 SSShalom before her maiden voyage | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry | |
| Ordered | 1959[2] |
| Builder | Chantiers de l'Atlantique,St Nazaire,France[1] |
| Cost | £7.5 million[2] |
| Yard number | Z21[1] |
| Launched | 10 November 1962[1] |
| Completed | 1964 |
| Acquired | February 1964[1] |
| Maiden voyage | 17 April 1964[1] |
| In service | 3 March 1964[2] |
| Out of service | 3 November 1995[1] |
| Identification | IMO number: 5321679[1] |
| Fate | Sunk outsideCape St. Francis, 26 July 2001[1] |
| General characteristics (as built)[1] | |
| Type | Ocean liner |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 191.63 m (628 ft 8 in) |
| Beam | 24.81 m (81 ft 5 in) |
| Draught | 8.20 m (26 ft 11 in) |
| Decks | 10[2] |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | Twin propellers[3] |
| Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Capacity | 1,090 (72 first class, 1,018 tourist class)[3] |
| Crew |
|
| General characteristics (after 1964 refit)[2] | |
| Type | Ocean liner/cruise ship |
| Tonnage | 25,338 GRT[1] |
| Capacity | 1,012 (148 first class, 864 tourist class) |
| General characteristics (after 1973 refit)[2] | |
| Type | Cruise ship |
| Capacity | 725 passengers |
| General characteristics (after 1982 refit)[2] | |
| Type | Cruise ship |
| Capacity | 814 passengers |
SSShalom was a combinedocean liner/cruise ship built in 1964 byChantiers de l'Atlantique,St Nazaire, France, forZIM Lines,Israel, for transatlantic service fromHaifa toNew York. In 1967, SSShalom was sold to theGerman Atlantic Line, becoming their second SSHanseatic. Subsequently she served as SSDoric forHome Lines, SSRoyal Odyssey for Royal Cruise Line and SSRegent Sun forRegency Cruises. The ship was laid up in 1995 following the bankruptcy of Regency Cruises. Numerous attempts were made to bring her back to service, but none were successful. The ship sank outsideCape St. Francis, South Africa, on 26 July 2001, while en route to India to be scrapped.[1][2]
On 26 November 1964, SSShalom accidentally rammed the NorwegiantankerStolt Dagali outside New York, resulting in the loss of nineteenStolt Dagali crew members and damage to the stern of the tanker.[1][2]
The government-controlledZIM Lines had begun transatlantic operations fromHaifa toNew York in 1953 withSS Jerusalem. In 1959, they placed an order for a brand new ship for the transatlantic service withChantiers de l'Atlantique, France.[2] Proposed names for the new ship includedKing David andKing Solomon, but ZIM finally opted forShalom (peace) as the name of their new flagship.[1] The project manager was Captain Rimon, and the technical superintendent was IDF Naval officer and architectEdmond Wilhelm Brillant.
