Recycling old cruise ships as floating homeless shelters

[OlsSalt]

Article from the SF Chronicle - cities that have recycled old cruise or navy ships as temporary housing shelters: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Floating-homeless-shelter-could-be-game-changer-9206351.php

Edited September 8, 2016 by OlsSalt

[navybankerteacher]

Nothing new -- the British used old merchant and war ships (referred to as

"hulks") to house prisoners and paupers in Britain (see Dickens' "Great Expectations" and in New York harbor to house American prisoners of war during the Revolutionary War.

[easyboy]

Article from the SF Chronicle - cities that have recycled old cruise or navy ships as temporary housing shelters: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Floating-homeless-shelter-could-be-game-changer-9206351.php

Thanks for the link.

[Sequim88]

More power to them if they can make it work but there will be significant issues to overcome. I spent a very informative hour and half this week with a Sargent on the Snohomish Country, WA, sheriff department talking about the problem with the transient (homeless) population in the area. In particular very close to the apartment complex where we live. He said they aggressively try to get them to move out (such as to another county) which he called "the stick" and at the same time offered them available housing and rehab programs (most are heroin addicts). Most decline and move to another location. He said they have to be ready to give it up.

 

One big issue is that they often like the lifestyle and refuse to go to shelters - so when pressured just move. Sounded to me like trying to sweep the tide back with a push broom. But the big root issue is the drug use and in shelters (or on a ship) that would not be allowed.

 

On the flip side he said there are many who were one-pay check away from disaster and then it happened. Those he said are generally willing and eager to get help and want to get back on their feet. For these a ship shelter could be a good option. Especially with food prep facilities in the galley. One downside might be sleeping accommodations which on a military ships are bunks and in particular often "hot swap" bunks. Depending on the population living that "close" could lead to some friction.

 

Old (mothballed) Navy ships might be too expensive to revive mechanically but could maybe get power from shore. Old cruise ships would be better but most get sold for smaller overseas markets and eventually broken up due to high maintenance and operating costs.

 

Conceptually worth exploring - practically, maybe not feasible. Might be less expensive to build basic shelters on shore. Ala what Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is supporting:

 

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/billionaire-paul-allen-donates-1m-to-homelessness-project/

[navybankerteacher]

Virtually all Navy ships are fitted to rely completely on shore connections: fresh water, steam (for heating), electricity, waste (sewage) removal. Of course mooring area would need appropriate capacity - you could not just tie up to any pier.

 

The close quarters would require selectivity to insure reasonable level of compatibility - but the notion is certainly worth exploring and possibly even running tests.

[kevingastreich]

Virtually all Navy ships are fitted to rely completely on shore connections: fresh water, steam (for heating), electricity, waste (sewage) removal. Of course mooring area would need appropriate capacity - you could not just tie up to any pier.

 

The close quarters would require selectivity to insure reasonable level of compatibility - but the notion is certainly worth exploring and possibly even running tests.

 

Yes, and the brig might come in handy too. :p

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our local TV news reporters talked about this the other day.

Can't happen in Pittsburgh.

[chengkp75]

I see several problems.

 

1. Grouping thousands into a small location, full time, and relying on shore infrastructure will likely tax that infrastructure unless upgrades to power, water and sewers are completed.

 

2. Grouping thousands into a small location will possibly tax transportation in that area, or will transplant the "daytime activities" of the homeless to the immediate area of the ship.

 

3. Even tied up to the pier full time, you have to maintain the hull, or you get what happened to the battleship Texas, which has filled her lower engine room levels with water.

 

I would suggest the following. There are housing units pre-fabbed into 40' shipping containers, used for decades as temporary housing for offshore oil workers. Use these in smaller clusters (200 bunks) with dining facilities. This way you customize the shelter based on actual need, as they are modular, and you can get bunk units, sanitary (sink, shower, toilet) units, etc. I think this would be far cheaper than buying old ships and maintaining them. I just looked at the link sequim provided, and this is it exactly.

[OlsSalt]

Good point,s chengkp (as usual).

 

Hanjin just might be having a fire sale on used containers right now. And earthquake devastated Christchurch NZ turned old shipping containers into high art for both commercial and residential use. http://www.qarmazi.com/qa/46581/container-home-designs-for-sale/

Edited September 9, 2016 by OlsSalt

[chengkp75]

I worked with a Captain years ago, who had previously worked for the old Barber Blue Seas line in the Caribbean. His job was to go around Columbia and Venezuela with a list of the container numbers that Barber had leased, and that were no longer showing up in manifests. Most were found being used for residences there.

 

During the first Gulf War, we transported containerized equipment over to Saudi, and the Army and Marines would unload them and let them sit around the dock area for when the load would be "re-constituted" and put back on the ships in pre-positioning. Anyway, the Marines realized they needed underground bunkers, so they would bulldoze a hole, drop a 20' container into it, and back fill. Voila, instant bunker. Then, in typical Marine fashion, they would forget where it was, drive a tank over it, and when it came time to re-constitute the pre-positioned loads, all you had were hundreds of squashed containers. We spent months bringing brand new containers over to load.