Hidden in a remote bay of the Solomon Islands, the
beached wreck of the German-built Liberian flaged expedition cruise vessel WORLD DISCOVERER slowly
rusts away. Built in 1974, it served multiple official owners faithfully for over
25 years.
In April of 2000, the ship struck an uncharted reef
formation just off the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
by Earl of Cruise
WORLD DISCOVERER was
anew type cruise ship designed for the expedition cruise market, a few years earlier inaugurated by LINDBLAD
CRUISES. WORLD DISCOVERER was built by SCHICHAU SEEBECK WERFT, Unterweser, Germany in 1974
as the second purpose built expedition cruise ship ever in the world. During
construction the vessel was called BEWA
DISCOVERER, the ship was completed 1974 in Bremerhaven,
Germany.
WORLD DISCOVERER was classified as a Swedish/Finnish 1A Ice Class,
allowing the ship to withstand minor ice floe impacts. The vessel had a double hull
construction, allowing for periodic voyages to the Antarctic polar regions to
allow its passengers to observe ice floe
movements. The ship carried a fleet of inflatable dinghies, Zodiacs,
allowing passengers to move closer to ice floes for observation, whale watching, or going
ashore on remote shores. WORLD
DISCOVERER also had a 13,000 km (8,100 nautical miles) cruising range,
allowing the ship to travel the Northwest Passage.
WORLD DISCOVERER in DE FRIES colours at Gudhjem, September 1978, following the international signal coloured design of LINDBLAD EXPLORER WORLD DISCOVERER was painted in orange-red - own collection, courtsey SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS
Name:
|
WORLD DISCOVERER (1975 - 2000)
|
Owner/s:
|
·BEWA Cruises (Denmark) (1974
- 1976)
·Schiffahrtsgesellschaft De Fries & Co. (1976 - 1979)
·charterer Adventurer Cruises (1979 - 1987)
·sub charterer SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS (1979 - 1987)
·DISCOVERER REEDEREI (1987 - 2000)
charterer SOCIETY
EXPEDITION CRUISES (1987 - 2000)
|
Port of
registry:
|
·1975–1976: Copenhagen
Denmark
|
Yard
number:
|
2250
|
Launched:
|
8 December
1973
|
Acquired:
|
19 October
1975, but BEWA never took possion
|
Refit:
|
1996
|
Identification:
|
·Call sign: ELDU3
|
Fate:
|
Wrecked
April 30, 2000 after striking an uncharted reef in the Sandfly Passage
|
Status:
|
Lying on
its side with a 46° list
|
Displacement:
|
3724 gross
tons
|
Length:
|
70,8 m
(232,2835 ft)
|
Beam:
|
15.12 m
(49.6 ft)
|
Draft:
|
4.4 m
(14 ft)
|
Depth:
|
8.72 m
|
Decks:
|
7
|
Installed
power:
|
2 x 1760
kW
|
Propulsion:
|
Twin MAK
8M452AK Diesel engines driving a single propeller
|
Speed:
|
16.50 knots
(30.5 km/h)
|
Capacity:
|
137 (150
max.) passengers
|
Crew:
|
75 to 80
crew members
|
Wreck site Coordinates: 9°01′23.17″S 160°07′22.91″E
|
|
BEWA went into bancrupcy with a
financial scandal in Denmark. The builders got into financial troubles as the
vessel could not be paid, the fonds had been disappearing, by its contractors and got subsidiaries from the
federal state of Bremen.
The ship was originally intended to
offer the BEWA CRUISES expedition type cruises out of Denmark. But as it is
rumored, as with the late ODESSA, ex KØBENHAVN, that BEWA was only a fraud to
get get investors money. BEWA went into bancrupcy. BEWA had by the way not the
expertise conducting such cruises, which I learned from a friend and former
sales manager of LIINDBLAD, Capt. Mato Stanovic.
ODESSA, ex KØBENHAVN, starting life rough and ending rueful - own collection
The vessel was laid up at the builders
as BEWA never took possession of the newbuilt. The niche of expedition cruises
was to new back then, and no puchaser went up. In July 1976, the vessel was
sold to SCHIFFAHRTSGESRLLSCHAFT DE FRIES & Co. in Hamburg. DE FRIES originally
a freight line, DE FRIES contracted back then LÜBECK LINIE for the ship
management and sales. From 1977 to 1979 the renamed WORLD DISCOVERER was sold quite
successful by NECKERMANN REISEN. The German tour operator, established by Josef Carl Peter Neckermann (5 June
1912 – 13 January 1992) a German equestrian (dressage riding)
and Olympic champion, and founder of the mail order company Neckermann AG in
1938, was in their best days really innovative.
