Sell Ships to the Government?

[rolloman]

I posted something similar on the Carnival board but wanted to mention here as well. I found it curious yesterday the president mentioned he wanted two more hospital ships quickly. He mentioned his desire to build new but also mentioned they could repurpose a couple big ships already in existence. By putting two and two together, one could imagine  either Carnival or Royal selling a couple of their ships to the government to be refit. Keep in mind, a repurpose from oil tanker ships is how the hospital ships Comfort and Mercy came into being. Just a thought....

[zekekelso]

I'm no expert, but I suspect it might be easier to set up temporary hospitals on land than trying to retrofit a cruise ship. 

[wolfcathorse]

I don't think the companies would as they've used those ships as collateral. And the gov't can't afford to buy ships to solve a short term problem. What will they do with the tonnage when the crises is over?

[John&LaLa]

Ferrys would probably be easier to refit

[BND]

The Fed Gov does not want to buy cruise ships.  They will pay to use them, but not buy them.

[rolloman]

45 minutes ago, BND said:

The Fed Gov does not want to buy cruise ships.  They will pay to use them, but not buy them.

This is not about using a ship...it is about cruise lines soon to have excess inventory due to being on the brink of or possibly in bankruptcy and forced to sell existing assets. The President said he would build two new ships or refit two  BIG ships. Not necessarily for this virus but for inventory. The Navy only has the two ships, it is clear we need more ships...what if a major battle starts? Both of our ships are being utilized. Not good. He wants two more ships...the others were converted oil tankers. A cruise ship is a lot farther along in the conversion process than an oil tanker that is for sure. 

[rolloman]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

Ferrys would probably be easier to refit

Not big enough....

[rolloman]

1 hour ago, zekekelso said:

I'm no expert, but I suspect it might be easier to set up temporary hospitals on land than trying to retrofit a cruise ship. 

Certainly wasn't easier this time was it? 1000 bed ship with state of the art medical facilities floated into the harbor and became serviceable immediately. Ship is mobile and flexible....

[BND]

4 minutes ago, rolloman said:

This is not about using a ship...it is about cruise lines soon to have excess inventory due to being on the brink of or possibly in bankruptcy and forced to sell existing assets. The President said he would build two new ships or refit two  BIG ships. Not necessarily for this virus but for inventory. The Navy only has the two ships, it is clear we need more ships...what if a major battle starts? Both of our ships are being utilized. Not good. He wants two more ships...the others were converted oil tankers. A cruise ship is a lot farther along in the conversion process than an oil tanker that is for sure. 

I'm a Fed Gov employee who worked in acquisition until I retired last week.  Believe me, the Fed Gov does not want to buy them.

[rolloman]

Just now, BND said:

I'm a Fed Gov employee who worked in acquisition until I retired last week.  Believe me, the Fed Gov does not want to buy them.

They will do what they are told. We are at war with a virus. The Navy owns the other two ships.....but hey....whatever....stand by, watch and learn. GM now makes ventilators not cars..... go figure....

[BND]

8 minutes ago, rolloman said:

They will do what they are told. We are at war with a virus. The Navy owns the other two ships.....but hey....whatever....stand by, watch and learn. GM now makes ventilators not cars..... go figure....

The Navy owns two HOSPITAL ships that were built/retrofitted for that purpose.  Watch and learn?  Wow.  Did the Fed Gov buy GM?  No, they are making the ventilators at the request of the Fed Gov.  That is like comparing apples to oranges.  What exactly do you know about Fed Gov acquisition?

Edited April 3, 2020 by BND

[rolloman]

2 minutes ago, BND said:

The Navy owns two HOSPITAL ships that were built for that purpose.  Watch and learn?  Wow.  Did the Fed Gov buy GM?  No, they are making the ventilators at the request of the Fed Gov.  That is like comparing apples to oranges.  What exactly do you know about Fed Gov acquisition?

They were oil tankers....they were not built for that purpose. You seem to be hung up on the purchase part.... I will meet you half way....maybe as a tax write off or similar the ships are donated by Carnival for PR....either way it has been determined from the top two more ships are needed for inventory. The president said he was leaning toward new builds....certainly sounds more time consuming and expensive when we are in a situation right now in real time. 

[rtazz17]

12 minutes ago, rolloman said:

They were oil tankers....they were not built for that purpose. You seem to be hung up on the purchase part.... I will meet you half way....maybe as a tax write off or similar the ships are donated by Carnival for PR....either way it has been determined from the top two more ships are needed for inventory. The president said he was leaning toward new builds....certainly sounds more time consuming and expensive when we are in a situation right now in real time. 

