Ship History |
|
RETURN TO THE HOMEPAGE
S/S FRANCE 1962 |
The
legendary S/S France is
the last of the great Ships of State and the last ocean liner designed
purely
for the transatlantic service from Channel Ports to the Design
and Construction (1960 – 1962): As the
1950s progressed, the
Ile de France and the Liberte began to show their age and the need for
replacements was beginning to get urgent. Also the beautiful prewar
Normandie
had not been replaced. Thus CGT French Line placed the order for the The Inevitably
comparisons were
made between the France and her illustrious predecessor, the Normandie.
However
they were different ships built for different eras. At the time of her
introduction
the On the 19th
November 1961 she commenced her sea trials and undertook a shakedown
cruise to
the The
CGT French Line Era (1962 – 1974): Then on
the 3rd
February 1962 she departed Toward the
mid 1960s, the As the
1960s drew to a close
competition with air travel was getting difficult and the liners were
finding
it hard to compete. In the late 1960s the Cunard Queens were retired
from
service and in 1969 the On the 9th
January
1974, SS France departed However
CGT French Line held
out a few more years until the French Government announced in July
1974, that
it was not prepared to provide any more subsidies. As a result CGT
French Line
announced that they would retire the The
Wilderness Years (1974 – 1979): After her
sudden withdrawal
from service, hastened by the strike action, the Rebirth
as the S/S Norway (1979 – 1990): Then in
June 1979 a dramatic
development took place when the laid up During her
refit, two
propellers and four boilers were removed, reducing With her
famous background
and size, she became one of the most popular cruise ships afloat and
dispelled
all competition and silenced the doubters. Indeed from 1974 after the
destruction of the RMS Queen Elizabeth in Hong Kong by fire, the In 1984,
she was sent to The
NCL Years (1990 – 2003): Between
September and October
1990 a further change was made to the She
received additional
refits in 1993 and 1996 to comply with the SOLAS (Safety of Life At
Sea)
regulations allowing her to continue cruising into the future. By now
her
funnel had taken on the new NCL dark colour and logo. Having has
two propellers
removed reducing her speed and being a steam turbine powered ship, she
became
expensive to operate, yet Norwegian Cruises Lines (NCL), now owned by
the
Malaysian Star Cruises, continued to operate her successfully due to
her massive
popularity. On the 28th May 1999, In October
2000 Star
Cruises, the parent company for Norwegian Cruise Line, announced that
the However
NCL surprised the
passengers onboard the "farewell transatlantic crossing" by announcing
that the ship would in fact be returning to resume its Then on
the 14th
February 2002 amid speculation that the The
Boiler Explosion and Her Final Years (2003 –
Present): On 25th
May 2003,
having docked at 5.00 am in Miami, tragedy struck when the Norway was
severely
damaged by a boiler explosion at 6.30 am, which sadly saw seven lives
lost and
seventeen injured. None of the passengers were affected. On the 27th
June 2003, the crippled But then
on the 21st
July 2003 NCL announced that the On the 25th
September 2003 the Then on
the 17th March
2004, NCL regretfully announce that the However
rumours circulate of
possible preservation bids for the On the 8th
May
2005 rumours circulate that the On the 11th
May2005 reports come through that the SMITWIJS division of the SMIT
Towage
Company has been contracted to tow the On the 25th
May
2005 the On the 28th
June
2005 the In late April 2006 the Norway remains anchored off Port Klang owned (not by Star Cruises) but by a Liberian company who bought her in fact in December 2005. Rumours abound that she has now been sold to scrap merchants and will arrive in Alang in late May. Whether this is true or not is yet be confirmed. If she is to be saved as a hotel ship or a return to operation then late April / early May 2006 may be the last chance, so it is either now or never. Let's hope that she finds a more favourable future than that to which she seems to be heading at the moment. If she can't be saved in the next few weeks then she will be scrapped and lost forever. On the 5th May 2006 it was
reported that the Blue Lady departed Port
Klang under tow. It is likely that she is bound for the scrap breakers
in India and possibly the beaches of Alang. If this is true then she
may arrive at Alang around the 1st June 2006. The ship continues to
spark controversy thanks to Greenpeace and on the 19th May 2006 she was
banned from entering Indian waters due to her asbestos content. Earlier
in 2006 she was also banned from entering Bangladeshi waters. On the
5th June 2006 India lifted the ban provided that Alang beach was
inspected to ensure that the necessary safe disposal arrangements are
in place to allow her asbestos to be disposed of safely. The former
France is currently still at sea off the Indian coast being towed by
two tugs awaiting permission to be beached at Alang. Once the
arrangements for the safe disposal of her asbestos are in place, the
ship is likely to be beached for scrapping at Alang in the near future.
