ssMaritime.net

MV Doulos

A SHIP LIKE NO OTHER

By Reuben Goossens

SS Medina

The American 1914 built ship that sailed 95 Years into History

 

SS Medina (1914-1948) was sold and renamed: SS Roma (1948-1952)

MS Franca C (1952-1977) - MV Doulos - (1977-2010)

Doulos Phos – (2010 - ) Now located permanently in Singapore

  

 

*Photographic credits are usually shown under each photo, or on the image, however if a photograph is marked

“Photographer unknown” please read the Photo notes at the bottom of the page

 

Provided by www.timeanddate.com/clocks/free.html

This feature deals with the remarkable vintage liner that is currently named Doulos Phos, but was built as a simple freighter in the United States named SS Medina. More recently, this remarkable ship that had been sold to become a migrant ship and then a luxury cruise ship, was GBA/OM Ships International’s Christian Missionary Ship and Book Fair the MV Doulos and she laden with up to 350 volunteers took the Gospel of Jesus Christ to countries around the globe, including many Muslim countries.

This ship has been an extraordinary freighter, trooper and then a passenger vessel, in addition she has been in active service longer than any other ocean-going passenger ship in existence - a full 95 years of sailing the oceans of the world! SS Medina was built in 1914, just two years after Titanic’s ill-fated voyage. Thus this vintage ship has had a long and fascinating story as she was sold a number of times and continually saved from the breakers, and radically rebuilt over the years, for this reason her history will be fully explored in this work!

The World Guinness Book of Records officially states that whist she was the MV Doulos, she was the “Worlds oldest active passenger ocean-going ship.”

I trust that you will enjoy the contents of – MV Doulos “A ship like no other.”

Reuben Goossens

Maritime Historian, author and Lecturer

Official Maritime Historian of the MV Doulos / Doulos Phos

 

Please Note: This work is owned, protected under the International © copyright laws and the property of Reuben Goossens of ssmaritime.net. No part of this work including any of the images shown may be copied, or reproduced by any means and reproduced by any format, be it for private or commercial usage, without prior written permission from the author.

 

Email the author …

Please name the ship you are writing about

 

Start by reading the “Introduction” – A Ship Like No Other

 

Thereafter use this sites main INDEX below or the links to the next pages on each page

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PLEASE NOTE:

Doulos was decommissioned by OM Ships in December 2009 whilst she was in Singapore

Read my … MV Doulos Preservation Campaign page for details

on how my campaign saved her for the future to become the Doulos Phos.

 

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Main Index

PART ONE                                       Based on the author’s 1999 visit to MV Doulos in Sydney

Introduction                                A Ship Like No Other

Chapter One                               Part One - SS Medina - 1914 – 1940 – her history and World War I

NEW Page                                 Part Two – SS Medina – 1940 – 1948 - World War II until sold

Chapter Two                               From Onions to Passengers - SS Roma - 1948 – 1953

Chapter Three                             A New Beginning - MS Franca C the liner - 1953 - 1959

Chapter Four                               A New luxury Role - MS Franca C the cruise ship - 1959, 1970 to 1977

                                               Brochures - MS Franca C the cruise ship - brochures 1959 to 1977

                                                Menus  Dating from Franca C very first cruises in Nov/Dec 1959

                                               Cabin Plan One - 1959 - 1970

                                               Cabin Plan Two - 1970 – 1977

Chapter Five                               A New Role for a Grand Old Lady of the Sea - MV Doulos - 1977 -2010

Chapter Six                                 1993 Electrical Project - “Heart Transplant” in Cape Town

Chapter Seven                            SOLAS - Safety regulations

Chapter Eight                              Onboard Impressions - My visit to her in 1999

Chapter Nine                               Doulos’ Mission - The work of OM Ships International = “saving souls for Christ!”

Chapter Ten                                Doulos Goes High Tech - Satellite Dome/Dish fitted 2006. (Added in 2008)

Photo Pages                                Photo Page One - 1999

                                               Photo Page Two – 1999

PART TWO                              The “2008 chapters” - The author joins the ship in Brisbane & Continuing through to 2010

Part One                                    Doulos arrives in Brisbane - July 31, 2008

Part Two                                    Doulos in Brisbane - Aug 1 to 19

Part Three                                  ex 1950 SS Roma Passengers visit the Doulos in Australia - Aug 2008

                                               My voyage to Australia on the SS Roma in 1950 - by Paul Christmann

Part Four                                    Doulos at Sea - Page One - Brisbane to Sydney

Part Five                                    Doulos at Sea - Page Two - Brisbane to Sydney

Part Six                                      Doulos’ Engine Room – Including: November 2007 dry-dock & propeller & shaft work

Part Seven                                 Speaking with Doulos’ Crew and Staff - Interviews

Part Eight                                   Doulos in Sydney - Aug/Sept 2008 - Including 94th Birthday

Part Nine                                    Geelong, Albany & Fremantle - Sept 11 to Nov 29, including East Timor & Singapore

Part Ten                                     Doulos Deck Plan - These are current & up to date deck plans - NEW page

Part Eleven                                 Ports of Call Genoa 1977 to Singapore 2009 –\

                                                Doulos = decommissioned on 31 December 2009 – Singapore 2010 her final destination!

Part Twelve                                MV Doulos Phos Campaign - She now has a new home in Singapore!

NEW                                      Doulos Phos in Singapore - She will be permanently berthed in Singapore - read our NEWS updates and details, including a link to her new owners website which shows their other vessel, which is operated as a dinning venue as well as for meetings, etc. IF THERE IS any NEWS regarding the Doulos Phos - it will be on this page!

PLEASE NOTE:

Doulos was decommissioned by OM Ships in December 2009 whilst she was in Singapore

Read my … MV Doulos Preservation Campaign page for details

on how my campaign saved her for the future to become the Doulos Phos.

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If you have enjoyed this feature and you feel you might have something of interest to add, be it a story or some photographs, I would appreciate hearing from you!

 

Use the Back button on your browser or Close the Page to return to the previous page
alternatively go to our ssMaritime.com INDEX for a listing of some 260 ships

 

Who is the Author of ssMaritime?

Commenced in Passenger Shipping industry in May 1960

  

Email the author …

Please name the ship you are writing about

  

ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net

Where the ships of the past make history & the 1914 built MV Doulos Story

 

Also visit my …

Save The Classic Liners Campaign & Classic Ocean Voyages pages

 

Photographs on ssmaritime and associate pages are: 1. By the author. 2. From the author’s private collection. 3. As provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are photographs provided to me without details provided regarding the photographer concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves known to me, that due credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have seen a multitude of my own photographs on other sites, yet they either refuse to give me credit and even refuse to remove them, knowing full well that there is no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show the charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give credit where credit is due! Note: I do not credit those who send me photos as they are not the owners of the photographs concerned, unless the image is part of their private collection.

 

Copyright: “MV Doulos - A Ship Like No Other” is owned, protected under the International © copyright laws and is the property of Reuben Goossens of ssmaritime.net. No part of this work including any of the images shown may be copied or reproduced by any means or reproduced by any format whatsoever, be it for private or commercial usage, without prior written permission from the author.

 

 

 

ssMaritime is owned and © Copyright 2010 - by Reuben Goossens - All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

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