"Pride of America" sunk

[Kellanved]

The hull to carry the name that is. It sunk in the Bremerhaven harbour during heavy storms last night; the lower three decks are flooded. The hull was undergoing final construction details. Delivery is/was due this spring.



http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,321252,00.jpg


(German) Story:
http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,281747,00.html

[Oggy]

1. Irony?

[TreasonousBastard]

8. You want irony...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2001814682_cruise14.html


The US shipbuilding industry has been pretty well in the dumper since the 70's, and it's work was basically emergency repairs, subsidized cargo ships, small vessels, and the Navy. For a number of reasons, it just couldn't get competitive commercial work. Subsidies were killed,and that was pretty much the last of domestic vessel building.

The Jones Act does specifically prohibit foreign flagged vessels from trading between domestic US ports, and once prohibited foreign-built vessels from flying the US flag. It's still so much cheaper to flag out than run under US rules that just about everyone uses a foreign flag and foregoes picking up domestic cargo. Hawaii and Alaska are the only exceptions to this, and one reason things are so expensive there are the freight costs because of US flagging.

[DS1]

2. They outsourced "The Pride of America"? That's hilarious!

God Bless the USA!

[Kamika]

3. I have to agree

If there ever was irony.. this is it

[RoeBear]

10. The 'they' that you inquire about is...

...Norwegian Cruise lines. They plan to use her in service around Hawaii. She'll fly a US flag and carry a US crew.

[Kellanved]

4. more pics

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,321415,00.jpg
http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,321418,00.jpg

[SoCalDem]

5. Oops.. insurance rates are goin' up

:(

I was not aware that our shipbuilders in the US had all died:(

[rucky]

6. Non-Union Hacks

[Kellanved]

7. you can be *very* sure that German shipbuilders are unionized

And they are certainly not cheap labor.

[TreasonousBastard]

9. Which is why I'm surprised...

they got the contract, and not the Poles or Koreans.

Do i smell a subsidy in there?

[Kellanved]

12. can't say

The EU allows up to 6% subsidies to keep up with the Koreans. However most subsidies are paid for east-german warfs; it's possible that subsidies were paid, but as Bremen is a very poor state they can't be that big.

In this case however:
--snip
But the Pride of America is not what it seems. The ship actually is being built in a German shipyard and is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line, a subsidiary of Star Cruises, which has its headquarters in Hong Kong and is run out of its offices in Malaysia; Star Cruises in turn is a unit of Genting Berhad, a holding company in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
--snap
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2001814682_cruise14.html

[TreasonousBastard]

15. I've been out of the business for years...

so I don't know what the latest intrigues are, but Europe has always been much more expensive than Hong Kong or Korea and didn't necessarily make a better ship. At one point in the 80's, Korea had well over 50% of the world's ships and oil rigs on order. They were that good.

It could be something as simple as the difficulty of towing the hull to Asia that gave Bremen the edge.

This being an American flagged ship, there are likely American insurance companies on the builder's risk coverage. I am visualizing the flurry of memos, emails, and meetings.

[tinnyguy1777]

11. Gosh,

Is this a sample of Teutonic shipbuilding??? Its not very sea worthy at the moment.

[Kellanved]

13. not yet determined

The Hull seems not to be the cause. Apparently it was pushed against the pier by stronger than anticipated winds. Lloyd will continue building ASAP.

[TreasonousBastard]

14. More a sample of MIssissippi shipbuilding...

as the keel was laid and most of the hull built there, then moved for completion in Bremen after they went broke.

[jmowreader]

16. Not a big deal

If the hull was still open to the elements, no bilge pumps were in operation and a heavy storm came up, it would be surprising if she didn't go down.

All they need do is pump her out, repair any water damage and keep going.