HISTORY - HAMBURG the Space Ship

HAMBURG, HANSEATIC, stared as Britannic in `Juggernaught´, MAXIM GORKIY nicknamed Space Ship

ts HAMBURG in DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINE colours - own collection, copy from a promotion broschure

When HAMBURG was introduced a TV show aired with adventures in the space, their ship was the Enterprise which had a saucer shaped main section and three main arm like pillars holding the saucer as well the two engin sections.
by Earl of Cruise

The funnel of HAMBURG had quite a resemblance to that particular TV airship, created for STAR TREK by Gene Roddenberry.

Axel Bitsch Christensen in front of the ts HAMBURG funnel - own collection, photo originaly owned by Anders Bitsch Christensen

This funnel, as controversial it is and was, was only one reason why HAMBURG was nicknamed the Space Ship, but there was another reason, a real one, HAMBURG was the most spacious passenger shipp of her days.

Constructing ts HAMBURG from 1966 till 1969 - own collection, copy from my book TS HAMBURG, BOTSCHAFTERIN EINER WELTSTADT puvlished by HAMBURGER ABENDBLATT

Ts Hamburg - German Atlantic Line - Shipyard test drive 1969 - Original footage courtesy Ballins Dampfer Welt

Overall length	194.7 m
Beam	026.6 m
Draft	008.3 m
Gross Tonnage	24,981 tons
Passengers	788 max, 720 for Transatlantic crossings with DAL 620 max during cruises
Power	2 x AEG steam turbines, 16900 kW
Speed	23.00 knots

The Ambassador of Hamburg, as HAMBURG was nicknamed in Germany, had the most GT per passenger to offer on board than any other vessel afloat. Her only compettitor in space and service level was the Swedish KUNGSHOLM build 1965 and introduced as well as transatlantic liner and cruise ship in the off season.

Gala-Kreuzfahrt 1969 nach Westafrika und Südamerika

30. März till 5. Mai 1969 and return voyage 9. Mai bis 14. Juni 1969

own collection, copy from a broschure

HAMBURG inaugurated with a cruise to Rio de Janeiro in 1969. Filled with stars entertaining the well pursed guests on board, the average fare was over DM 5,000 per guest - a VW Käfer (Beatle) was sold in the top version for DM 4,000 in 1969. Tranfered into todays worth you could have bought a VW GOLF GTI.

ts HAMBURG in DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINE colours - own collection, copy from a promotion postcard - youtube video

With a max of 720 passengers HAMBURG sailed a few times crossing to New York, one time with my grandmére and me on board, but was soon withdrawn from that service to be an all year cruise ship. Which proved to be more profitable than sailing the North Atlantic in the summer and cruises in the winter only.

ts HAMBURG 1971 in DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINE colours - own collection, copy from a promotion broschure

Only Kungsholm toped her crew/pax ratio when cruising with max 460 guests on board and 420 crew. HAMBURG sailed with max 650 but most 500 well suited passengers and nearly 500 crew around the world.

ts HAMBURG cabins and suites - own collection, copy from a promotion broschure

sign explanations

ts HAMBURG cutaway - own collection, copy from a promotion broschure

Each passenger found in his cabin an en-suite bathroom with tub - a novelty, and when planed the more as she had only few first class accomodations. So the most tubs had been in the 2nd class stateroom baths. The reason for was the potential use as a hospital ship in case of war, which had to be, because the building was subsidised by the German gouvernment, which too gave credit guarantees to the builders and secured the investors engagement.

courtesy of Club-ts-HAMURG

Axel Bitsch Christensen the genius Danish entrepreneur founded the HAMBURG ATLANTIC LINE with the help of Eugen Eugenides, who once made ABC his representant in Hamburg for the HOME LINES services - transatlantic crossings and cruises on board the ITALIA and fleetmates. HOME LINES itself started as a joint venture with SVENSKA AMERIKA LINIE.

