There was an outcry in Antwerp, former homeport of the Charlesville, where the word 'Congoboat' has still a very emotional appeal (more so or at least on a different plane, than the Red Star Line). A Facebook group 'Red de Congoboat Charlesville' was formed, and a grassroot campaign started. It was succesful as far as it made a national TV/RAdio reporter group was sent to Rostock on January 2/3, together with a group of enthousiasts.
one of them, a prof in maritime law and president of a Maritime Industrail heritage trust went also, he has found now out that the ship is a protected monument, and that sale for scrap would result in a fine of 1,5 euro.
So the sale is now temporarily suspended, and Rostock has now offered the ship for sale to Antwerp/Flanders for a symbolic euro. This offer is valid for a week.
Now a plan has to be made up to bring the ship back, and to find fundings...

Let us hope that they succeed, but in any case, the grass roots enthousiast have succeeded in suspending the sale and certainly very much maximalising the chance for survival for this ship.

I am very glad this has been so.

The Charlesville is certainly worthwile saving, and not only because i am a passengershiplover.

*As far as I know this is the ONLY colonial liner surviving of that vast fleet that till the great Independence movement that swept the world in the 1950's 1960's. I think no British/Dutch/French liners of that time survive. Charlesville served the colonial route both before and after the independence of Congo (1960) till 1967.

*It is very much in the more or less original condition, with changes of course, and the holds have been changed into training cllasses, with extra portholes. A rebuild or even refurbishing has there never been.

*it is a testimony of the maritime past of Antwerp, both in its trade connections with Africa, as for the shipbuilding past (she was built on the cockerill shipyard in Hoboken, a suburb of Antwerp)

*she is a memorial link to the often difficult and painful relations between Belgium and Congo

*almost every Belgian had family or knew someone who lived in Congo and probably travelled with a Congoboat.

What do you think ?

here is a link to a newspaper article

J

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Originally posted by Donald Johnson:
In contrast toward a reprieve and an establishment of a grassroots campaign, why couldn't someone had done the same for the SS Oceanic and the MS Augustus in Italy as well as the MS Mona Lisa in Sweden? It would have been nice to have seen both ships return to their original home port respectively.

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Originally posted by rd77:
Wonderful thoughts, but who would pay for all of that?

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True. Whenever I hear about Mr. Lars Hallgren about wanting to bring the MS Mona Lisa back to Sweden, I wondered if his plans were legitimate as far as having the resources to actually renovate the ship to it's SAL era design? I only heard his name come out, but no one else related to his team.

The sale to the unknown breakers is considered void, as the ship is classified as a monument and as long it is under that protection, any sale for scrap is null an void.

Next week there is a council meeting of the City of Rostock to reconsider what to do with the ship.

It is understood, Antwerp has to propose some kind of business plan or scheme to to deal with the ship.

Latest news is that there are two anonymous investors for the ship to bring it back.

It is all very vague, but the future looks better than a month ago.

Grass roots pressure, together with preparatory and executive work by the government and heritage organisations seem to be paying of....

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Originally posted by Johan:
It seems as if the Charlesville/Georg Buechner has been saved, at least temporarily.

The sale to the unknown breakers is considered void, as the ship is classified as a monument and as long it is under that protection, any sale for scrap is null an void.

Next week there is a council meeting of the City of Rostock to reconsider what to do with the ship.

It is understood, Antwerp has to propose some kind of business plan or scheme to to deal with the ship.

Latest news is that there are two anonymous investors for the ship to bring it back.

It is all very vague, but the future looks better than a month ago.

Grass roots pressure, together with preparatory and executive work by the government and heritage organisations seem to be paying of....

J

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