Controversy erupted in the wake of a decision to install two kitchens, kosher and non-kosher – to appeal to a wider clientele. Despite a government committee deciding in favor of only one kitchen, the government left the choice to Zim Lines, who, despite facing strong religious opposition, stood by their choice. TheUnion of Orthodox Rabbis,Rabbinical Council of America, ConservativeRabbinical Assembly and other groups initiatedgrassroots campaigns to force the issue.[4][5]
Shalom was floated out ofdrydock on 10 November 1962, with only one kitchen. After fitting out, she commenced on her sea trials on 24 January 1964. In February of the same year she was delivered to ZIM Lines, arriving inHaifa for the first time on 3 March 1964.[1][2] A year after entry into service, the rabbinate agreed to letnonkosher food be served aboard cruises not visiting Israeli ports.[4]
After six months in service,Shalom was rebuilt atWilton-Fijenoord,Rotterdam, Netherlands, with additional first-class cabins. The ship was also rebuilt in 1973 before entering service forHome Lines, and in 1982 before entering service forRoyal Cruise Line.[1][2]
The brand-newShalom begun her career with a series of short cruises out of Haifa, before embarking on her fully booked first crossing to New York on 17 April 1964.[2] However, by the time she entered service the transatlantic liner trade was already in decline, with more passenger crossing the Atlantic by air than by sea since 1959.[6] To make her better suited for cruise service,Shalom was rebuilt in the Netherlands in October 1964, increasing the number of first-class cabins.[2]
Sometime after 2:00 on 26 November 1964, while 50 miles (80 km) outbound from New York with 616 passengers, bound for the Caribbean in thick fog,Shalom collided with thevegetable oil-carrying NorwegiantankerStolt Dagali just outsidePoint Pleasant, New Jersey.Shalom'sbow cutStolt Dagali in half, killing nineteen of the tanker's forty-four crew. The tanker's bow section remained floating, but her aft section sank in 130 feet (39.62 m) of water within seconds.Shalom's chief radio officer issued an all-ships plea for help; theUnited States Coast Guard received the information at 2:25 am. Some 3½ hours later, the Coast Guard cutterPoint Arden arrived at the scene, delayed for some time as the position provided had been 15 miles (24 km) off course.[7] Five ofStolt Dagali's seamen had been plucked from the sea byShalom within 30 minutes of the collision and were treated in the ships hospital for shock.Point Arden picked up four crewmen, the rest being saved by helicopter.[7][8][9]
Shalom's bow was badly damaged, with a 40-foot gash over the waterline. Leaking into her number one hold, but afloat, she was able to slowly return to New York under her own power. Later, she was repaired byNewport News and Shipbuilding inNorfolk, Virginia.[2] During the inquiry that followed, her second mate testified that the ship's radar scope had been cluttered by noise and that work was being done to adjust it before the accident occurred. It also transpired that her lookout had been given permission for a coffee break just before the event, and was returning to the bridge when the collision happened.[8][9][10]
The inquiry concluded that both ships had been at fault, with a majority of the blame falling onShalom for not posting proper lookout and admitting to a malfunctioning radar. A dive to the wreck ofStolt Dagali had shown her engine telegraph set to full speed, making her complicit in the accident.[9]
In 1965, barely a year afterShalom had been delivered, ZIM Lines made the decision to abandon transatlantic service, and their ships were sold off over the next two years.[11]Shalom stayed in ZIM service until November 1967, when she was sold toGerman Atlantic Line.[1] Built at a time of general decline of transatlantic travel with the introduction of the jet, coupled with a restricted and expensive kitchen aimed at a niche clientele on mainline voyages and being reliant on government subsidies during a time of Israeli economic decline, ZIM no longer saw an economic case for her.[5]
The German Atlantic Line had been without a ship since the firstTS Hanseatic had been destroyed by fire in New York in September 1966.[12] On 9 November 1967,Shalom was sold to the German Atlantic Line and renamedHanseatic, becoming the second ship to bear that name. On 16 December 1967, the newHanseatic set on a crossing fromCuxhaven, Germany, to New York, with only special invited guests on board. After that she was used for cruising around North America and Europe.[1][12] During 1968, she was also used on transatlantic service, but after that year, German Atlantic decided to abandon liner service and concentrate solely on cruising.[12]
