World Discoverer
Encyclopedia
The World Discoverer was a cruise ship
designed for and built by Schichau Unterweser, Germany
in 1974. Originally named BEWA Discoverer, the ship was completed in Bremerhaven, Germany.
. In 1987, Society Expedition came under new ownership and was renamed Society Expedition Cruises with offices in Seattle and Germany
. The new owner of the ship was Discoverer Reederei who also has ownership of other vessels such as . In 1990, she was registered in Liberia under the name World Discoverer. The vessel had a double hull construction allowing for periodic voyages to Antarctic Peninsula region for its passengers to observe ice floe movements and protection for any minor impacts. In 1996, the ship was refurbished under the new name, World Discoverer. The ship carried a fleet of inflatable dinghies allowing passenger to move closer to ice floes for observation.
During the period from November through February (Austral summer), the ship conducted cruises in the Southern Hemisphere and visited places like Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, Chile, Ushuaia, Argentina. Between March and May, the ship cruised the South Pacific Islands. It also cruised this area between the months of August and October. Between the months of June and August, the ship cruised around the Alaskan region and also the Russian border around the Bering Sea. The World Discoverer was classified as a Swedish/Finnish 1A Ice class
allowing the ship to withstand minor floe impacts . The World Discoverer also had a 8000 miles (12,874.7 km) cruising range allowing the ship travel the Northwest Passage
. The ship was captained by Oliver Kruess who was also served as Chief Mate aboard the ship at one point. Society Expeditions also hired a small team of experienced expedition leaders to answer any tourist questions concerning the region, ice floes, their movements, and the ship's destinations. A small fleet of dinghies landed passengers on various shorelines for observation of local wildlife in the area. Each day comprised typically two to three expeditions to the shoreline. The expeditions were led by geologists, historians, naturalists, and marine biologists. The ship was equipped with an observation lounge, medical center with an active physician, library, sun deck with a small swimming pool, small fitness center, and a lecture hall. Just over 700 tourists have traveled to Antarctica on the World Discoverer each season in the past years.
. Captain Oliver Kruess sent a distress signal, which was received by Solomon Islands
capital Honiara
. A passenger ferry was dispatched to the ship where all passengers were then transported to safety. The captain then brought the ship into Roderick Bay after the ship began to list 20 degrees and grounded it to avoid sinking. After underwater surveying of the ship, the World Discoverer was declared a "constructive loss". The ship has remained in Roderick Bay ever since. There were no reports of any oil, petroleum or other pollutant spills as a result of the impact.
Michael Lomax, President of Society Expeditions, congratulated the captain and their crew for their heroic and professional actions saying that they performed in an "exemplary manner" during the crisis. The ship was scheduled to have its annual dry-dock inspection on May 11 when annual maintenance work would have been completed. Also planned, were the addition of two additional suites on the boat deck and also the installation of a new fire protection system throughout the ship.
were undergoing civil war; the ship was boarded by locals who took the equipment and other critical devices. Further tidal activity also damaged the ship even more. The ship has now been sustaining surface rusting with many of the windows removed. The ship became a tourist attraction with the locals of the island as well as other cruise lines, which pass by the World Discoverer, including MV Princess II. The ship can still be seen on Google maps
.
In the aftermath of the crisis, Society Expedition refurbished an ice class vessel called the new World Discoverer, and it was launched in 2002, resuming cruises again. Society Expedition ceased operations in June 2004 after their new vessel was seized by creditors in Nome, Alaska
. Two weeks later, Society Expedition filed chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy in July 2004.
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
designed for and built by Schichau Unterweser, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1974. Originally named BEWA Discoverer, the ship was completed in Bremerhaven, Germany.
