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Norway/France sold for scrap

bepsf

By bepsf,
in What Ever Happened To........???

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dougnewmanatsea

dougnewmanatsea

Posted
Posted

At this point I am taking this "news", which was posted on SS Maritime, as an unconfirmed but credible rumor. It follows previous rumors I have heard from Asia that NORWAY was indeed put on the market for scrap, but the at this point I have not seen any definitive confirmation that she has in fact been sold and will be broken up.

 

According to a friend of mine who is well-connected with the shipbreaking business:

 

In all likelihood, this is true, but do not take it as 100%. The breaker that was quoted has been historically unreliable about many things of recent.

 

Bangladesh has a poor infrastructure in dealing with all materials other than steel. It makes little sense for NORWAY to go there, especially because the Indians have had their eye on her for several months.

I will continue to keep you updated if I hear anything further.

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Druke I

Druke I

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On 12-19-05, Maritime Matters reported that scrap dealers were looking at Norway.

 

Not sure, but think World Ocean and Cruise Liner Society reported same rumors at about the same time.

 

 

At any rate, it has long been rumored. I'm still surprised that she did not "sink while under tow". Perhaps not enough insurance!

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dougnewmanatsea

dougnewmanatsea

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can you get me on Kloster's e-mail list??

Sorry, not sure I follow here - what's Kloster got to do with anything?

 

At any rate, this is a very sad event... While there is still no official confirmation yet (Star Cruises are terrible at PR), it does seem likely that it is true, and I am saddened to hear of her demise. I never did get a chance to sail in her; we were planning on booking a cruise right when the explosion happened and so my plans ended right then and there.

 

There is also a longer thread on this topic on the NCL board - click here to view.

 

I have always thought FRANCE to be the last true superliner (unconstrained, as QE2 was, by the need to cruise in the winter and transit the Panama Canal) and as NORWAY she was the very first mega-cruise-ship. It is sadly ironic that her success as NORWAY inspired the bland floating apartment blocks that helped to cause her demise...

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wvdleek

wvdleek

Posted
Posted
What a waste! The ship could be turned into a hotel. Perhaps even turning the ship into high-end apartments or condominiums could be accomplished. Wasteful, wasteful!

 

Respectfully,

 

Andrewx

 

Do you have any idea what the cost for that might be ? ?

 

High-end appartments ? ? With asbestos ? ?

 

They have tried to purchase the ship to conserve in France, but expenses were too high.

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Mark

Mark

Posted
Posted

I would have nightmares thinking about a bunch of Indians wiht blow torches doing surgery on the Norway on one of those filthy Indian beaches!!! I mean at least it should have been done by the French if at all!!!:cool: Next time I see a sewer cover in Jersey City that says made in India it may be the bow of the Norway...what a shame!

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chasetf

chasetf

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Really a shame (but not a surprise). My kids have a video called "There Goes a Boat" with a segment filmed aboard Norway. I also have the model of the France my Dad built around 1968. She was certainly a classy lady!

I agree she was a classy lady. Iwas fortunate enough to have sailed the France in 1963. I had just graduated from High School when my aunt and uncle were relocating from Michigan to Brussels. I was offered a free trip to Europe if I would agree to watch my cousins who were 5,7,9,11 and 12 at the time.

 

Because my Uncle was an executive with Ford, we traveled first class. I flew to Michigan to join them, we all flew to New York to board her, and sail in the late afternoon. We arrived at Southhampton, and then disembarked at La Havre. It was my first sailing experience and we sailed in grand style. The weather was great... the Atlantic in July... The sea was pretty mild although a couple of the kids were seasick for a short time at different times. I ended up spending the rest of the summer in Europe, flying home for start of college. It was a great experience for a 17 year old.

 

I too will miss her and wish I had sailed her as the Norway..

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JLC@SD

JLC@SD

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Maritime Matters is now reporting that they believe the sale to scrappers is a done deal, and that further details will be reported as they are received!

 

When they give her a different name and tow her away, she will be on her way to the breakers......seams to be the usual treatrment.......:(

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Druke I

Druke I

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Maritme Matters reports 1-6-06 that Norway may be headed to Alang rather than Chittagong (sp) for scrapping - but that destination won't be known until she is actually beached, and that trading between scrap merchants is common.

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emcemt

emcemt

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When they give her a different name and tow her away, she will be on her way to the breakers......seams to be the usual treatrment.......:(

Yeah whats the deal with changing the names of ships before they towed to the breakers? The Big Red Boat is now known as the Big Red as she sits on the beach being torn apart. I noticed a few other ships with names slightly off. Anyone know why they do this?

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Mark

Mark

Posted
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Does anyone know why NCL has been so silent and secretive on their position with both the end of Norway's useful life and the future of the SS United States? I can't beleive that NCL did not know the fate of Norway and does not know the fate of United States.

 

I would think it is good public relations to show their loyal customers that they are involved in these projects and share the information rather than have us find these things out from some internet posting!:confused:

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Two4Sea

Two4Sea

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Emcemt-

 

The scrapper needs to register the ship to move it. As the previous owner often wants to keep and reuse the name the scrapper gives 2 seconds thought to a new name that can be created with cheap paintwork for the next month. Owners also want to protect themselves from potential embarrassment. When the Ile de France was sold at the end of 1958, the breaker rented it out to a movie maker who portrayed a boiler explosion and filmed an actual sinking of the ship ("The Last Voyage", ironic plot now!). The French Line was not impressed.

 

A name is also needed for the trip insurance on his investment. Give the high rate of sinkings on "last voyages" this is sometimes a financial stumbling block when scrap prices are down.

 

B

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dougnewmanatsea

dougnewmanatsea

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Maybe they realize what a shame it is to turn that beautiful classic liner into razor blades and sewer covers!!!

I'm sure they do, but they're still a business and believe me, if they could sell her for scrap, they would.

 

Scrap was a last resort for NORWAY, but they felt they'd exhausted all their other options. Except that now, scrap is apparently no longer an option! Needless to say, they're in quite a pickle...

 

More explanation and discussion of her present situation here on the NCL boards.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Mark

Mark

Posted
Posted

I am surprised Star had not approached the US Government about purchasing Norway and converting her into a US Navy Troop Transport. Hey the Nortway already carries two landing craft!

 

If I recall, the Royal Navy had to secure the services of QE2 and a couple of other cruise ships to transport their troops down to the Falklands...you would think the US Navy would have learned from that exercise that troop ships are a valuable commodity.:cool:

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etoile

etoile

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The French are to cheap to take her home and do the rite thing. They could easily dock her in France and have a major attraction

Aside from "major" being a bit optimistic, why should the French have anything to do with her? She was most recently owned by a cruise line with ties to Norway. The ship was changed significantly during the France/Norway switch, it's simply not a "French" ship anymore. And besides, referring to a country's people as "cheap" is insulting...but hey, no wonder we are the "ugly" Americans.

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