Legendary GTS Finnjet sold for scrapping

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[Bottman]

It's a shame, but the legendary GTS FINNJET seems to be sold for scrapping! The plans to re-build her into a cruise liner are withdrawn since the Dutch owner has severe financial problems. Now she's gonna move to the Red Sea for grounding and scrapping.

[Lanedre]

Why would they scrap this ship it looks like its almost new...I would have thought there was many companies who want to buy it

[Bottman]

Well, that picture isn't new. It was taken in her last season for Silja, berthed in Rostock prior to her voyage accross the Atlantic after the tornado desaster at the Gulf of Mexico. She was used as floating home and collage there for almost two years or so. For a new carreer she used to have new engines, new cabins... - very expensive for such an old vessel. 

[Shipaddict]

Shame, hate the idea of nice vessels being scrapped.

[Stuart2007]

Still LOOKS in good nick

http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/da_vinci_1977_b_2.htm

This is really quite surprising as up until last year there was a desperate shortage of RO ROs and back then if it were available, I think (unless the refurb costs were massive) that a buyer would be found.

There seems to be quite a few RO ROs now becoming surplus... Anyone for a worldwide economic crisis? Oh sorry. There already is one

[Finn700]

It's so sad, she was the "Concorde" of the ships
"She is still the fastest conventional ferry as of 2008, with a recorded top speed of 33,5 knots"

[Stuart2007]

Everything has its time...

A Wartsila built ship if I recall correctly.

They did have a habbit of making really rather brilliant ships. And diesel engines too, of course.

[Bottman]

Possibly the responsible ship broker found a solution to sell GTS "Finnjet" to another shipping company instead of a scrapping yard. There are some rumors, that the vessel may have a future in Middle-East..

[Stuart2007]

That doesn't surprise me at all. As said above, there has historically been a shortage of roros available and compared to many ships, still quite young for breaking.

Tell you what though, Bottman- I'm REALLY surprised no one has started a 'should this be in ss2009' poll. 

[Bottman]

Well you are right, but the good old "Finnjet" has very little freight capacity compared to her length and her turbines are real fuel intensiv, whereas with her diesel engines she is not fast enough for most of the services. Guess she would be okay for islamic pilgrims at the Red Sea or so. The fuel must be less expensive in Saudi Arabia 

Regards

[Stuart2007]

Hi Bottman,

Whilst I must acknowledge that I do not have the maritime qualifications of your good self or many others, I have worked in passenger transport (air, road freight, rail, but never shipping) and I find the arguement of fuel costs a bit over rated.

Sure, I myself am downgrading my Aston Martin expectations due to fuel prices, but I've found in most areas of transportation that fuel is a much smaller percentage of costs than companies generally say.

I appreciate that ships use a hell of a lot of the stuff, but I would have thought that if a vessel could do X more journeys per day/week etc then it would offset the cost quite nicely.

Hostorically wages are rising at a faster rate than fuel, remember. Personally I'd say that a ship/train/bus/truck that can do more journeys per day would help reduce wages bill...

[Pinkkari]

 

http://www.finnjetweb.de/alang1.pdf