President thinks out loud a lot. 95% of his out loud thought dont come to fruition. Im a Trump supporter but I think its another out loud thought with no real forethought  

Edited April 3, 2020 by rtazz17

[npcl]

39 minutes ago, rolloman said:

This is not about using a ship...it is about cruise lines soon to have excess inventory due to being on the brink of or possibly in bankruptcy and forced to sell existing assets. The President said he would build two new ships or refit two  BIG ships. Not necessarily for this virus but for inventory. The Navy only has the two ships, it is clear we need more ships...what if a major battle starts? Both of our ships are being utilized. Not good. He wants two more ships...the others were converted oil tankers. A cruise ship is a lot farther along in the conversion process than an oil tanker that is for sure. 

Probably easier to convert an oil tanker or a roll on roll off car transport.  Cruise ships are built to be cruise ships.  The cabins are inserted during the build process so you cannot easily modify all of the things you would need to.  Doors to narrow, hallway too narrow.  Bathrooms would not work in a hospital as they are built.  Easier to start with an open space and build out the hospital.

Edited April 3, 2020 by npcl

[broberts]

Refitting any ship as a hospital would require months, if not years. A pointless exercise if intended to address short term needs. 

 

Besides assembling a large workforce in the relatively confined area of a ship could well fill the ship with patients before the refit was finished.

[John&LaLa]

49 minutes ago, rolloman said:

Certainly wasn't easier this time was it? 1000 bed ship with state of the art medical facilities floated into the harbor and became serviceable immediately. Ship is mobile and flexible....

 

China built hospitals in 3 days. 

But that was easy, they make everything 😉🤣

[John&LaLa]

2 minutes ago, broberts said:

Refitting any ship as a hospital would require months, if not years. A pointless exercise if intended to address short term needs. 

 

Besides assembling a large workforce in the relatively confined area of a ship could well fill the ship with patients before the refit was finished.

 

Cruise ships are suited for temporary housing like after Katrina. Not for hospitals. The cabins are useless for that level of care. Honestly surprised this is even being considered. 

 

Publicity stunt

[Milwaukee Eight]

52 minutes ago, rolloman said:

They will do what they are told. We are at war with a virus. The Navy owns the other two ships.....but hey....whatever....stand by, watch and learn. GM now makes ventilators not cars..... go figure....

FORD soon to follow 

[rolloman]

28 minutes ago, rtazz17 said:

 

 

 Normally people build upon an idea or offer solutions...but not this board...it is a 100% shoot down of any and I mean any, concept, idea or strategy..... funny how a few weeks ago I mentioned the possibility of the two hospital ships being used and was laughed at. But here they are ...being used as we speak.....

[ShipWalker]

If they bought a cruise ship would it have to visit a foreign port first? 😂

Edited April 3, 2020 by ShipWalker

[John&LaLa]

58 minutes ago, rolloman said:

Not big enough....

 

Do you have any idea how big modern ocean going ferrys are?

https://www.marineinsight.com/cruise/the-biggest-ferry-in-the-world-stena-hollandica/amp/

 

But a roll on / roll off is probably what I was referring to. Like the one that picks up school busses in Pt Canaveral or drops the new cars off.

 

And FWIW, I feel the Mercy should probably be on her way to Guam.

[John&LaLa]

OK, here's an idea. Carnival can send one her ships in Australia to Guam to be used for quarantine purposes. That could work

[BND]

1 hour ago, rolloman said:

They were oil tankers....they were not built for that purpose. You seem to be hung up on the purchase part.... I will meet you half way....maybe as a tax write off or similar the ships are donated by Carnival for PR....either way it has been determined from the top two more ships are needed for inventory. The president said he was leaning toward new builds....certainly sounds more time consuming and expensive when we are in a situation right now in real time. 

First, I edited to say built/refitted, but you didn't even know the part about them being prior tankers from what I can tell.  My DH is a retired US Navy Captain and we have discussed your "idea".  You were told that they were tankers on the Carnival board.  Second, you're the one who said buying cruise ships.  New builds would take years.  As I said, you know nothing about Gov acquisition which is not the same as leasing.  Acquisition doesn't happen overnight.  

Edited April 3, 2020 by BND

[NavyCruiser]

Yes, it'll work as the Navy's newest forward offensive deployment warships.

 

Fill 'em with the nastiest CDC diseases & attack/infect foreign enemies ports with our best biological weapons...

[ONECRUISER]

3 hours ago, rolloman said:

I posted something similar on the Carnival board but wanted to mention here as well. I found it curious yesterday the president mentioned he wanted two more hospital ships quickly. He mentioned his desire to build new but also mentioned they could repurpose a couple big ships already in existence. By putting two and two together, one could imagine  either Carnival or Royal selling a couple of their ships to the government to be refit. Keep in mind, a repurpose from oil tanker ships is how the hospital ships Comfort and Mercy came into being. Just a thought....

Never happen. Cruise Ships have been used for Barracks ships for Healthy people like after Katrina. But not set up to be used as Hospitals, improper ventilation, narrow Elevators and halls. Easier cheaper and quicker do what the Army Corp of Engineers doing/done now. Build temp 250-1000 bed Hospital in Convention center or Warehouse. Ship would require 3-4 times manpower, another waste. Was also discussed on 2-3 other Threads last couple weeks