So her
future seems very doubtful.
On the 14th June 2006 it was reported that she called at Fujerah in the United Arab Emirates. It is thought that currently there are at least four preservation bids for the former France. They aim to acquire her for use as a hotel ship. The lead bid is from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates who wish to berth her in Dubai as a Hotel Ship, French Cultural Centre and Maritime Museum. Other bids are thought to come from St Nazaire in France, Hamburg in Germany and Goa in India. While negotiations with the leading bid continue, the former France is reported to have left Fujerah in the United Arab Emirates on the 22nd June 2006 under tow bound for India. It is thought that there is a skeleton crew of 22 on board what they are there for is unknown. But it is apparently thought that Star Cruises may be planning to secretly remove the asbestos at sea and dump it overboard so that she is clear by the time she reaches India. This may result in the ship being met with less red tape and costly asbestos removal when she reaches Alang in India for scrapping. However this is not confirmed. If this rumour is true, however, then Star Cruises and other agents involved with the former France are being very underhand and are bypassing international law. If this is true then Star Cruises and their subsidiaries NCL and NCL America should be roundly condemned by governments and others for this. Also this would be a warning to everyone regarding Star Cruises intentions towards the two other historic ocean liners they own: the SS United States and SS Independence. If their handling of the former France is anything to go by then their future looks very doubtful. There is still a chance she may be saved by Dubai or other parties soon but if not it is almost certain that she will be scrapped at Alang in India. On the 29th June 2006 it was reported that the former France is now off the Gujurat Coast near Alang in India. However the ship cannot anchor or be beached and scrapped at the scrapyards in Alang until approval is received from the Indian Supreme Court. She must first be inspected by Court appointed experts to assess her condition. However there still remains a possiblity that she could be saved for use as a hotel ship and conference centre in Dubai. It is reported in the media in the Gulf region that Project Dubai are willing to spend $120 million on the ship to refit her as a hotel ship and conference centre in Dubai. Around this time it was discovered that in May 2005 when she left Bremerhaven in Germany, Star Cruises misled the German government and maritime authorities when they reported that the former France was bound for Malaysia for repairs to return her to operational condition. When in fact her stop in Malaysia was just a stopping point en route to her intended scrapping at Alang, India. This underhand and misleading action was repeated in May 2006 when she left Malaysia, Star Cruises misled the maritime authorities, international organisations and governments when they reported that the former France was bound for Dubai for repairs to return her to operational condition. In fact they took her direct to Alang, India. Both her departures from Germany and Malaysia were in contravention of the Basel Convention VII (26) on the transport of toxic waste. As a result the Indian Supreme Court acted to ban her from Indian waters. As a result she returned to anchor off the United Arab Emirates. Then more recently during her voyage from the United Arab Emirates to India it was thought that there is a skeleton crew of 22 on board but what they are there for was unknown. It was though that they may not have been sailors but workers from the scrapyard. Apparently it is thought that Star Cruises and their agents may be planning to secretly remove the asbestos at sea and dump it overboard so that she would be clear by the time she reached India. As this may result in the ship being met with less red tape and costly asbestos removal when she reaches Alang in India for scrapping. Additionally this would also enable Star Cruises to avoid controversy from environmental groups like Greenpeace when she reaches Alang in India. However this proved to not be the case. However, the very fact that Star Cruises and other agents involved with the former S/S France were even considering this course of action was most concerning and shows their contempt for international law. On the 5th August 2006 the Technical Committee on Ship Breaking of the Indian Supreme Court is reported to have given permission for the former S/S France to be beached and scrapped at Alang. However this decision is illegal as they do not have the power to make such a decision: 1. The Indian Supreme Court allowed the ship to enter Indian waters for anchoring on humanitarian grounds NOT for beaching with no equity on the owners. 2. This permission was in pursuance of a submission made by Haryana Ship Demolitions Pvt Ltd. However since then the ship has been sold to Priya Blue Shipping Pvt Ltd. The permission has been therefore given to this company and not the former who made the original submission. This is in violation of the court order. 