ms ITALIA of HOME LINES - own collection, Axel Bitsch Christensen managed that ITALIA made often appearances in German cinema films, e.g. with Freddy Quinn in JUNGE KOMM BALD WIEDER

The first vessel became the former EMPRESS OF SCOTLAND, ex EMPRESS OF JAPAN, who emerged from the builders as the `Schöne Hamburgerin´ the HANSEATIC. The vessel was a succes on the North Atlantic and on cruises. With the HANSEATIC Axel Bitsch Christensen invented the fly&cruise business, used in todays cruise industry. As for the transfer from UK the vessel did show SCOTLAND at her bow, the people of Hamburg named her `Schrottland´ that devasting the vessel did look when entering the port. Nowbody did expect the new ship that beautiful comming out of BLOHM & VOSS, where the workers made extra shifts to rebuild the vessel into a new swan.

ts HANSEATIC, ex EMPRESS OF SCOTLAND, ex EMPRESS OF JAPAN, 1930 - own collection

ABC did a lot of things that had not been expected from shipping insiders, as he came from a different business - he was a studied teacher, but a natural marketing genius, and had a certain feeling what was going on in the markets of tourism, especially which new trends would show up. "He `did feel it in his bones´ in advance," said Anders Bitsch Christensen his son and friend of mine.

14.09.1965, Hamburger Abendblatt, Neues Passagierschiff

18.10.1966 Hamburger Abendblatt, HAMBURG wird bestellt

With the success of the HANSEATIC there was space, finances and need for a second vessel, but ABC decided for a purpose newbuild vessel. But as the funds had not been enough for the "normal" way of financing ABC invented another novelty for the cruise ship building, the still popular ship fonds. He worte letters to former passengers and repeaters of HANSEATIC and found amoug these 300 adventurous people who wanted to invest in a newbuild cruise ship for the HAMBURG ATLANTIC LINIE. After securing the financing, guarantees and fonds from the Federal Republic of Germany the vessel was designed and the tender, specification list, was given to yards for an offer - HOWALDTS WERKE AG in Hamburg made a bidding for 35,000,000 DM, equivalent to GB£ 5.6 million of those days or todays € 400 mio. During the construction, starting in 1966, at HAMBURG HOWALDTS WERKE which merged with DEUTSCHE WERFT, a further merger in the speeding up of merger and aqusitioning of the builders market in the mid late 60s. The market cleaning allready had starrted.

ts HAMBUG after launching - courtesy of Club-ts-HAMURG

Only the innovative shipbuilders would survive. Uncountable numbers of once famous builders had to cease and close their doors as they lost the track of innvations.

Amoung the 300 investors for the new HAMBURG had been a certain Mr. Polutta, who is the actual owner of the expedition cruise vessel HANSEATIC, chartered to HAPAG LLOYD CRUISES. He is from a well off family and does uncountable charity activities for the city and the people of Hamburg. E.g. spending the renovation of one of the trademarks of Hamburg - the Michel, Sankt Michael, the main protestant church of the city.

ms HANSEATIC, ex SOCIETY EXPLORER in Arctic waters - own collection

ms HANSEATIC in the new livery of HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES, ex SOCIETY EXPLORER in Hamburg - own collection

HAMBURG was superbly designed for a dual role a Transatlantic liner and a cruise ship. But her future was the cruise business. The first broshures depicting HAMBURG showed the vessel in the cooperation broshure of NORDDEUTSCHER LLOYD and HAMBURG ATLANTIK LINIE. The Lloyd got a bit stiffed up, as the newcomer from Hamburg all of the sudden had the newer vessels - the very `a la mode´ styled HANSEATIC (2) and the brand new HAMBURG - more luxurious in her 2nd class than the  1st of famous BREMEN, ex PASTEUR. In Bremen they thought of the Hamburg counterpart as `a bit upity´.

ts HANSEATIC, ex EMPRESS OF SCOTLAND, ex EMPRESS OF JAPAN, 1930, burning in the port of New York - youtube video

Just after signing the contract with the builders, bad fotune struck Axel Bitsch Christensen and the HAMBURG ATLANTIK LINE. HANSEATIC caught fire in the machine room. A breaking diesel piping ignited a heated boiler and set the boiler room under fire. While the fire did reach only the decks above - crew quarters and 2nd class quarters, the smoke wandered throughout the whole vessel. And then came New York Fire Department which did all to prevent the fire from taking the ship but did too much in searching firenests in the vessel. They did ripp off the whole interior and did more damage then the fire itself.

