The Northrop Grumman Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula in Mississippi has resumed work on the $459m Project America cruiseship that was abandoned last October after the collapse of American Classic Voyages, and is preparing to float the semi-finished vessel out this autumn after closing a sale. Unofficial information from Pascagoula identifies Star Cruises subsidiary Norwegian Cruise Line as a strong contender to buy the semi-finished cruiseship and its yet to be assembled sister vessel. It is understood the owner would take the hulls to Europe for completion. Lloyd Werft has been mentioned by sources in Pascagoula as the European destination for the hulls, a theory fitting in with the yard’s ship-lengthening experience with NCL. NCL parent Star Cruises is known to have been nurturing $450m plans for two new ships and is said to be in negotiations with Meyer Werft. The first Ingalls ship is about 40% complete and about 55% erected. Mr Knecht said the yard would add “just enough” to float it out. Work on the second ship has not started. But he said 90% of the raw material, including hull blocks and equipment, was already on order.

I am saddened to see these ships going to a foreign registry after all .

However, NCL are in tremendous need of new tonnage, as are Star. They could very likely finish these ships to their own specifications, and buy new ships from Meyer Werft.

NCL has had very good experiences at Lloyd Werft rebuilding the unfinished CostaOlympia hull into Norwegian Sky (a very similar project to this one), stretching Dreamward and Windward and refitting them to become Norwegian Dream and Wind, stretching and refitting Norwegian Majesty, doing all of the refits for Norway over the years, and last but certianly not least, building Norwegian Sun. I would expect that there is quite a rapport between the two companies.

I was just wondering where you read about NCL/Project America. I have not seen anything anywhere, and I always love good new sources...

From Seatrader:

Is Project America headed for Europe?
10/06/02

Northrup Grumman is actively marketing the two Project America ships that have been languishing at Ingalls since the October bankruptcy of American Classic Voyages. Some 350 workers are preparing the first newbuild, which is 40% completed, to be launched from its assembly area in September, spokesman Den Knecht told Seatrade Insider. Most equipment for the second ship has been ordered but assembly was never begun.

According to a knowledgeable industry source not associated with the yard, preparations are also underway to reclassify the first ship and tow it to Europe for completion. `A shipyard like Lloyd Werft or B+V could put it together in less than 18 months,' he said. While Knecht would not discuss Ingalls' asking price for the newbuild norpublished reports putting the figure at $36m, the industry source told Seatrade Insider: `Nobody believes they'll get less than $50m.'

Knecht would not comment on a report that Norwegian Cruise Line or parent company Star are among the interested buyers for one or both of the 72,000gt, 1,900-passenger newbuilds, and NCL president Colin Veitch also declined to address the topic. Knecht said only that there are `several interested parties.'

MARAD has a lien on Project America but Ingalls holds the title. After MARAD rejected bids tendered at an auction held last month, it asked the shipbuilder to unilaterally seek a buyer.

[ 06-11-2002: Message edited by: joe at travelpage ]

Britanis, you just wrote my post for me. I really, really want to love this ship, for patriotic reasons, but it just doesn't make it aesthetically.

Everything forward of the lifeboats needs to be redone. That seven-deck stretch of balconies is too tall, and the area forward of that - the front of the superstructure, plus the sides all the way forward, with those wide rectangular cutouts - looks like a multistory car park.

Lloyd Werft wins AMCV completion

LLOYD Werft, the German repair and conversion specialist, is planning to
complete at least one of the two 72,000-GT cruise ships left unfinished at US
shipyard Ingalls after the bankruptcy of American Classic Voyages. The news
has been confirmed by Lloyd Werft MD Werner Lüken. The Bremerhaven yard is
the "house yard" of Star Cruises subsidiary Norwegian Cruise Line, which is
reportedly involved in the revival project and took on the similar-sized
Norwegian Sky after its completion by Lloyd Werft in 1999. The hull of the
Sky originated from an order cancelled by Costa Crociere at Bremer Vulkan,
which had to halt the construction because of its financial collapse. Lloyd
Werft will be short of work in the second half of this year after it
completes the conversion of a bulker into a juice carrier and a frigate
overhaul. Last year Lloyd Werft also completed the 78,309-GT Norwegian Sun
for NCL, the hull for which was sub-ordered at Aker MTW yard as Lloyd Werft
does not have hull-building facilities.

quote:

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Originally posted by Thad:
It looks like this might happen...

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I don't see why it wouldn't. Star/NCL are in great need of new tonnage. They need all the new ships they can get, because many of their ships right now are in desperate need of replacement.

So, they are trying to get the new ship(s) from any cheaper$$$ ways. Or get money from stock market in Hong Kong or Singapore.

quote:

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Originally posted by Thad:
And it could look like this:

I figure I would try my hand at Photoshop as well. I think that the ship looks better than she did as America, but still could use a longer bow

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Good Photoshopping (Is there such a word ?), Thad. I must say that is one ugly vessel and altough I really want to be sad that they will not be American I can't help but hope they go to China and we never have to see the things again.

quote:

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Originally posted by Draikar:
It would be very odd if she sunk while under tow to a shipyard for completion.

Ðraikar

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quote:

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Originally posted by skyej:
I read today that the hull is not complete- it is missing the bow and stern. If Star/NCL does buy it they may still have the option of changing the shape to make it more attractive.

However, changing the hull design is very expensive and requires computer and model testing to ensure stability. If Star is strapped for money they may just accept the normal hull design.

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The hull is not so bad. It is the superstructure, notably the fore part.

if either of the Project Americas ships are completed in a foreign shipyard, that would mean they could not sail from one American port to another, right?

Wouldn't it make more sense for NCL/Star to go ahead and finish the vessel in the states? That way they could do-away with that ridiculous run to Fanning Island on their Hawaii route. It would also put them in a position to offer other cruises between American ports that no othe line can currently offer.

quote:

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Originally posted by Namlit:
if either of the Project Americas ships are completed in a foreign shipyard, that would mean they could not sail from one American port to another, right?

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Right.

quote:

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Originally posted by Namlit:
Wouldn't it make more sense for NCL/Star to go ahead and finish the vessel in the states?

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Not unless they wanted to pay lots and lots of taxes to have the ship U.S. registered, and to have all U.S. officers, and 75% of the crew as either U.S. citizens or green card holders - all this is very expensive.

quote:

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Originally posted by origo:
Star Cruises also has a regulation to only have Scandinavian marine officers and I don't think that US unions would accept a Scandinavian captain on a US flagged ship .

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Actually I think that all US flagged ships must have all US officers. Crew must be 75% US citizens or residents i.e. 'green card' holders.

There would be a political cyclone in Washington if a foreign company were able to run a US-flagged ship...