3. The permission was given by the Technical Committee on Ship Breaking but their term expired on the 31st July 2006 and therefore they did not have the legal right to give the permission at all. 4. The Technical Committee on Ship Breaking was not requested to grant permission for the ship to be beached and scrapped. Instead they were asked to submit a report to the Indian Supreme Court giving their advice on the next course of action for the Indian Supreme Court then to consider the legal arguments and then to decide. However this has yet to take place and the Supreme Court has yet to hear the legal arguments. Therefore this permission is illegal. As it is only the Supreme Court that can give the permission. On the 9th August 2006 it was reported that a new application has been submitted to the Indian Supreme Court. As a result the beaching of the ship is likely to be further delayed. By this time it was announced that the Indian Supreme Court was due to meet on the 17th August 2006 to make their final ruling on the fate of the ship. Sadly in the end after being paid millions by Star Cruises and the ship breakers the towage company in charge of the former Norway beached the ship at Alang, India on the 15th August 2006 (despite severe monsoon conditions and heavy seas) in complete controvention of the Indian Supreme Court and international law. The ship was beached in plot V1 and scrapping will commence in about 1 month's time. But on the 17th August 2006 the Indian Supreme Court met and announced their view on the beaching of the ship. They stated that their last decision was on the 5th June 2006 and this was only to allow the ship to anchor in Indian waters temporarily for humanitarian purposes. They also stated that the decision by the Technical Committee was invalid as they did not have the jurisdiction to make such a decision. As a result the beaching of the ship was also illegal. They made it very clear indeed that no permission had ever been granted for the beaching and scrapping of the ship. Therefore they decided that the ship cannot be scrapped at Alang despite it being beached, until a further decision is made by the Indian Supreme Court into this controversial matter. On the 4th December 2006 the Indian Supreme Court gave their ruling that the Norway's entry into Indian waters was illegal and therefore all action to remove artefacts from her or efforts to scrap her should be prohibited until the Court make their final ruling on the matter in March 2007. This delay is so that a report can be done on the availability of adequate facilities at Alang to handle the asbestos and other contaminants. Also an investigation is to be done on Greenpeace's suggestion that the ship entered Indian waters illegally under false pretences. If this is found to be true then the Indian Supreme Court has not ruled out the option of forcing the ship to be removed and taken back to either Malaysia, Germany or the USA. This if the ship is still capable of being refloated. In March 2007 the Indian Supreme Court once again postponed their decision pending further technical evidence on how the ship should be scrapped and the handling of its contaminated waste. It theoretically might be possible to refloat the ship as her hull is reported to be undamaged and she is only beached at low tide and still floats slightly at high tide. But on a king tide it might be possible to refloat her. However clearly such a process would be very expensive and may be prohibitively so. On the 26th January 2006, despite malicious rumours to the contrary, it was reported to the Indian Supreme Court that the former S/S France indeed can be refloated and her hull is undamaged but dredging will be required on her seaward side. Thus the saga of the former France continues, but she seems destined for scrapping and all other options are now ruled out due to the indecision of the Indian Supreme Court. The only question that remains is how and when will she be scrapped? Sadly she continues to languish on the beaches of Alang, forlornly awaiting her fate. Ever since the ship left Miami after its unfortunate boiler explosion in 2003 announcements of its fate have been a catalogue of misleading lies and deceit by Star Cruises. There are even rumours and conspiracy theories circulating that suggest the ridiculous theory that Star Cruises, by employing inadequately trained and cheap workers to maintain and repair the steam powered S/S Norway (former S/S France), actually sabotaged the ship and caused the boiler explosion deliberately so that they could take her away from the USA where she was so popular and scrap her or use her as a casino ship in Asia. People may remember that a few years ago, when Star Cruises first suggested moving her to Asia as a casino ship (or scrapping her?), there was a massive public outcry in the USA which forced them to return her back to operating from Miami where she was so popular. The notion that Star Cruises would jeopardise their profits and revenue gained from the very popular Norway in this way is astonishing and so these theories of course must be untrue. No reputable and professional cruise company would ever consider doing such a stupid thing and if they did it would demolish their reputation and business forever and legal action would surely follow. These rumours must be spread by those who have something against Star Cruises and just wish to create vicious stories against them. We therefore dismiss them out of hand as being totally ridiculous and untrue malicious rumours. However what is true (and Greenpeace have documentary evidence backing up this) is that first she moved to Bremerhaven in Germany, they conveniently said that she would be used as an accommodation ship for the Pride of America. When the Pride of America was completed and departed, the ship again moved this time to Port Klang in Malaysia. Conveniently Star Cruises stated that she was moving to a new role as a casino ship in the Far East. Then when the ship left Malaysia they stated that she was moving to Dubai for repairs. We now have learnt that all these statements have been untrue and were just to cover up their real reason. The ship had already been sold for scrap in Miami to an Indian scrap merchant and that was their end goal. A clause was even put in the sale contract prohibiting sale for commercial use. This proved tricky for the Dubai bid. So Star Cruises have continuously flouted international law and their statements have been false and misleading. Today Star