Why is the Nieuw Amsterdam registered in Nassau?

[hurleyjp13]

I don't post on these boards very often but I was wondering if anybody could help me figure this out.

 

I was on the Holland America Blog and I saw a picture of the stern of the Nieuw Amsterdam with Nassau painted as the port of registry. It is at the bottom of this page:

 

http://www.hollandamericablog.com/2009/12/04/nieuw-amsterdam/#more-14529

 

You can clearly see the welded letters Rotterdam under it which means the Bahamian registry is only for while its under construction and it will switch to Dutch registry once it is handed over to HAL. I seem to remember seeing similar pictures when the Eurodam was being built so I don't think this is the first time it's happened.

 

I know that ships traditionally don't use their owner's registry until they are handed over since they are officially owned by the shipyard until the hand over, but usually the registry until the hand over is of the country where the ship is being built (in the Nieuw Amsterdam's case, Italy). Does anybody know what the reason for the Bahamian registry is while the ship is under construction? Is it an HAL policy or is it a policy of Fincantieri, the shipyard?

[IRL_Joanie]

I don't post on these boards very often but I was wondering if anybody could help me figure this out.

 

I was on the Holland America Blog and I saw a picture of the stern of the Nieuw Amsterdam with Nassau painted as the port of registry. It is at the bottom of this page:

 

http://www.hollandamericablog.com/2009/12/04/nieuw-amsterdam/#more-14529

 

You can clearly see the welded letters Rotterdam under it which means the Bahamian registry is only for while its under construction and it will switch to Dutch registry once it is handed over to HAL. I seem to remember seeing similar pictures when the Eurodam was being built so I don't think this is the first time it's happened.

 

I know that ships traditionally don't use their owner's registry until they are handed over since they are officially owned by the shipyard until the hand over, but usually the registry until the hand over is of the country where the ship is being built (in the Nieuw Amsterdam's case, Italy). Does anybody know what the reason for the Bahamian registry is while the ship is under construction? Is it an HAL policy or is it a policy of Fincantieri, the shipyard?

 

Good question. It definitely says Nassau.

http://www.hollandamericablog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15451_218177734761_645999761_4219807_7909106_n.jpeg

Joanie

[DAllenTCY]

This subject has come up a few times before. The registry while the ship is under construction is not the same as when HAL takes over ownership. At that time it will change. If you look closely you will see that "NASSAU" is in white paint. When they change it, the lettering will be welded on the ship's hull and then painted.

David

[IRL_Joanie]

This subject has come up a few times before. The registry while the ship is under construction is not the same as when HAL takes over ownership. At that time it will change. If you look closely you will see that "NASSAU" is in white paint. When they change it, the lettering will be welded on the ship's hull and then painted.

David

 

David, my question is why Nassau/Bahamas instead of Italy, where she is being built, Holland or U.S.V.I.? Why Nassau, Bahamas??

 

I realize the question may have come up before, but searching found me no answer to explain why.

 

Joanie

[RevNeal]

While the vessel is being built she is still not the property of HAL, but of the yard building her. They register the ships with the cheapest flag they can ... in this case, the Bahamas.

 

Once she is delivered to the Holland America Line she will be re-flagged in the Netherlands and given the home port of "Rotterdam."

 

If you look closely at this picture you will see that the lettering for "Rotterdam" is already attached to the ship, it's just painted in the same HAL blue as the rest of the hull and white lettering for Nassau is painted over it.

 

 

You can clearly see the "R" to the left of the "N" in Nassau, and you can just make out the "M" to the right of "U" in Nassau

[Koshlong]

I have a fuzzy idea that one of the "v" ships, Volendam or Veendam, was originally registered in the Bahamas and had British officers...........How far out in left field am I?:confused:

[RevNeal]

I have a fuzzy idea that one of the "v" ships, Volendam or Veendam, was originally registered in the Bahamas and had British officers...........How far out in left field am I?:confused:

 

It was the Veendam. Not anymore, though.

[IRL_Joanie]

While the vessel is being built she is still not the property of HAL, but of the yard building her. They register the ships with the cheapest flag they can ... in this case, the Bahamas.

 

AH HA said the nearly blind woman as she finally understood!! Cheapest registration!!

 

Once she is delivered to the Holland America Line she will be re-flagged in the Netherlands and given the home port of "Rotterdam."

 

If you look closely at this picture you will see that the lettering for "Rotterdam" is already attached to the ship, it's just painted in the same HAL blue as the rest of the hull and white lettering for Nassau is painted over it.

 

You can clearly see the "R" to the left of the "N" in Nassau, and you can just make out the "M" to the right of "U" in Nassau

 

Actually, I cannot make either the R or M out (see my answer above) BUT I do understand now, Thank You!!

 

Joanie

[HWY 101]

Globally speaking? Probably a place with lower tax rates internationally is my guess.

[RevNeal]

Actually, I cannot make either the R or M out (see my answer above) BUT I do understand now, Thank You!!

 

Joanie

 

Can you make it out now? I've zoomed in on it and enhanced it.

 

[Alunan]

My question is why do people explain things that the original question/post already elaborated on, and then post it as the answer to the question. Do people have so little respect that they actually don't read the question before answering?

[RevNeal]

My question is why do people explain things that the original question/post already elaborated on, and then post it as the answer to the question. Do people have so little respect that they actually don't read the question before answering?

 

Wow

[IRL_Joanie]

Can you make it out now? I've zoomed in on it and enhanced it.

 

 

Yes! Thank You RevNeal!! Now I can see both the R & M on either side of Nassau! I really appreciate it!

 

Joanie

[IRL_Joanie]

My question is why do people explain things that the original question/post already elaborated on, and then post it as the answer to the question. Do people have so little respect that they actually don't read the question before answering?