History
The vessel was originally built as the BEWA Discoverer in 1974 . The ship was sold to BEWA Cruises out of Denmark. In July 1976, the vessel was again sold to Adventure Cruises Inc. and was renamed the World Discoverer. The ship also became a long term charter to Society Expeditions. In 1976, the ship was registered in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. In 1987, Society Expedition came under new ownership and was renamed Society Expedition Cruises with offices in Seattle and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The new owner of the ship was Discoverer Reederei who also has ownership of other vessels such as . In 1990, she was registered in Liberia under the name World Discoverer. The vessel had a double hull construction allowing for periodic voyages to Antarctic Peninsula region for its passengers to observe ice floe movements and protection for any minor impacts. In 1996, the ship was refurbished under the new name, World Discoverer. The ship carried a fleet of inflatable dinghies allowing passenger to move closer to ice floes for observation.
Service history
Ice class
Ships with an Ice Class have a strengthened hull to enable them to navigate through sea ice.-History:The first requirements for merchant ships to be escorted by icebreakers were set in Finland in 1890, after winter traffic to the port of Hanko was started. In the past, different classification...
allowing the ship to withstand minor floe impacts . The World Discoverer also had a 8000 miles (12,874.7 km) cruising range allowing the ship travel the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
. The ship was captained by Oliver Kruess who was also served as Chief Mate aboard the ship at one point. Society Expeditions also hired a small team of experienced expedition leaders to answer any tourist questions concerning the region, ice floes, their movements, and the ship's destinations. A small fleet of dinghies landed passengers on various shorelines for observation of local wildlife in the area. Each day comprised typically two to three expeditions to the shoreline. The expeditions were led by geologists, historians, naturalists, and marine biologists. The ship was equipped with an observation lounge, medical center with an active physician, library, sun deck with a small swimming pool, small fitness center, and a lecture hall. Just over 700 tourists have traveled to Antarctica on the World Discoverer each season in the past years.
The Wreck
On Sunday April 30, 2000, at 4:00 pm local time (0500 GMT), the ship struck a large uncharted rock or reef on the Sandfly Passage, Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
. Captain Oliver Kruess sent a distress signal, which was received by Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
capital Honiara
Honiara
Honiara, population 49,107 , 78,190 , is the capital of the Solomon Islands and of Guadalcanal Province, although it is a separately administered town...
. A passenger ferry was dispatched to the ship where all passengers were then transported to safety. The captain then brought the ship into Roderick Bay after the ship began to list 20 degrees and grounded it to avoid sinking. After underwater surveying of the ship, the World Discoverer was declared a "constructive loss". The ship has remained in Roderick Bay ever since. There were no reports of any oil, petroleum or other pollutant spills as a result of the impact.
Michael Lomax, President of Society Expeditions, congratulated the captain and their crew for their heroic and professional actions saying that they performed in an "exemplary manner" during the crisis. The ship was scheduled to have its annual dry-dock inspection on May 11 when annual maintenance work would have been completed. Also planned, were the addition of two additional suites on the boat deck and also the installation of a new fire protection system throughout the ship.
Aftermath
The World Discoverer still sits in Roderick Bay on Nggela Island with a 46 degree list. The closest salvage companies to try and salvage the ship station out of Australia found the ship ransacked by the locals and other factions. The Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
were undergoing civil war; the ship was boarded by locals who took the equipment and other critical devices. Further tidal activity also damaged the ship even more. The ship has now been sustaining surface rusting with many of the windows removed. The ship became a tourist attraction with the locals of the island as well as other cruise lines, which pass by the World Discoverer, including MV Princess II. The ship can still be seen on Google maps
Google Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
.
In the aftermath of the crisis, Society Expedition refurbished an ice class vessel called the new World Discoverer, and it was launched in 2002, resuming cruises again. Society Expedition ceased operations in June 2004 after their new vessel was seized by creditors in Nome, Alaska
Nome, Alaska
Nome is a city in the Nome Census Area in the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southern Seward Peninsula coast on Norton Sound of the Bering Sea. According to the 2010 Census, the city population was 3,598. Nome was incorporated on April 9, 1901, and was once the...
. Two weeks later, Society Expedition filed chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy in July 2004.