Cruises must stand condemned for their disgraceful actions in regard to the former S/S France en route from Miami to India. They may have renamed her Blue Lady but they certainly didn't treat her like one. They metaphorically "mugged" this venerable old lady by pushing her into a gutter, treating her with great disrespect and proceeded to rob her of all her valuables and kicked the living daylights out of her and then beached and left her to die. Now how would you feel if you were the ageing Blue Lady and were treated like that? Star Cruises had a chance to redeem themselves by coming clean by accepting that they broke international law and instead start cooperating with the Dubai bid but they failed at every turn. The Indian ship breaking industry also has been very keen to make it clear that they MUST have the former S/S France otherwise they industry will collapse after losing the Clemenceau. This also is untrue as even if they lost the former S/S France there will still be many other ships out there for them to scrap for years to come. In our opinion to say that failing to scrap this ship would be the making or breaking of their fortunes is pure exaggeration. So far the ship has caused a major international controversy which embroiled the Indian ship breakers, the Indian Government, the Indian Supreme Court and Star Cruises / NCL / NCL America / Orient Lines. As a result of this immense negative publicity and international controversy the cruise business of Star Cruises and NCL has been hit very hard with loadings apparently down 18% with Star Cruises showing a loss of 32.74%. How they will ever recover from this loss of credibility and reputation only time will tell. But they certainly never made any effort whatsoever to try to redeem themselves. Indeed on the 2nd September 2006 rumours started circulating that the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC Cruises) is considering a takeover bid for NCL and NCL America. This will enable Star Cruises to get rid of these companies and the liability that the Norway controversy has caused them. Apparently passenger loadings on Star Cruises, NCL and NCL America cruise ships are dramatically down. After many delays on the 5th September 2007 the Indian Supreme Court ruled on the saga of the SS Blue Lady (former France / Norway). The Indian Government admitted that NCL / Star Cruises had comprehensively misled the Indian Government and the authorities. So there is widespread acknowledgement that the way the Blue Lady was handled en route from Germany to India was flouted international law and was a total disgrace. However despite this, the Indian Supreme Court on the 5th September 2007 ruled that they "declined to interfere" with the recommendations of the Technical Committee which had given its approval to the scrapping of the ship at Alang, on the Gujurat coast. They then passed this controversial case up to the Apex Court for the final decision. However the Apex Court commented that "Other countries may not need steel, but we (India) need steel". A lame excuse if ever there was one! So this clearly infers that the Apex Court is inclined to give the dismantling process its approval. However this has to be put in context, as the Indian authorities have been placed under huge pressure by SRIA (Ship Recycling Industries Association) who are determined to ensure that the Blue Lady remains in Alang and is scrapped at any cost. Finally this very long running and highly controversial saga came to something of an end when the Apex Court ruled on the11th September 2007 that the dismantling of the Blue Lady can now go ahead. It observed that: "the process had become irreversible after the beaching of the ship on the Alang coast." They said that the dismantling was basically a "fate accompli", but the Apex Court ordered that the Government and other authorities should take the appropriate precautionary measures to mitigate the environmental and other consequences of the scrapping process. They stated that "since the Supreme Court has accepted the technical expert committee report, we permit the Blue Lady to be dismantled". With that ruling the fate of the Blue Lady, (former SS France / Norway) regretfully was sealed and it was decided that she would indeed be dismantled and scrapped at Alang. Sadly in the end success proved elusive with the former S/S France but at least this controversy will have taught Star Cruises a lesson. Hopefully as a result both they and other shipping companies will be much more careful in future to ensure that they abide by international law and dispose of the asbestos and other contaminants properly. If they don't learn this lesson then they will spark off similar controversies if their activities prove to be as underhand and cavalier as Star Cruises actions. But rest assured that the world will be watching. During the course of the controversy Reuben Goossen's SS Maritime website received 20 million e-mails! Which just goes to show the depth of support for the former SS France and the immense anger there is for Star Cruises. However while there was an excellent chance for her to be saved for a new static role in Dubai, sadly Star Cruises and India's ship breaking industry did everything possible to thwart this attempt with very underhand tactics. The case just further highlights the power of SRIA (Ship Recycling Industries Association) with the Indian Government. The ruling of the Indian Supreme Court in favour of her scrapping on the 5th September 2007 was a great disappointment when other options could have included ruling that the ship be ordered out of Indian waters and sent back to Malaysia or Germany. However the Supreme Court's ruling in support of the recommendations of the Technical Committee, paved the way for the Apex Court also to give its approval on the 11th September 2007 to the dismantling