"ABC, my father, devastated, nearly heartbroken and at first not willing to believe the vessel was now beyond rapair ordered HANSEATIC to be towed back to Hamburg for repairs," so told by Anders Bitsch Christensen. The surveyors, naval experts, etc. attested HANSEATIC, the Friendly Ship, a total loss. So everything of certain use and value was taken off and sold in auctions and the vessel was sold for scrap.

ms RENAISSANCE of PAQUET - courtesy of SIMPLON

Deprived of a vessel ABC chartered the RENAISSANCE from PAQUET for a number of cruises and some other vessels prospecting. The line, surviving the desaster because of its loyal passengers, was looking for a new vessel.

ABC got another wonder working. Like a miracle he got fonds from the same passengers who fonded HAMBURG and new ones who invested massivley in a new secand hand vessel. And after hard negotiations with ZIM he could purchase in 1967 the SHALOM - an Israeli ship, the flagship of ZIM and Israel, a rather new build of 1964, calculated a bit to big for the ZIM trade Haifa - New York, therefore creating a massive loss for ZIM. So SHALOM changed flag from Israel to Germany! 

This happend while Germany and Israel had its diplomatic turbulences, about reparations and delivering war materials, and the exchange of ambassadors had been rather fresh ...

ts SHALOM of ZIM - own collection

`shalom´ in Hebrew is for `welcome in friendship and peace´

All of a sudden DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE had the better and newer ships than NORDDEUTSCHER LLOYD. The company´s name changed from HAMBURG ATLANTIK LINIE to DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE in the following new financing for the new HANSEATIC (2). The arguments between LLOYD and DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE grew and the transatlantic cooperation was ceased shortly after five crossings of HAMBURG, and the new fleetmate HANSEATIC (2) and HAMBURG sailed into the sun cruising with well off guests on board. Both vessels became famous amoung the rich and beautiful on both sides of the Atlantic, even in France they had their fans because of the excellent cuisine on board as well because of the extraordinary service.

ts HANSEATIC (2) passing the navigation sign Kugelbake in Cuxhaven, promotion postcard - own collection

While still with the first HANSEATIC Axel Bitsch Christensen often joined the ship and did his own research of customer satisfaction. After a crossing he gathered his staff and asked them for their tipp, they have got. Each one gave his respective answer. Then he announced: "Smile all the way, with a real smile, no fake, and stay friendly and true! After the next crossing you sommon your tipp and compare it to that you got this time."

The crew did, and realised it was far more than on the previous "normal" friendly crossing. That was the beginning of the next marketing slogan for HAMBURG ATLANTIC LINE - HANSEATIC the friendly ship. And it stayed with the line till it had to cease its operations.

ts HANSEATIC (2) and ts HAMBURG together in port - courtesy of Club-ts-HAMBURG

From 1967 HANSEATIC (2) and from 1969 HAMBURG sailed together for DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE. The line became more famous than rivaling NORDDEUTSCHER LLOYD. This with the help of cinema and TV films produced on board of the lines ships. And ABC knew how to drum the marketing conga well. Even the media for politcs, as the famed DER SPIEGEL, made reviews and articles about the ships and the lines doing - in bad and in good times. The daily newspaper HAMBURGER ABENDBLATT and German wide papers had articles about the ships, the cruises and the lines activities.

The boy I was, and fan of the ships, starting my ship afficionado career on the first HANSEATIC collected what I could get.