Neckermann benefited greatly from the Nazi forced hostile
takeover of Jewish merchants including the 1938 acquisition of Karl Amson Joel's retail business in Berlin. Joel, grandfather of American
singer-songwriter Billy Joel and conductor Alexander Joel, founded a
Nuremberg-based mail order textile and clothing company in 1928. The
following year he also started manufacturing. Joel's company soon became one
of the leading mail order sellers in Germany (along with Quelle or Schöpflin).
As discrimination further increased (e.g. deliveries had to be marked with a
"J" for Juden, or Jew), and Jewish firms became "Aryanized",
Joel was forced to sell his company to Neckermann for an unrealistic cheap purchase
price in 1938. The original agreement of Reichsmark 2.3 million was further
reduced by Neckermann to Reichsmark 1.1 million. In 1957 Joel got a
compensation of DM 2 million for his former company from Neckermann who ran
the most successful German mail order selling company at the time. The
frauded purchase by Neckermann was back then a scandal in Germany, and caused
sales droppings, which caused the payment at least.
But years later the purchase came up again and
started a discussion about "Aryanized" businesses and its
benefactors.
Neckermann's daughter Eva-Maria Pracht and granddaughter Martina Pracht were also
Olympic equestrians.
Earl of Cruise
|
The purchasing deal of WORLD DISCOVERER could start only when DE FRIES was partnered by LÜBECK LINIE for the hotel and crew management and NECKERMANN for
the sales. For NECKERMANN itself it was quite adventurous taking the risk of
sales for a totally new market, which had only be proven by one previously -
LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS.
But back then the NECKERMANN mangers did see the advantages of such an opportunity, and happily signed the contract. Further it has been the second German built in their fleet beside MAXIM GORKIJ, ex HANSEATIC 3, ex HAMBURG.
The ship was transfered to ADVENTURE CRUISES, Inc. and renamed WORLD DISCOVERER. The ship also became a long-term charter to SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS. The ship was registered in Singapore in 1976 when cruises started. In 1987, SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS came under new ownership by a US investor and a German Schiffsfonds, and was renamed SOCIETY EXPEDITION CRUISES, with offices in Seattle and Bremen, Germany. The new owner of the ship was DISCOVERER REEDEREI who also had ownership of other vessels, such as EXPLORER, ex LINDBLAD EXPLORER. In 1990, WORLD DISCOVERER was now registered in Liberia.
This reorganisation was the start of endless troubles, meetings, renogitiantions and involved lawyers. Seatle, never meant as the headquarter, initiated itself permanently as the head of business and counteracted several times decisions made in Bremen, the real headquarter. Seatle was meant as US sales office, nothing more, nothing less.
In 1996, WORLD DISCOVERER was refurbished at SEMBAWANG to needed safety and hospitality standards of the mid 1990s for more than it was actually worth on the ship sales market. The old little expedition lady had to be refinanced via the German fonds investment market.
During the period from November through February (Austral summer), WORLD DISCOVERER conducted cruises in the Southern Hemisphere and visited places like Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, Chile, Patagonia and the Fjords and Argentina. From March to May and August to October, WORLD DISCOVERER cruised the South Pacific Islands. Between the months of June and August, the ship cruised around the Alaskan region and also the Russian border around the Bering Sea.
While there have been international passengerson board WORLD DISCOVERER, BBC made headlines only mentioning "ALL BRITONS" saved ...
This brought the German company in Bremen into the final downfall and any refinancing attempts to an immediate halt.
When troubled waters are ahead the rats leave the sinking ship, or shareholders try to get a chance to control the remaining bits ... it did happen in a similar way when DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE went into troubles.
One of the initiators and pioneers of expedition cruises, and more important expedition in luxury went down the drain because of short sighted greed.
But back then the NECKERMANN mangers did see the advantages of such an opportunity, and happily signed the contract. Further it has been the second German built in their fleet beside MAXIM GORKIJ, ex HANSEATIC 3, ex HAMBURG.
The ship was transfered to ADVENTURE CRUISES, Inc. and renamed WORLD DISCOVERER. The ship also became a long-term charter to SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS. The ship was registered in Singapore in 1976 when cruises started. In 1987, SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS came under new ownership by a US investor and a German Schiffsfonds, and was renamed SOCIETY EXPEDITION CRUISES, with offices in Seattle and Bremen, Germany. The new owner of the ship was DISCOVERER REEDEREI who also had ownership of other vessels, such as EXPLORER, ex LINDBLAD EXPLORER. In 1990, WORLD DISCOVERER was now registered in Liberia.