 

Maybe they (ME) ask because while an answer may be clear to you, it is NOT clear to someone else??

 

I read the posts before I ask the questions generally. In this case it made totally no sense to me. RevNeal and others take the time to explain so that those of us, who MIGHT, be a bit dense, can understand/see the answer.

 

Joanie

[Alunan]

Maybe they (ME) ask because while an answer may be clear to you, it is NOT clear to someone else??

 

I read the posts before I ask the questions generally. In this case it made totally no sense to me. RevNeal and others take the time to explain so that those of us, who MIGHT, be a bit dense, can understand/see the answer.

 

Joanie

 

What are you talking about? I was referring to this:

 

This subject has come up a few times before. The registry while the ship is under construction is not the same as when HAL takes over ownership. At that time it will change. If you look closely you will see that "NASSAU" is in white paint. When they change it, the lettering will be welded on the ship's hull and then painted.

David

[CDRMark]

Globally speaking? Probably a place with lower tax rates internationally is my guess.

It used to be Liberia (Monrovia) and Panama was popular. Anyone know if this is still the case?

Cheers

Mark

[RevNeal]

It used to be Liberia (Monrovia) and Panama was popular. Anyone know if this is still the case?

 

Yes, it is.

 

The "Flag of Convenience" practice is a money-maker for many countries, not just the Bahamas, Panama, and Liberia. For instance, according to Wikipedia's article on the subject Malta and Antigua each have more than a thousand foreign-owned ships flagged with them (more than 90% of the vessels carrying their flag are not native to their country!). However, Panama is the worst culprit, with nearly 5000 non-Panamanian vessels being flagged in Panama. By comparison, the Bahamas flags 1130+ (the figure changes frequently due to special factors (see bellow)) foreign-owned vessels and Liberia 1904 foreign owned ships.

 

The Bahamas is a special-case, however, due to their shipwright facilities as well as the extensive nature of their mothball docks. They provide special bulk and by-the-month arrangements with shipwrights (like Fincantieri) to carry ships-under-construction. Their environmental regulations are more lax than most would like, but shipyards like Finantieri that use them have high standards; for the build process, however, it makes sense to flag with the Bahamas anyway and thereby save money.

[bob brown]

Okay, so does Fincantieri register all their new builds in Nassau?

[Himself]

Wow Greg

Thanks for enhancing it. I never could have seen the "R" with my trifoculed 70 year old eyes.

It used to be the the Ryndam and Veendam had all British officers and the other had all Dutch. I believe the Veendam still has a British Captain as does the Zuiderdam--or at least they did in October. However there were other Dutch officers on this ship. I beleive there are a couple of other ships that Have Brittish Captains.

 

Himself

[Copper10-8]

Wow Greg

Thanks for enhancing it. I never could have seen the "R" with my trifoculed 70 year old eyes.

It used to be the the Ryndam and Veendam had all British officers and the other had all Dutch. I believe the Veendam still has a British Captain as does the Zuiderdam--or at least they did in October. However there were other Dutch officers on this ship. I beleive there are a couple of other ships that Have Brittish Captains.

 

Himself

 

Veendam is no longer "exclussively British" like it used to be in the nineties - The vast majority of HAL's captains are still Dutch but there are also several Brits, a Kiwi (New Zealander), Canadian and Norwegian

[Druke I]

Why did Veendam have British officers?

 

I know the history of Princess using both British (& Commonwealth) officers and Italian officers. That goes back to the buyout of Sitmar by Princess - part of the original agreement was to retain the Italian officers on the Sitmar ships.

[Copper10-8]

Why did Veendam have British officers?

 

I know the history of Princess using both British (& Commonwealth) officers and Italian officers. That goes back to the buyout of Sitmar by Princess - part of the original agreement was to retain the Italian officers on the Sitmar ships.

 

At the time, the company (HAL) did not have enough Dutch Deck and Engine Dept. officers available so the Brits (Captains Jonathan Mercer + Peter Harris) took their spots.

[fcorey]

At the time, the company (HAL) did not have enough Dutch Deck and Engine Dept. officers available so the Brits (Captains Jonathan Mercer + Peter Harris) took their spots.

 

Met Capt. Mercer when he was aboard Oosterdam. Nice guy.

[bishop84]

I know that ships traditionally don't use their owner's registry until they are handed over since they are officially owned by the shipyard until the hand over, but usually the registry until the hand over is of the country where the ship is being built (in the Nieuw Amsterdam's case, Italy). Does anybody know what the reason for the Bahamian registry is while the ship is under construction? Is it an HAL policy or is it a policy of Fincantieri, the shipyard?

The choice of the registry is up to the company that has ordered the ship. I have seen pictures of Costa ships under construction with their Italian registry in place. I would guess that Holland America have a good working relationship with the Bahamian Maritime Authorities when it comes to their new build ships hence they temporarily register them in Nassau and change them to the Dutch register later.

 

I doubt if construction regulations have much to do with this as these are governed by international regulations. Also if the ships were not up to required standard then the Dutch would not allow them to be transferred onto their registry after construction was completed.

 

The Bahamas Maritime Authority main office is actually in London, UK and not in the Bahamas. Much the same as the Liberian registry, another major “international” registry is based in the USA (Virginia?) and not the war torn country in Africa.

[Sea King]

 

If you look closely at this picture you will see that the lettering for "Rotterdam" is already attached to the ship, it's just painted in the same HAL blue as the rest of the hull and white lettering for Nassau is painted over it.

 

 

You can clearly see the "R" to the left of the "N" in Nassau, and you can just make out the "M" to the right of "U" in Nassau

 

fantastic detective job Rev!:rolleyes:

 

now we can all rest well knowing Nassau is "out" and Rotterdam is "in:" :D