 

The German comedy DRILLINGE AN BORD (Tripplets aboard) filmed on board ts HANSEATIC and studio sets, in the film itself HANSEATIC was shown several times, but the producers had some dificulties showing the right ship certain times - e.g. a stormy sea scene is showing an altered model of WILHELM GUSTLOFF and in the film poster the resemblance to UNITED STATES is too obvious ...

Amoung these productions had been a comedy with elements of slapstic in it, and the main characters staged by famous Heinz Erhardt "Drillinge an Board" 1959 on board HANSEATIC (1). This actor was a genius in using the German language in an unparalleled way. A TV show which you can see as the mother of all cruise ship TV shows "Das Ferienschiff" aired in 1968 in ZDF was staged on board the HANSEATIC (2). One of the main TV characters did have certain similarities to the wife of Mr. Polutta. Unfortunately only 13 shows aired. "Love Boat" and "DAS TRAUMSCHIFF" have their roots here.

HANSEATIC (2) and HAMBURG cruised out of Port Everglades with most US guests on board into the Caribbean, but made too world circumnavigations, with visitis in Japan and at the Pacific Islands of French Polynesia and Hawaii. The vessels embarked at destinations as firsts which are now on the must to cruise to map of todays cruise industry.

The cash was flowing extremely good till the Dollar crash after the Oil Crisis. The running costs of the ships, wages and fuel could be more than covered with a high Dollar/DM ratio, even with the exploding fuel prises, but when the Dollar started declining desaster took its toll. All US sales got marginalized when the Dollar dropped from 6 to 4DM at first, and then 2,60DM at last. As this Dollar income was not secured against falling rates the expesenses for the ships could no longer be covered. During the years 1972 till 1973 the losses of DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE grew to threatening DM 50mio and the investors got nervous.
The Dollar declining followed the cancellation of Bretton Woods and the Gold Parity of the Dollar, signed by Nixon. The Vietnam cased depts took its toll. This caused a world wide economic turmoil, fueld by the Oil Embargo after another Irael - Arabic conflict and the Oil price shock.

The sale of HANSEATIC to HOME LINES did not cover all depts but lowered them drastically, and in Hamburg everything was done in the office to prevent the bancrupcy.

1973, just month prior to the ceasing of DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE, the port of Genua could see something unique and never seen again: two HANSEATICs in the port. The older one, Nr 2, and the 3rd new ex HAMBURG. This event made it into the German main TV news at ARD and ZDF.

In Hamburg one fond investors meeting after another took palce, offers had been gathered, amoung them HAPAG LLOYD, which withdraw as of the price level that was asked had been to high for them, the offer from RYUTSU KAIUN KK from Japan did not materialise. And the ship was sold for 35mio DM on January 25th 1974 to ROBIN INTERNATIONAL, based in New York, but acting in Liberia, which was the agent for the Soviet Union.

ts HAMBURG sale to Japan, news release form 1974 - own collection, copy RUHR MACHRICHTEN

Vernicos Eugenides, the adopted son of Eugen Eugenides, founder of HOME LINES and first financial supporter of Axel Bitsch Christensen helped DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE while purchasing HANSEATIC for a good price.

ts DORIC, ex HANSEATIC (2), ex SHALOM - own collection, copy from a HOME LINES broschure

The vessel renamed as DORIC and rebuild for HOME LINE´s purpose and sailed the next years for Eugenides. But things got worse in Hamburg. Interests in taking control of the company starting their rueful game with the aid of politicians from the city. It was as if the heirs cut the fur while the bear still was breathing.

ABC´s dreamship, the `Space Ship´ HAMBURG, the Ambassador of Hamburg, was laid up in Hamburg in the river Elbe. One could see the HAMBURG idling there for three month when you entered by train the main station. HAMBURG was put on sale. The whims, interests and ignorance of the fonds investors brought DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINE finally down and on December 1st 1973 the company ceased operations and closed its doors for ever.

