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What happens when a cruise ship is sent to be scrapped?

The former Cunard liner Sylvania stripped out and awaiting the cutting process in Alang, India - Peter Knego
The former Cunard liner Sylvania stripped out and awaiting the cutting process in Alang, India - Peter Knego

The Grim Reaper is wielding his scythe on an armada of faded vessels

It’s a well known maxim that “nothing made by man is granted such immortality as a ship”. That’s true – unless an existential crisis unlike any other befalls the cruise industry.

Now the Grim Reaper is wielding his scythe on an armada of cruise ships for which the hourglass has emptied prematurely.

Most modern cruise ships have a life expectancy of 30 to 40 years. When major cruise companies no longer see worthy returns from vessels that have sailed around the nautical block a few times too many, these ships are often sold to small-scale, fledgling or budget operators who are adept at turning a profit due to lower overheads.

When mandatory new regulations deem these once gracious ships unviable, they take their final bow and head off to the knackers’ yard.

Several major cruise lines are finding themselves in uncharted waters. To stem declining revenues from their fleets languishing in ports and anchorages around the world, they have taken the decision to consign ships still in their prime to the breakers yard. Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, has indicated it will be shedding no less than six ships within the next month.

The first casualty is Costa Victoria. This 23-year-old vessel arrived in Piombino, Italy, on June 23 to be broken up.  Just a few months ago this would have been unthinkable as Costa’s parent company, Carnival, would have easily secured a buyer.

On the same day Costa Victoria made her final voyage, Royal Caribbean-owned Pullmantur Cruises went into insolvency. Now, it appears the fate is sealed for the former Royal Caribbean Sovereign (built in 1987), Monarch (built in 1991) as well as the former Celebrity Cruises’ Horizon (built in 1990).

The first two have already been stripped of artwork and valuable fittings at Naples; it’s likely all three vessels will be heading to the ship-breakers at Aliaga in Turkey. There’s also speculation that Royal Caribbean’s 1990-built Empress of the Seas and 1992-built Majesty of the Seas may soon follow.

British favourite Marella Cruises announced in April that Marella Celebration (built in 1984) will not emerge from the crucible of coronavirus; while Marella Dream, built in 1986, is another candidate for early retirement.

Most ships take their final bow at the killing beaches of Gadani, west of Karachi in Pakistan (above); Aliaga near Izmir in Turkey; Chittagong in Bangladesh; and the Yiangmin Yini Yard in China. Top of the charts with 31 per cent of all ship-breaking in the world is Alang on the Gulf of Cambay in India.

With its 10-mile long sloping beaches and 30-foot tidal variance, ships are rammed at full speed or dragged ashore by tugs during high tide. When the water recedes, workers clamber aboard, begin stripping, then cutting the ship down while gradually dragging it closer to shore until its final remains are sent off to numerous local steel plants.

The steel plates are melted and refashioned into reinforcing bars for roads and other construction. There is a large secondary market where fittings such as toilets, chairs, lighting, panelling and other ship components are sold.

Peter Knego with the remains of the former RMS Windsor Castle - PETER KNEGO
Peter Knego with the remains of the former RMS Windsor Castle - PETER KNEGO

During its peak operations, there can be up to two hundred ships at Alang, ranging from fishing trawlers, ferries, cruise ships and container ships to massive oil tankers. People come from across India to do the work, which can be dangerous and exhausting.

With its cheap labour force and comparably lax environmental regulations, ship-breaking at Alang has become one of India’s most profitable industries. In recent years, there have been numerous improvements in workers’ safety and environmental care, although India is still a far cry from the EU or US where ship breaking is far more costly due to stricter regulations.

Between 2004 and 2014, maritime historian and author Peter Knego made nine trips to Alang to rescue fittings from many historic liners and cruise ships. These included the 1961-built Empress of Canada (later Carnival’s first ship, Mardi Gras); the 1956-built Empress of Britain (later Carnival’s second ship, Carnivale); the 1960-built Windsor Castle; the 1961-built Transvaal Castle (later Carnival’s third ship, Festivale); the 1955-built Ivernia (later Franconia); the 1972-built Island Princess (later Discovery); and the venerable France, built in 1961 and later transformed into Norwegian Cruise Line’s flagship Norway.

Mr Knego told Telegraph Travel: “Each of these trips has not been without a certain degree of adventure and challenges such as skirting local authorities who forbid Westerners (especially those with cameras), climbing 30-foot Jacob’s ladders, mosquito-borne illness, monsoons, devastating heat and humidity.

"I have had 10 40-foot containers and two 20-foot containers' worth of fittings, artwork, panelling, railing, lighting, furnishing, logs and builders’ plans shipped to my home in California over the years.”

He has put this eclectic memorabilia to good use: “I have rebuilt my home with these items, having replaced every door, railing and light fixture with Mid-Century-style ocean liner items and my walls are lined with artworks from numerous ships. I have also made the spare items available to interior designers, ship enthusiasts and anyone with an eye for mid 20th Century design on my midshipcentury.com website,” he adds.

The roster of vessels listed for sale on ship-broker sites includes Carnival Elation, Carnival Inspiration and Celestyal Olympia. It was confirmed on July 14 that Carnival Fantasy has been sold and is heading to ship-breakers in Izmir.

Other contenders that may be heading to their final resting place include Grandeur of the Seas, Celestyal Crystal, Costa NeoRomantica, Costa Mediterranea, Pacific Explorer, Sun Princess, Sea Princess, Maasdam and Veendam.

Oceana left the P&O Cruises fleet this month – and her future is far from certain
Oceana left the P&O Cruises fleet this month – and her future is far from certain

On July 8, P&O Cruises’ Oceana, (above) built in 2000, left the fleet. Her future is far from certain.Maritime obituaries will be writ large in the coming months and there’ll be a lot less bustle in the world’s ports for the next few years.

What are your memories of the historic liners and cruise ships that have long been decomissioned? Tell us in the comments section below.