SS Norway departs Bremerhaven 23 May 2005

ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net

With Reuben Goossens

Maritime Historian

SS Norway, ex France departs Bremerhaven - 23 May 2005

Although this great ship is now but a memory, having been broken up under the most controversial circumstances at Alang India, this shows her tragic departure and ultimate betrayal by NCL/Star Cruises as she left Germany for Malaysia. The company new full well that they were going to sell her to the breakers as I clearly describe below!

SS Norway was laid up in Bremerhaven in July 2003. Whilst at Bremerhaven she used as an accommodation ship for workers on the Pride of America. SS Norway finally departed Bremerhaven under tow by the Chinese tug “De Da” owned by COESS and operated in cooperation with the Dutch company Smitwijs as part of the Global Towing Alliance on Monday 23 May 2005. Star Cruises transferred the ship to their company and made a statement that she would be used in Asia. However Star Cruises had no intention of using her as they invited inspections from Bangladeshi and Indian shipbreakers. She was first sold to a Bangladeshi breaker who had to return her due to the massive outcry by Greenpeace and other re the asbestos onboard.

By dong this, Star Cruises managed to bypassed International toxic waste laws, as well as Malaysian laws having stated that the ship was 1. Going to Malaysia to be refitted and placed back into service. 2. That she departed Port Klang heading for the United Arab Emirates where she would be repaired, however, the truth was that she had already been sold to Bridgend Shipping/Haryana shipbreakers.

Our good friend, Raoul Fiebig of Das Ruderhaus was there to see the old girl depart and took a series of photographs of her departure. We are pleased to present several of these.

Raoul Fiebig wrote … “In an almost ridiculous scene, “Norway” left just as "Pride of America" returned from her sea trials. Both ships met right in front of me. It was like seeing ‘Beauty and the Beast.’”

“Beauty and the Beast”

SS Norway departs Bremerhaven, whilst the Pride of America returns from her trials

***********************************

Index

Page One … SS France

Page Two … SS Norway

Page Three … SS Norway – Blue Lady

Page Four … Norway Deck Plan

Photo … QE2 passes the Norway

Photo … Photographer Don Tremain presents his experience and four photographs

Photo … Tomas-Rosales shares his photographs of the Norway in Miami

Photo … Michael and Lee Ann Pavlick honeymoon cruise in 2002

Photo … Norway in Bremerhaven – Page Two

Photo … Norway Departs Bremerhaven 23 May 2005

Photo … A series of photographs of SS Blue Lady in Alang

Story … Pauli Dangerousli describes his 1997 cruise on the SS Norway

Story … “The Ship that Saved my Life” – The Karl Henrik Henriksen Story (2 pages)

Article … “Surreal times on the SS France” by Patrick Jackson

Brochure … This inaugural SS Norway brochure (1980) was provided by Mr. Michael Bobo

***********************************

Use the Back button on your browser or Close the Page to return to the previous page
or go to our INDEX

Who is the Author of ssMaritime?

Commenced in the passenger Shipping Industry in May 1960

ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net

Where the ships of the past make history & the 1914 built MV Doulos Story

Also visit my …

“Save The Classic Liners Campaign” & “Classic Ocean Voyages” pages

Photographs on ssmaritime and associate pages are by the author or from the author’s private collection. In addition there are some images that have been provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are some photographs provided to me without details regarding the photographer/owner concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves known to me (my email address may be found on www.ssmaritime.com only), in order that due credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have seen a multitude of my own photographs on other sites, yet these individuals either refuse to provide credit or remove them when asked, knowing full well that there is no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show these charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give credit where credit is due!

This notice covers all pages, although, and I have done my best to ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page, that is, when a page is updated!

Free Counter