The last captain of HAMBURG was amoung the dead gravers, he in the end took the logo as his own and started its HANSEATIC TOURS. To get a new ship of his own he tried to get a charter for the SAGAFJORD, which did not materialize, later he got his HANSEATIC when chartering one of the RENAISSANCE CRUISES first 80m luxury vessel - HANSEATIC RENAISSANCE originally the RENAISSANCE V. 

ms HANSEATIC RENAISSANCE, ex RENAISSANCE V - courtesy of Shipspotting.com

The charter ended with quarrels with the owner RENAISSANCE CRUISES and he got a new charter, the actual HANSEATIC from Mr. Polutta. That actual HANSEATIC was build in 1991 in Finnland as the SOCIETY ADVENTURER for DISCOVERY REEDEREI, which started as a DE FRIES subsidiary in Bremen. But the tour operator went into bancrupcy when their sole vessel WORLD DISCOVERER back then sank in the Salomon Islands and no revenue could be created as the newbuilt vessel was in delay. After two years of lay up Mr. Polutta purchased the vessel, renamed her HANSEATIC and chartered it to HANSEATIC TOURS. The tour operatror crashed by the founder and was taken over by HAPAG LLOYD lately. Only since 2014 HANSEATIC is sailing in HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES colours. Till then the DEUTSCHE ATLANTIC LINIE white malteseesque cross on red in the funnel survived.

One of the first purpose build expedition cruise ships, ms WORLD DISCOVERER of DISCOVERER REEDEREI in Salaverry - Source: Wikipedia (original seize)

The German media published not all circumstances of the falling of DEUTSCHE ATLANTIC LINIE but stated some facts rather drastically - especially the doings of some former fonds investors and politicians, who wasted money in the causa DAL because of their private interests.

The circumstances around the downfall of DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE fullfilled the fact of an economic crime. But those who tried to get hands on the HAMBURG failed and lost the ship.

"Axel Bitsch Christensen," so told by his son, "betrayed by so called friends and business partners got alcoholic, but tried to do his best to restart his idea of perfect seatravel and cruising, but to no vail. He died forgotten, ridiculised, in poverty." One of the reasons why Anders Bitsch Christensen vanished into privacy.

Personal PR article about Axel Bitsch Christensen and his family published March 8/9th 1969 -own collection, copy from HAMBURGER ABENDBLATT

It was a great astonishing in Germany when it was revealed who the original buyer has been Russia. HAMBURG´s name changed to MAXSIM GORKIJ and the new owner SOVCOMFLOT gave the ship to the BLACK SEA SHIPPING COMPANY. For the new owners new luxury cabins (suites) had been added on the promenade Deck which did show the intention to place the vessel in the international cruise market. MAXSIM GORKIJ became the national flagship of Russia. And only the best crew was selected to serve on board.

ts MAXIM GORKI, ex HANSEATIC (3), ex HAMBURG with VASCO DA GAMA in Lisboa - courtesy Louis Miguel Correia

Bevor the vessel sailed for BLASCO she was chartered to the film production company UNITED ARTISTS which filmed the British film JUGGERNAUT, German title 18 STUNDEN BIS ZUR EWIGKEIT, for this project the vessel got the name BRITANNIC which she showed painted on the bow.

Juggernaught film poster - courtesy UNITED ARTISTS

Scene from Juggernaught, MAXIM GORKI staging as BRITANNIC - courtesy UNITED ARTISTS

Juggernaught, BRITANNIC´s captain, Omar Sharif - courtesy UNITED ARTISTS

Juggernaught, David Hemmings and Richard Harris - courtesy UNITED ARTISTS

MAXSIM GORKIJ staged too in the lesser known film FINAL VOYAGE again as BRITANNIC but this time sailing in the Pacific Ocean and sinking.