and scrapping of this legendary and historic ocean liner on the beaches of Alang, India. Sadly this once again will mean that it is the health of the poorly equipped shipyard workers on the beaches of Alang which will pay the heaviest price and due to the health consequences of the toxic, contaminated waste and asbestos that is on board the ship. Sadly the Indian Government, the Indian Supreme Court and the Apex Court refused to do the honourable and right thing for the people of India and the long term health of the Alang workers. Instead they sadly caved in to the wishes of SRIA and allowed NCL / Star Cruises get off very lightly indeed for their grossly underhand tactics, that flouted international law, in bringing the ship from Germany to India. Let this SS Norway saga and the disgraceful behaviour of NCL / Star Cruises and SRIA be a lesson for everyone around the world to be aware of for the future. People and Governments of the World, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), and maritime enthusiasts please take heed of this undignified and tragic example, don't let yourselves be deceived by NCL / Star Cruises and SRIA and their tactics again. We must stand up for what is right and honourable. Let this saga become a symbolic turning point. Developing World countries have been used as dumping grounds for redundant ships for too long now. Enough is enough. Action must be taken to put in place adequate mechanisms to ensure that proper safe ship recycling facilities are developed so that this can never happen again and redundant ships are dismantled and recycled without damaging the environment and the health and lives of shipyard workers and people. We must learn the lessons of this SS Norway saga for present and future generations. Even the man who reinvented the SS France to create the SS Norway in the late 1970s / early 1980s, Mr Knut Kloster, was saddened by her likely scrapping at Alang, India. "They say that the steel in the hull is very special and that they made the steel so that it could last almost forever. To break up the hull, the steel hull, I think it is a shame." Knut Kloster Founder of Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwjkPv_6pik When he reinvented her for NCL in the early 1980s, he specified that she should always fly the United Nations flag alongside the Norwegian flag. So in effect she was a floating ambassador for the United Nations. It is a shame no one saved her in the end in one of the wealthy Gulf States in the Middle East like the QE2 as a hotel ship, museum and entertainment complex. Locations such as Abu Dhabi (UAE) or Bahrain for example could have been opportunities and then she could live on for present and future generations and serve as a floating ambassador for the United Nations in the Middle East. Sadly it was an opportunity wasted. Photo: The former S.S. France being broken up at Alang, India. 2008. (www.ssmaritime.com) you can see that dozens of holes have been cut in her hull so that her interiors can be removed. Her mast has been removed and the two later top decks are being removed as well. As time goes on soon she will be nothing and she will be gone forever. Sadly it saddens me to think of this opportunity wasted when you think of her potential if she had been saved as a hotel ship etc. A great tragedy and heartbreaking. These pictures (http://www.maritimematters.com/shipnewspics.html) on the Maritime Matters show even more destruction of her. Therefore sadly as a result the ship was lost forever and ended up scrapped in Alang, India. Thus the SS France, a once legendary and magnificent ocean liner, ended its days at Alang, India mirred in controversy and dispute. A deeply saddening, undignified and tragic end to one of the ocean's most iconic and legendary ocean liners. A sad, tragic and lengthy saga indeed. It is a tragedy and heartbreaking when a magnificent opportunity to preserve a fine ship like this is lost due to the underhand and disgraceful activities of NCL / Star Cruises. I and, I am sure, many other ship enthusiasts will never forgive NCL / Star Cruises for the way they have handled the final years of the former S.S. France and her tragic undignified end mirred in controversy. We hope that the S.S. France / Norway / Blue Lady saga can be the catalyst to reform the ship recycling industry of the world. Let's hope that lessons can be learnt from her demise so that other classic liners can be recycled, if that has to be their fate, under stringent environmental conditions with due regard for the health, safety and well being of the shipyard workers instead of on the open windswept beaches of Alang and places like that with little regard for health, safety or the environment. We wish the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) the best good fortune in their sterling work to develop a Convention providing legally binding and globally applicable ship recycling regulations for international shipping and for recycling facilities and activities. We commend them for their sterling work and their steadfastness in this endeavour. They deserve everyone's support. International Maritime Organisation (IMO) - Ship Recycling http://www.imo.org/Environment/mainframe.asp?topic_id=818 However NCL / Star Cruises - May you stand condemned forever! Let the strength of feeling and the scale of saga and controversy surrounding the S.S. France and her final years that you unearthed be a lesson to you always. You will never be forgiven. With great regret, we have to announce the sad and deeply tragic end to one of the ocean's most iconic and legendary ocean liners, the S.S. France. She is an opportunity lost. She was mirred in legal dispute and controversy in her final years and deserved better, but sadly it was not to be. Farewell graceful Gallic "Greyhound of the Oceans", may you rest in peace. Adieu. |