In 1973,Hanseatic was again sold as a replacement for a ship lost in a fire, this time forHome Lines'SS Homeric.[13] Home Lines and German Atlantic Line were both led byNicolaos Vernicos Eugenides, who made the transfer ofHanseatic to the former's fleet a straightforward affair.[12] After being sold to Home Lines on 25 September 1973,Hanseatic was renamedDoric and subsequently rebuilt with a larger after superstructure. Home Lines used her for cruising fromPort Everglades to theWest Indies during thenorthern hemisphere winter season, and New York toBermuda during the summer season.[1][2]
In preparation for the delivery of the newAtlantic in 1982,[14] Home Lines soldDoric toRoyal Cruise Line in 1981.[1][2]
Under her new ownersDoric was renamedRoyal Odyssey. Before entering service forRoyal Cruise Line, she received a four-month refit at the Greek shipyards ofPerama andNeorion, where her funnel was rebuilt, her topmost deck expanded and abulbous bow added below the waterline.[1][2]Royal Odyssey entered service for Royal Cruise Line on 25 May 1982,[1] and was used for cruises all around the world, including occasional cruises around the Pacific from Australia.[2][3][15]
In June 1988, Royal Cruise Line took delivery of the newMS Crown Odyssey.[16] The company operated with a three-ship fleet until November of the same year, whenRoyal Odyssey was sold toRegency Cruises.[11]
Royal Odyssey was renamedRegent Sun by Regency Cruises, and entered service for them on 9 December 1988. She continued sailing for Regency until 3 November 1995, when she was arrested at Jamaica, due to the poor financial situation of her owners. Subsequently,Regent Sun and all other Regency ships were laid up and put up for sale.[1][2]
Following the collapse of Regency Cruises,Regent Sun never returned to active service, despite the interest expressed by several companies in operating her. In October 1996,Royal Venture Cruises wished to charter her under the nameSun Venture for additional cruise service,[1][2][11] while in 1997,Premier Cruises expressed interest in purchasing the ship, but withdrew their offer due to her poor condition. In 1998, the ship was first sold toTony Travel & Agency and renamedSun, then sometime later toInternational Shipping Partners and renamedSun 11, but despite these changes in ownership, she remained laid up in the Bahamas. In 2000, International Shipping Partners begun rebuildingSun 11 into a hotel ship, with a planned new name asCanyon Ranch at Sea, but this plan too fell through, and in 2001Sun 11 was sold to Indian shipbreakers. While en route to India under tow,Sun 11 started taking in water on 25 July 2001 while outside South African territorial waters. The South African authorities forbade the ship to enter South African waters, and on 26 July she sank offCape St. Francis.[1]
Shalom was designed according to the principles of the era, with engines placed two-thirds aft and two slim funnels placed side-by side instead of the large traditional funnels. The funnel design in particular resembledSS Rotterdam ofHolland America Line andSS Canberra ofP&O, both of which were still under construction at the timeShalom was being designed. Her hull and superstructure design were optimized for transatlantic traffic, with thepromenade decks entirely glass-enclosed.[2]
In original liveryShalom was almost entirely white, with an all-white hull and superstructure and white funnels with only small black bands around them, with theZIM Lines logo between them. Originally her name and homeport were written on her hull in bothLatin andHebrew alphabet. When she entered service forGerman Atlantic Line, the nameHanseatic was written with large letters on her bow, arguably unbalancing her profile. In Home Lines service she received yellow funnels and a yellow radar mast, with the name written in the bow in somewhat smaller typeface.[2]
The 1982 refit radically altered the ship's profile, when the original slim funnels were replaced with a single largeQueen Elizabeth 2-esquefunnel, and the outer decks between the bridge and the funnel were built in. Additionally, abulbous bow was added below the waterline, improving the ship's sea-keeping abilities. During the refit, the ship's livery was also altered, with the new funnel painted in blue and white, while a white decorative ribbon was added to her hull. The exact same livery was maintained asRegent Sun, with the Regency Cruises funnel symbol replacing that of Royal Cruise Line.[2]
The public spaces on boardShalom were spread over two decks, originally namedRainbow andOlive Branch, which were the sixth- and seventh-highest passenger-accessible decks respectively. Facilities included a cinema, winter garden, tavern, shopping center, night club, and separate lounges for first- and tourist-class passengers.Shalom's award-winning interiors were mostly designed byDora Gad in a bright, contemporary style.[2]
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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1964 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 2001 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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Authority control databases: National |
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