Why inventing the wheel anew? Reusing marketing material of DAL for BLASCO - bothe broschure are from my own collection

BLASCO could sign a charter for the German tour operator NECKERMANN REISEN. When the German whole saler and tour operator, owned by the late German Olympic horse dressage champion, went into bancrpcy the vessels charter contract was taken over in a hostile way by PHOENIX SEEREISEN, Bonn. In 1988 PHOENIX SEEREISEN sigend in 1988 a long term charter for their flagship with BLASCO. With the collapse of the Soviet Union the ships name changed again to the more western usage/spelling of MAXIM GORKI and the colour scheme on the funnel changed to the russian tricolor - white blue and red. The former Soviet symbol changed to a civilian BLASCO logo.

ts MAXIM GORKIY, ex HANSEATIC (3), ex HAMBURG after 1991 - own collection, copy from PHOENIX SEEREISEN broschure

While HAMBURG was a high priced luxury product with outstanding service and cuisine with NECKERMANN and later PHOENIX she became a three star holiday product, but very famous amoung German cruisers. But only with PHOENIX was made the reference of her former existance - HAMBURG.

Later I learned from former crew members how the Russians cherished the flagship of the SOVIET UNION and her luxurious heritage - nearly the whole cuttlery and tableware of the now defunct DEUTSCHE ATLATIK LINIE was still onboard, when she was beached in Alang for scrapping. In the beginning the BLASCO used the advertising and promotion data of DAL and changed only the promenade Deck design as for the new suites and used the former booklets of deckplans. Even the colour scheme on the hull did stay a black ribband running from the bow, now added with a red star, to the stern. The funnel was painted white and hold a red band in which the national symbol of the Sovjet Republic was added on.

MAXSIM GORKIJ had with Russia not an uneventfull life of 34 years. But I guess it was the Russian ownership, that saved her life till 2009. A sale to HAPAG LLOYD would have brought a far earlier ending.

In November 1975 was made an attempt to sink ship by bombs fixed under the waterline while repairs had been made in San Juan. When aproaching New York the same month later the bombs detonated but did cause only minor damages which had been repaired at BETHLEHEM STEEL in Hoboken.

On September 18th 1980 MAXIM GORKI was refused to enter the port of New York because of the Russian invasion in Afghanistan. So MAXIM GORKI anchored offshore at Staten Island and ferried her passengers by tenders ashore.

ts MAXSIM GORKIY after the collision with the ice - own collection, media copy

On June 19th 1999 MAXIM GORKI was cruising to Spitzbergen and hit ice in a large ice floe. The hull was damaged by the ice and she took water. Her bow dived into the water and 1/3 of the crew and all passengers had to leave the ship, while the rest was working to prevent the vessel from sinking. The passengers had to stay on bigger ice plates awaiting rescue. After three hours the Norwegian Coast Guard arrived and took all passengers and crew to Svalbard. From there they had been flewn back to Germany. MAXIM GORKI partly submerged could be secured sufficiantly by the crew and Norwegian Coast Guard and MAXIM GORKI could sail under her own power to Bremerhaven to the LLOYD WERFT to be repaired. After two month of repaires she was ready to sail again for PHOENIX SEEREISEN.

The event created a massive media event in Germany MAXIM GORKI and her fate and history as HAMBURG made it into the main TV news.

The same year MAXIM GORKI made the headlines again as she was used as the summit location for a meeting of then President Bush sen. and Mikhail Gobachev at Malta, which paved the way to end the cold war. It was a rather rocky meeting as the weather and sea was stormy.

Malta Summit 18989, Gorbatchev and Bush sen. meet on board MAXIM GORKI, the plates and cuttlery is originally of DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE - Source: Wikipedia

In 2007 MAXIM GORKI got a major refit at BLOHM&VOSS where last bits of asbestos had been removed from the vessel and she was ready to sail for further years with passengers. But the charter contract, ending on November 30th 2008, was not prolonged by PHOENIX SEEREISEN. Officially due to high fuel consumptions and the cost results, further the high maintenance costs for the 39 year old turbines, inofficially MAXIM GORKI was lacking balcony cabins and PHOENIX wished to have vessels with balconies for their customers. Another point was MaXIM GORKI had to be SOLAS 2010 compliant which neaded a vast investment, which PHOENIX did not wanted to invest, and SOVCOMFLOT as well without a new charter party.

ts MAXSIM GORKIY after 2006 refitting in PHOENIX SEEREISEN dressing - own collection

MAXIM GORKI was laid up at Eleusis Bay in Greece in search for a new charter contract and perhaps sale.

