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quote: Norway Arrives in Malaysia NCL's former flagship Norway arrived at Port Klang, Malaysia after an 80 day voyage from Germany. She had been laid up there since she was towed from Miami following a boiler room explosion in May of 2003. The 1,035 ft, former ocean liner was towed to Malaysia from Bremerhaven, Germany by the ocean going tug De Da. When she left Germany, the official word was that the ship was headed to Malaysia to become part of a resort complex. Specifically, the ship was to be converted into a stationary hotel and casino and then incorporated into a larger resort complex being built near the Singapore cruise terminal. If the resort plan failed to materialize, the company line was that Norway would be used as gambling ship sailing from Singapore. Under this scenario, her damaged boilers would be sealed off and she would operate at slow speeds powered by two of the remaining boilers. It is unclear how realistic the backup plan is given the state of the boilers and the potential liability of operating them following the explosion in May of 2003 without significant and expensive repairs. Since her arrival in Malaysia, no additional information has been made available about her fate although rumors are circulating that scrappers have again visited the ship. Skeptics have claimed from the beginning that the announced plan was simply a way to avoid having to remove asbestos from the ship rather than an genuine attempt to use her again. According to European environmental regulations, before the ship could be sold to the scrappers the large amounts of asbestos installed during her construction would have to be removed from the vessel. The skeptics claim that the move to Malaysia was an attempt to dodge the environmental regulations and that Norway was never going to become part of the resort.
quote:Originally posted by sslewis:A reliable source indicate that structural work was to be done at a scrapper due to costs.Now how far this work will go is a mystery, but the vessel is to be stripped of her engines and returned to be part of this project in Singapore.Lets watch and see!
Why remove the engines if she is to be a static ship? The space I assume could be used for additional revenue generating space but the entire idea seems odd. The region and Star have no historic interest in her nor did Europe/France from the lack of interest in preserving her. She in the end will be scrapped IMO. It is a shame she was not partially stripped of her original French Line fixtures in Germany before heading off to Asia.
quote:Originally posted by sslewis:A reliable source indicate that structural work was to be done at a scrapper due to costs.
Both Hamlet and myself think that something is fishy in Denmark. I wouldn't take my automobile for repairs to a junk auto yard. Would you?
I truly feel that the "Blue Lady's" time is fleeting.
She's living on borrowed time.
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