This reorganisation was the start of endless troubles, meetings, renogitiantions and involved lawyers. Seatle, never meant as the headquarter, initiated itself permanently as the head of business and counteracted several times decisions made in Bremen, the real headquarter. Seatle was meant as US sales office, nothing more, nothing less.
WORLD DISCOVERER, in new colour scheme and with new logo - own collection, courtsey SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS
The owners, biased by the revenues of
the expedition cruises, and rising demand for, ordererd 1990 at RAUMA YARDS in
Finland a second vessel for its SOCIETY EXPEDITION CRUISES fleet - SOCIETY EXPLORER.
But as I learned from former managers from the Bremen office, partly mismanagement
and most greed from the US investor by taking too much revenues to persuade his investors caused financial troubles, and the new ship could not be taken
over by ADVENTURER SHIPPING Co. and sailing for SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS.In 1996, WORLD DISCOVERER was refurbished at SEMBAWANG to needed safety and hospitality standards of the mid 1990s for more than it was actually worth on the ship sales market. The old little expedition lady had to be refinanced via the German fonds investment market.
During the period from November through February (Austral summer), WORLD DISCOVERER conducted cruises in the Southern Hemisphere and visited places like Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, Chile, Patagonia and the Fjords and Argentina. From March to May and August to October, WORLD DISCOVERER cruised the South Pacific Islands. Between the months of June and August, the ship cruised around the Alaskan region and also the Russian border around the Bering Sea.
WORLD DISCOVERER during its Northwest Passage - own collection, courtsey SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS
WORLD DISCOVERER in Alaska - own collction, courtsey SOCIETA EXPEDITIONS
The ship was captained by Oliver Kruess, who had
previously crewed as Chief Mate. SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS also hired a small team of
experienced expedition leaders as lecturers and to answer tourist questions
concerning the region, ice floes, their movements, and the ship's destinations.
A small fleet of dinghies landed passengers on various shorelines for
observation of local wildlife in the area. Each day comprised typically two to
three shore expeditions, led by geologists, historians, naturalists, and marine
biologists. The ship was equipped with an observation lounge, medical center
with an active physician, library, sun deck with a small swimming pool, small
fitness center, and a lecture hall.
WORLD DISCOVERER in Salaverry - own collection, courtsey SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS
On Sunday April 30, 2000, at 4 p.m. local time (0500
GMT), WORLD DISCOVERER struck a large uncharted rock or reef in the Sandfly
Passage, Solomon Islands. Captain Oliver Kruess sent a
distress signal, which was received in Honiara, the
Solomon Islands' capital city. A passenger ferry was dispatched to the ship and
all passengers were then transported to safety. The captain then brought the
ship into Roderick Bay after the ship began to list 20 degrees and grounded it
to avoid sinking. After underwater surveying of the ship, the WORLD DISCOVERER was declared a
"constructive loss". The ship has remained in Roderick Bay ever
since. There were no reports of any oil, petroleum or other pollutant spills as
a result of the impact.
WORLD DISCOVERER after she struck a large uncharted rock or reef in the Sandfly
Passage, Solomon Islands, beached and sunken in Rederick Bay, Nggela Islands - own collection
Michael Lomax, president of SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS,
congratulated the captain and crew for their heroic and professional actions,
saying that they performed in an "exemplary manner" during the
crisis. The ship was scheduled to have its annual dry-dock inspection on May 11
when annual maintenance work would have been completed. Also planned were the
addition of two additional suites on the boat deck and also the installation of
a new fire protection system throughout the ship.While there have been international passengerson board WORLD DISCOVERER, BBC made headlines only mentioning "ALL BRITONS" saved ...
Wrecked WORLD DISCOVERER, watched by native children from the Nggela Islands - own collection
WORLD
DISCOVERER still
sits in Roderick Bay of the Nggela Islands with a 46° list. The closest salvage companies to attempt salvage
of the ship, stationed in Australia, found the ship ransacked by the locals and
other factions. The Solomon Islands were undergoing civil war at the time; the
ship was boarded by locals who took the equipment and other critical devices.
Tidal activity damaged the ship even more. The ship has been sustaining surface
rusting with many of the windows removed. The ship became a tourist attraction
with the locals of the island, as well as other cruise lines that pass by the World Discoverer, including MV PRINCESS II. The ship can still be
seen on GoogleMaps.