Over the following month various concerns about her future rose and various projects came up.

One project seemed to be interesting as the re-formed ORIENT LINE, the CEO had bought the trade mark of from NCL, would deploy the MAXIM GORKI, ex HAMBURG, as new MARCO POLO II for soft expedition and soft explorer cruises world wide. The purchase of the vessel did not materialize as the owner could not manage the financing for sue to the financial crisis and the unimaginative banks involved in the deal.

Despite the asbestos removal during each refitting over the last years, the previous charterer spread rumors the vessel would have been asbestos infested. PHOENIX knew the strong followers, repeaters and fans of MAXIM GORKI would sail on MARCO POLO II instead of his other ships. MAXIM had a repeater factor of which some vessels would dream of.

Another rumor circulated that LORD NELSEON SEEREISEN, having lost the MONA LISA of KYMA SHIPMANAGEMENT was looking for MAXIM GORKI as a replacement. The deal did not materialize as the ORIENT LINES idea was out for similar reasons. And the owner went into bancrupcy previously with HOLIDAY KREUZFAHRTEN, herefore the banks had not been very convinced in giving credits.

It was in those days that the financial crisis was raging throughout the shipping business, but not only. And in the container shipping it is still existing, as the freight rates are still at a historic low.

I had been involved as a consulter in that MARCO POLO project, as in another which was to no good end.

I had been contacted by a group of Hamburg based investors which wanted to preserve the vessel for Hamburg and wanted to make the vessel as HAMBURG again an international meeting point and tourist attration in Hamburg.

While putting together all individuals and interests, fighting against old foes, those which lead to the downfall of DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE, city administrators listening to rumors about asbestos, spread by old foes and all of the sudden WWII bomb search request for the berth places, where asince the end of war vessels had been berthed ...

 

 

Businessplan summary for the intended Hotel and Museum vessel concept for ts HAMBURG in Hamburg

The rescue party had done an in-deep research of other hotel vessel projects to avoid their mistakes, such as with QUEEN MARY. And this QUEEN MARY hotel project was the bad model which made it hard to get the project running. The fate and state of QUEEN MARY was like the sword of Damocles flying above the project.

HAMBURG should have become a hotel, convention center and museum. Various pre contracts had been made with tour operators which signed hotel allotments, MICE operators, theaters of Hamburg for various shows on board, a well reputated artist agency made LOI for stage shows and gigs of his contractors, rentals with coffee shops, cafés and restaurants have been signed, for the museum had been made LOIs with the mauseums in Hamburg as with gallerists for art shows. HAMBURG would have become a must-to-be-on meeting place.

The investors stood by having fonded amoung them € 10mio for the project, covering the berthing costs for years and fonding the start-up costs for the prohect. Three hotel owners from Hamburg had been amoung them.

The main question was the berth for the project and HAMBURG. Various locations had been discussed in several meetings with authorities, even with the head of city development. Politicians got involved including the late Erster Bürgermeister Ole von Beust, and the now ruling Erster Bürgermeister Olaf Scholz, then leader of the opposition.

The rescue party for HAMBURG started a research amoung the businesses in the city about their opinion for the project and welcomed it greatly. They did see the marketing factor of vessel for the city.

Old foes, including PHOENIX, spread again the asbestos and the city authorities got agitated, but finally BLOHM&VOSS showed evidence of the removing of. Their anxiety was getting after failiure an asbestos invested wreck in the city - thoughts of QUEEN MARY´s condition still lingered.

