Mermaid hunter

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Environmental concerns have forced Malaysian cruise operator Star Cruises to cancel a deal it struck at the end of last year that would have seen it sell the 76,000-gt Norway (built 1961) to US-based cash buyer Global Marketing Systems (GMS) for onward delivery to Indian breakers.

Demolition-industry sources say that although a deal was agreed to sell the ship for $310 per ldt, or a total of $14m, Star backed out over fears that the sale would be in contravention of items in the Basle convention regarding the export of toxic waste. The vessel is believed to contain several thousand tonnes of asbestos.

Sources close to Star say the ship was allowed to leave its layup berth in Bremerhaven last year for a one-way tow to Port Klang after the company gave assurances to German authorities that it was heading to Asia for continued commercial employment, rather than for scrap.

"Selling the ship for demolition contradicted the first declarations of the company. It left a large door open for attack from environmental movements, as well as the potential legal penalty of several million dollars from the German authorities," said one shipbreaking source who has been following the ship's recent movements closely.

Star is said to have refunded the deposit it was paid by GMS and has withdrawn the ship from the demolition market. It is left figuring out what to do with a crippled cruise giant that nobody wants and it cannot get rid of.

Company officials were unavailable for comment over their future intentions for the ship.

Cruise-industry sources say the Norway saga could have large-scale repercussions in the cruise industry, especially when most of the remaining older ships are being forced out of service by stringent new Solas regulations coming into effect in 2010.

CUNARD’S Queen Mary 2 was cleared to leave Port Everglades in the early hours of yesterday morning, although investigations continue into the cause of damage to one of the ship’s four propulsion pods.

The US Coast Guard cleared the vessel for departure, saying it was safe to carry passengers. The ship (pictured above) will now continue on its 38-day South America cruise on three pods.

A Coast Guard spokesman said a port fixed propeller had been removed from the ship during the inspections.

Cunard confirmed yesterday that the pod had been isolated and the blades removed.

The USCG could not confirm the timing of a report on the accident, but said it could take between two weeks and a month.

The spokesman said he thought it was more likely that the ship hit the side of the channel than a seawall as some reports suggested yesterday.

The QM2 was under tow at the time of the incident and had a pilot on board.

He estimated the loss of power would slow the ship down by approximately two to three knots.

A spokesman for Cunard said the ship could still do 27 knots on three pods.

The QM2’s next port of call was to have been St Kitts but the ship will now head down towards Rio de Janeiro, with a possible call in Barbados — originally the next port of call on the itinerary — if time allows.

The QM2 is due to rendezvous with namesake Queen Mary in Los Angeles next month after a journey round Cape Horn.

Вибрация и шум на ледоколе конечно сильней , чем на обычном судне , но в надстройке не так сильна , как на нижней палубе.
Особенно , не очень приятно , когда ледокол работает ударами .
Насчет наушников - не требуется .

London, Jan 18 -- A press report, dated today, states: The controversy over entry of the decommissioned aircraft carrier Clemenceau took a new turn, with Indian authorities asserting that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will inspect the vessel and if it is found to be containing hazardous waste it will not be allowed to enter Indian waters. The authorities have ordered the CPCB, Indian Maritime Organisation and Gujarat State Pollution Control Board to check whether the vessel has hazardous material and if found, the government would not allow it to touch Indian shores, Environment Minister A. Raja said at the Sixth Editors Conference on Social Issues. However, the matter would be decided by the Supreme Court and the government would abide by it, he added. The apex court has already set up a monitoring committee which was reviewing the matter and would submit its report to the apex court, on the basis of which a final decision would be taken by Jan 20. Regarding the controversy over the Egyptian Government reportedly getting documents from India, stating that the vessel had no hazardous substance, the minister said there was no question of giving a No Objection Certificate to the Clemenceau. The French government had informed that the vessel had no hazardous substance and if the Egyptian government has received any document then it must have come from the owner, which is the French Government, and the Indian company, Sriram, which is importing the vessel for breaking.