WORLD DISCOVERER laying on starboard side like a stranded whale - own collection
Detoriating WORLD DISCOVERER, above 2000, below 2010
Any attempts at repair or salvage were abandoned after the locals had
looted anything of value from the vessel; the cost of making her
seaworthy again would have been prohibitive.As a result, she was left to sit and rust away, now a tourist and photography destination.
The new ship to come, then DREAM 21
The 1989 built DREAM 21, ex DELPHIN STAR, ex BALTIC CLIPPER, ex SALLY CLIPPER,
ex DELPHIN CLIPPER - © Foto Tommy Lakmaker
In the aftermath of the wreck, SOCIETY
EXPEDITIONS bought 2001 DREAM 21, which SEMBAWANG SHIPYARD Pte. Ltd. had
purchased. It was the former DELPHIN STAR, ex BALTIC CLIPPER, ex SALLY CLIPPER,
ex DELPHIN CLIPPER, built at RAUMA YARDS
in 1989. The
vessel had a somehow turbulent carrer and several mishaps in its history book.
SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS bought the vessel for an extraordinary high price, but had
to refurbish the ice class vessel for its needs, especially reducing the
passenger capacity and rising the onboard luxuries to the needed 5stars. The
pice culminated to US$ 35 mio! The new WORLD
DISCOVERER, was launched in 2002, resuming cruises. SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS
two years out of business and revenues, survived, but got in severe financial troubles and ceased
operations in June 2004 after their new vessel was seized by a creditor, ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND, in Nome, Alaska. They got cold feet about thier credit, as a number of ship financing credits imploded in the aftermath of the 9/11 stock exchange crash. The "wake up call" was an involuntary bancrupcy petition by share holder and Seatle representative Bruce Fisher, against SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS. Bruce Fisher tried several times to get hold of the lucrative business, especially after DREAM 21 turned into the new then most luxurious expedition cruise ship WORLD DISCOVERER. Two weeks later, SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS in
USA, the Seatle office, filed chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy in July 2004.This brought the German company in Bremen into the final downfall and any refinancing attempts to an immediate halt.
When troubled waters are ahead the rats leave the sinking ship, or shareholders try to get a chance to control the remaining bits ... it did happen in a similar way when DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINIE went into troubles.
One of the initiators and pioneers of expedition cruises, and more important expedition in luxury went down the drain because of short sighted greed.
The vessel was sailed back to SEMBAWANG
and laid up for sale. History is repeating: as the previous SEMBAWANG charter attempts failed, this
time it was the same.
For clearing the books of SEMBAWANG the
vessel was "sold" 2003 to a subsidiary in the Bahamas, DELTA
STEAMSHIP and renamed WORLD ADVENTURER. 2005 the vessel was renamed back to
WORLD DISCOVERER to increase the international interests and better sales
opportunities.
All sales negotiations led to nothing,
as SEMBAWANG was insisting on its set price of US $ 35 mio - it was a matter of
loosing face, while SEMBAWANG had financial problems of its own.
2007 the vessel was sold to SILVERSEA
DISCOERY SHIPPING, Nassau, Bahamas, for the asked price and rebuilt at
FINCANTIERI, Montfalcone to fit into the
SILVERSEA luxury fleet and
the passenger capacity was changed to 167 guests on board by installing new
cabins. The main work was done for SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS. As PRINCE ALBERT II the vessel emerged 2008.
PRINCE ALBERT II, later SIVER EXPLORER, ex WORLD DISCOVERER and some other "ex names" - courtsey SILVERSEA, source: Wikipedia (original size)
SILVERSEA got into financial troubles
with the purchase and rebuilding and had been supported a credit given by the
SOCIÉTÉ DES BAINS DE MER, Monaco. When
the lended money was repaid in 2011 the vessel was renamed into the SILVERSEA
nomenclatur - SILVERSEA EXPLORER.
MS WORLD CISCOVERER (Swedish)
Knud E. Hansen A/S on WORLD DISCOVERER. knudehansen.com
WORLD DISCOVERER (2002). Newzeal.com
WORLD DISCOVERER Damaged in Pacific Incident. aad.gov.au. 10 May 2000
WORLD DISCOVERER on Google Satellite view. Maps.google.com (1970-01-01)
Oh Look, There's a Dead Cruise Ship In Google Maps. Gizmodo.com (2011-06-24)
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Society Expeditions files for bankruptcy. Seattletimes.nwsource.com (2004-07-01)
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