The intended locations for the ts HAMBURG project in the port of Hamburg

The investors wanted the berth in front of the new PHILHARMONIE after the first intended berth in front the never build new University had been blocked by building a bridge across the docks. Finally the rescue party accepted the Kirchenpauer Kai, where desbris and waste from the HAFENCITY rebuilding was stored to get the vessel into the port ...

Januray 8th 2009 the rescue party and city authorities got shoked by the news of sale for € 4,2mio to an indian breaker and trandsport agency. Contacting them they awaited paitiently in front of the SUEZ CANAL the aproval from the authorities of Hamburg.

Meanwhile the club of the Former Cooks of HAMBURG, a very active association of former DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE crew member was willing to fly down to Egypt boarding the HAMBURG and repaint her into her original colours and sailing back to Hamburg - during the 2009 Hafen Geburtstag.

One of the investors called at the port authority and asked for berthing at the Landungsbrücken when sailing into the port - the second in command refused the bidding.

"They don´t want us!" was the reaction of that investor and withdrew his money as the others. And the project fell into parts.

HAMBURG, now MAXIM M, sailed through the SUEZ to Alang. February 26th 2009 HAMBURG beached at Alang, and with no waste of time the destruction did start. Steel prices where at an high.

MAXIM M, ex MAXIM GORKI, ex HANSEATIC (3), ex HAMBURG beached in Alang - courtesy ssmaritime.com

A sight still makes me cry, I had put in a lot of heartblood in that project to save the HAMBURG

What a sight it would have been if the original repainted HAMBURG would have sailed into the port of Hamburg under the eyes of the visitors in 2009 during the festivities and berthed at the Landungsbrücken in her original colours and pride - as the old and new ambassador of Hamburg, the Hotel vessel HAMBURG.

The pitty is the greater as the vessel would not have been neccessary to rebuild for the static role, only cleaning the floors and windowes, replacing the new cutlery and tableware with the the still existing and since 1974 stored DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE items - HAMBURG was a turn key ready hotel.

HAMBURG ended in Alang as of the foes of 1974 and their followers, as they did not wanted to be reminded of their doing back then and narrow minded authorities not imaginative enough about the chances and reputation the project would have given Hamburg, and not knowing how to preserve a heritage.

Okay Hamburg has the museums ships CAP SAN DIEGO, a famous sample for a combined then luxurious first class passenger cargo vessel, the sailing vessel RICKMER RICKMERS, the fire light ship, used near Landungsbrücken as renowned restaurant,  a faked Mississppi steamer, the SCHAHÖRN, a former Seante or state yacht of Hamburg, the SEUTE DERN, a former Helgoland liner, next the sailing vessel PEKING, one of the last legendary Flying P Liners, transported back to Hamburg from New York, but not a sample of the once great passenger shipping tradition inaugurated by genius Albert Ballin.

Footnote about the funnel design:
The controversial flying-saucer funnel, I really love it, some hate it, was not in the original design concept but, instead, a more conventional funnel – as depicted in the accompanying image, was the first choice. Aother design was made too, which has been more unconvential but never realized - three backward swinging funnels, one bigger in front and two smaller aft of. But at least the "Flying Saucer" was choosen after windchanel tests. The design later was copied by a twinset of Tunesian ferries and some container vessels of HAMBURG SÜD.

ts HAMBURG with conventional funnel design - courtesy brimborium emporium

ts HAMBURG constructing the funnel - own collection

ts HAMBURG construction drawings of the funnel - own collection

ts HAMBURG construction drawings of the funnel - own collection

ts HAMBURG construction drawings of the funnel - own collection

ts HAMBURG drawings with twin funnels - own collection

Access to the funnel’s flying-saucer platform was via stairs which went up behind the first smoke emissions tube. The view, apparently, from the top, was spectacular. I once had the chance climbing on top.
This funnel design was as controversial as that for MICHELANGELO and RAFFAELLO. Their latice funnels are a similar cause of love and hate.

The tn MICHELANGELO and RAFFELLO funnels had been too developed in the windchanel and proved to prevent the decks from sod - own collection