how do we save Global Dream II from breakers?....

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Squidly-Diddly, Sep 11, 2022.

  1. Squidly-Diddly
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    and create ourselves comfy jobs in the process! :)
    https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...re-goes-straight-to-the-scrapyard-191922.html
    I'm guessing it will cost a TON of additional cash to scrap this thing because unlike a 40yrs old bulk freighter being broken on some beach in India, its not just a few acres worth of "clean" simple 1" common steel plates but instead a labyrinth of very known type of pipe and duct, including mostly plastic that can't be recycled, and lots and lots of crappy, nasty "rock wool" and fire-caulking on everything.

    Bonus: will need to be done to German/EU standards, not Liberian reg ship broker sale to 3rd world breaking yard non-standard. Its gonna be combo of Hazmat Clean Up, Crime Scene Investigation and archeological dig. I'm thinking that alone should be reason to find SOMETHING to do with her. Sure the engines and drive pods might be worth something, but will cost of extracting them be worth it?, and rest of the job will be a Nightmare.

    80-90% finished seems about perfect point to re-direct into another purpose. All the function of hotel dept is built and tested, just waiting for final decor, carpet, cabinets, etc.

    If Trump was in office he'd tell the Germans they are donating it to US Navy/USMC as hospital,troop,R&R ship as part of their lagging NATO contribution. My experts tell me a big problem for any navy ship is once they are jam packed with crew its nearly impossible to "do anything" because there is nowhere to put anyone while some project is underway.

    Maybe someone could sell it to an Oil Sheik for bragging rights as greatest personal yacht to ever sail the seven seas, never to be equaled for all time! Probably paint in highly reflective gold paint! In exchange he'd agreed to pump a bit more oil for a couple months this winter to save Germany from completely imploding.

    I'm wondering what's up behind the scenes at the German shipbuilder. IIRC the firm is going bankrupt so maybe the bosses are all in "WTF cares" mode and are hell bent in saddling someone else with big stinking problem of breaking up the ship, out of spite. Seems like someone "in authority" needs to "step in" and take charge of the situation.
     
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  2. mc_rash
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    mc_rash Senior Member

    Since Genting, Genting's yards and the global class ships were highly subsidized by the german government, every German owns a little part of the ships.
     
  3. wet feet
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    wet feet Senior Member

    There is a steady trickle of old cruise ships to the breakers.My guess is that there may be some brinkmanship going on in the background between those who have to sell the part complete ship and those who have the funding to take it off their hands.I have no idea of the German bankruptcy procedure or who might actually own the ship if all stage payments haven't been received,can the OP help out?
     
  4. Squidly-Diddly
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    Interesting, seems sensible thing to do would be mothball it for a bit till market turns around. Heard from shipyard that "no reasonable offers" to buy it have come in, but hard to believe such offers aren't more that scraping profit/costs. Aren't many big ships sold to breaking yards for $1?
     
  5. jehardiman
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    jehardiman Senior Member

    If you have read other articles you will find she is nowhere near completion (i.e. fitting out is over half the work and well over 60% of the costs). So basically a shell with the major machinery installed. Plans are to sell off the prime movers (time IS money in ship construction and prime movers are often a long leg pre-order) and really all that's left is plate and a lot of copper.
     
  6. Squidly-Diddly
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    Whole thing seems odd and no details about actual amounts, etc. Hong Kong based company that bought German shipyard. Maybe it was one of those things where project was started with German Govt funding, then end of project funding from Hong Kong never happened but Hong Kong is saying "How about you give us free ship, we pay later...promise" and slowly but surely someone in Germany got a clue?

    Here in California its SOP to start a big public project with about 20% of actual funds needed, then go crying for bail out.
     
  7. Squidly-Diddly
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    Interesting, in semi-high end construction stuff like all the cabinets, carpet, etc is all ordered and paid for maybe a year or more in advance and no refunds. I assume that goes double for cruise ship items due to higher standards and specialization and lack of any chance to re-sell to anyone.
    Cut off the top deck and make it a helicopter carrier/hospital ship. Current US Navy "command ships" are over 50yrs old.
    AFAIK only giant cruise ships use those giant 360deg drive pods and engine/genset config, due to their need to do frequent precision docking, so if no one else is buying giant cruisers what they gonna do with them?
    I saw some pics supposedly of insides that looked fairly finished with corridors with door frames but not doors and stairways with rails etc but in primer paint.
     
  8. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    the American public Mexico will buy it
    o_Oo_O:p
     
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  9. jehardiman
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    jehardiman Senior Member

    With modern JIT program management, I doubt any of the passenger room outfitting has been cut yet. Sub-contractors may have money and stock in hand, but you are not going to pre-cut years in advance. And passenger outfitting is all pretty standard; where the big money flows is in the public spaces and in labor across the spectrum. She is nowhere near ready for that sizable hunk of change and it may be why there are no buyers...you have to buy into the present arrangement of spaces which may not fit your business plan.
     
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  10. Squidly-Diddly
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    Last big SF condo project I was on cabinets came from Italy and not "flat pack" but in crates. Word is they were all made because prices for materials in flux so needed to get that locked in plus like shipyard "the shop" time is scheduled, etc. Then politics happen so project on another hold for 18months so cabinets sat in warehouses. Before that it was another Peninsula condos that went bankrupt during construction so all the doors and frames sat in parking garage for 2yrs before re-start of construction and rats had gotten to them, but that was OK because after completion and passing inspection the new owners were gonna tear out all the doors and change a few others things to comply with rules of Feng Shui, but it was cheaper to just finish according to existing Blue Prints.

    Anyways, what to do with 3 massive fancy Drive Pods and engine/gensets? Ice Breaker?

    I still think giving it to US Navy would be best. If nothing else use as Task Force extra random storage, workshop and training ship. Its gonna be cabins, theaters, ball rooms, dining rooms. I hear its always maxxed out how much spare parts or other stores a ship can get stuffed with for a cruise
     
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  11. alan craig
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    alan craig Senior Member

    The ship is as big as a town so maybe it should be just that; tow it to Hong Kong or Singapore or anywhere that more accommodation is needed near the coast and use it as a town. If it was parked off the Isle or Wight it could hold about one years worth of illegal immigrants who cross the channel from France to the UK while they are being processed.
     
  12. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    Now, you are onto something..
     
  13. Squidly-Diddly
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    There are lots of people of all types that are deathly afraid to fly, or of heights. I know a highly decorated soldier who had to be tranquilized-up do be deployed via airliner do to fear of flying but once in country bullets flying past his head didn't scare him and he'll ride a motorcycle across country but is afraid of crossing high bridges and will have the bike hauled over in someone's pickup while he takes canoe or hikes the valley.

    I'm sure there are lots of Immigrant/"Refugees" the USA Govt would LIKE to bring in but are stuck in Old World due to fear of flying and lack of passenger liner service. "The Camp of the Saints" was about ships bringing the Third World to Europe. 30,000 wannabe junior warlords and staff of 2,000 Peace Corps co-ed volunteers on the ship for a 2 week cruise from Africa to USA. :)
     
  14. comfisherman
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    comfisherman Senior Member

    Worlds changed a lot since 2019... I'd bet on the world needing the raw materials more than any level of 1100 foot cruise ship.
     

  15. wet feet
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    wet feet Senior Member

    Given the amount of destruction in Ukraine,couldn't the part built ship be moved to the Black Sea as temporary accommodation?In a year or two there might be a more conventional use for it.
     
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