrivals:

11 April: MIRTO (also listed as MYRTO), originally the Israeli ferry/liner BILU, later the SAUDI MOON, GOLDEN SKY, VERGINA, and, finally, MIR. She and her sister, NILI were chartered by Ted Arison (later of Carnival Cruise Lines) for Miami-based cruises in the early 1960's and, while ultimately unsuccessful, paved the way for NCL and Carnival.

14 May: TEMIS, originally the 1960-built ferry KONINGIN WILHELMINA for Hook-Harwich service, later ARTEMIS for Minoan Lines.

June 4: AMERIKANIS, originally Union Castle Line's KENYA CASTLE of 1952 and completely rebuilt for Chandris as the AMERIKANIS in 1968. One of the most successful Greek conversions, she spent the past few years in lay-up at Eleusis. A recent plan to convert her into a London-based hotel ship fell through with her sale to the breakers.

June 5: MARIANN VI, originally the AUREOL. One of the most splendid-looking ships of her time when she debuted in 1951 for Elder Dempster Lines. Spent several years as an hotel ship at Jeddah for second owner, John S. Latsis before lay-up and deterioration at Eleusis. Although in poor condition, she was remarkably original to the end and her passing into history is profoundly sad.

June 8: MARIANNA 9, originally the 1961-built PRINCIPE PERFEITO, later AL HASA, FAIRSKY, VERA, MARIANNA IX. Largely original and in relatively good cosmetic condition, she was once one of the finest ships in the Portuguese merchant fleet before a long career spent mostly in lay-up at Eleusis for John S. Latsis. Broke down several times enroute. Tour her on Maritime Matters by clicking here.....

June 25: NATIA, built in 1960 for Hellenic Mediterranean Lines, notable as first Greek newbuild car ferry. Laid up for several years at Eleusis.

June 25: MILLENNIUM QUEEN, originally PRINCESA LEOPOLDINA, then CORAL PRINCESS, CORA PRINCESS, CORAL PRINCESS, and MILLENNIUM QUEEN. Troubled in her final years as a gambling ship of ill repute, she began service in 1962 as a Brazilian coastal liner. Her sister ship, the PRINCESA ISABELLA, sails on for Royal Olympic Cruises Inc. as ODYSSEUS.

Regards

quote:

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Originally posted by gohaze:
Paolo...you don't see Gadani Beach mentioned so much these days. There's hopefully some more over there!!!!
...peter

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I am sure you would not be so gaga on ship breaking if they beached the ships in British Columbia and all the toxins: bunker fuel, PCB's, and asbestos and other pollutants washed up on Vancouver shores and into your drinking water.

quote:

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I am sure you would not be so gaga on ship breaking if they beached the ships in British Columbia

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Our Maritime Matters friends have had some "inspiration" from my postings at Liners List as well, I see! No problem at all, but I might add that NATIA was actually called EGNATIA in her working career and never changed name or owner, which is rather remarkable for a Greek ferry. Also I think the former PRINCIPE PERFEITO was reported on 8th June as passing Suez enroute for Alang rather than having been beached there. This is trivial, however, as we're now over a month onwards, so she must be on the beach by now.
By the way, I was reading my newest buy, the book "Warship boneyards" yesterday and it mentions that the Alang scrapping beaches stretch over 30 MILES! Just imagine the sight!

Cheers,

Length: 115,4 m
Beam: 17,2 m
GRT: 5,725 t
Built: 1960 Chantiers Reunis, Grand Quevilly, Le Havre, France
Operator: Hellenic Mediterranean Lines (HML)
Speed: 18 kn
Passengers: 1,034

quote:

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Originally posted by Draikar:
[QUOTE]

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That is if they dont get killed,2 workers per ship get killed from explosions, or falls, etc. They are not given helmets to wear, steel toed boots or other safety gear that western workers take for granted.

Pay is about $1 per day, not a living wage, even in India. They live in shacks cobbled from ship parts near the beach w/o plumbing or electricity and have open sewers.

The ship-breaking company owners live like kings.

Ghadani beach and Alang make the Indonesian Nike factory look like a palace.

I cannot rationalize 3rd world sweat shops for anything.

Draikar, how would you like or a family member of yours to work there?

Atlantic Monthly magazine has an in-depth expose.

quote:

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Originally posted by rd77:
Hi Paulo,

Our Maritime Matters friends have had some "inspiration" from my postings at Liners List as well, I see!

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So it seems...

quote:

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No problem at all, but I might add that NATIA was actually called EGNATIA in her working career and never changed name or owner, which is rather remarkable for a Greek ferry. Also I think the former PRINCIPE PERFEITO was reported on 8th June as passing Suez enroute for Alang rather than having been beached there. This is trivial, however, as we're now over a month onwards, so she must be on the beach by now.

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Since she passed the Suez Canal on the 8th of June and the relative proximity of India, she must have arrived nearer to the end of the month.
She must have been dismantled by now.

quote:

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By the way, I was reading my newest buy, the book "Warship boneyards" yesterday and it mentions that the Alang scrapping beaches stretch over 30 MILES! Just imagine the sight!

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30 miles of broken-up ships is not my ideia of a very impressing sight but seeing that stretch of beach covered by VLCC's, container ship, bulkers can be very interesting.

Regards

Paulo Mestre