ssMaritime.net

A Vintage Liner Sails into the 21^st Century

Reuben Goossens

MV Doulos - 2008

Ex SS Medina, SS Roma, MV Franca C

Part Nine

Doulos in Geelong - Albany – Fremantle & Lifeboat Drill at Sea

Now includes: East Timor, Singapore Dry-Dock & Kuching Malaysia

1 - Geelong Victoria

As Holly Suffron the ships reporter said “Pastel clouds, along with a multiplicity of buildings and supporters welcomed the Doulos into Cunningham Pier in Geelong, Australia. Situated in a small-town atmosphere, this private pier allowed more visitors to come than all the other ports so far in the Land Down Under. Thus, Geelong proved to be a massive hit! With Doulos open from 12 to 28 September the number of visitors was far above expectations. Unexpectedly, some 28,500 people visited the ship, that is 3,500 more than in Brisbane, and that was already a record. However, many had come from further afield, such as Melbourne and Ballarat. The Doulos was berthed alongside Cunningham Pier, which is close to the city centre and along the boulevard! The crew greatly enjoyed their stay in beautiful Geelong and the wonderful hospitality that was extended to them there! On the 29^th of September she departed Geelong for Albany Western Australia arriving there, as I was told, after a somewhat rough voyage, especially for the a good number new volunteers who had only just joined the ship!

MV Doulos berthed at the Cunningham Pier Geelong

As Doulos sailed out of Geelong (Doulos port number 585), the bright blue skies and the friends that were made whilst in port came and waved the ship a fond farewell, it was a moving experience and it made Geelong a standout port!

Andrew MacKinnon was fortunate to sail on Doulos as the guest of Pilot Captain Neal Oxley, as the Doulos sailed to Port Phillip Heads on Monday the 29th of September 2008 and he returned back to shore on the Pilot boat. The following photographs were all taken by Andrew during his special experience on the Doulos’ first and last call to Geelong.

I hereby wish to thank Andrew MacKinnon for making the following photographs available to ssMaritime for they will be greatly appreciated by all who love this fine and historic ship for many years to come! However please note that these photographs are Copyright © 2008 Andrew MacKinnon and that they cannot be copied or reproduced without written consent.

As the Doulos slowly slips away from Cunningham Pier, Geelong Pilot Captain Neal Oxley seen on the left and Doulos’ ship’s master, Captain Ashley McDonald just behind him, overseeing the manoeuvre.

With the helmsman just out of sight on the far right, we see telegraph showing full ahead as the Doulos is underway sailing at 11 around knots.

Here is a fine view of Arthurs Seat as we approached the Hovel Pile off Rosebud. At first it was hard to see, but once a little rain had passed, we could clearly see it.

Doulos always has a well-packed foredeck, complete with a small fleet of vans to travel about in when in port

MV Doulos seen at sea bound for Albany

2 – Albany – Western Australia

Doulos berthed at Albany – A superb sunrise scene!

The Doulos arrived in Port Albany Wharf 1, at 9am on October 4 for what was to be only a short but a most enjoyable stay and what proved to be a delightful town.

Albany will now join the Doulos record books as she will forever be listed as the 586th port visited since the ship commenced sailing in 1977 and she has visited a total of 103 countries.

A fine stern View of the Doulos at sunrise

At the official opening his Worship the Mayor Milton Evans of Albany welcomed the Doulos by saying, “We have a strong and deep maritime history.” During the proceedings, Korean singers, accompanied by the piano sang an emotional song in remembrance of the love Albany shared with the crew years ago when in 1991, Doulos made its first visit to Albany for recuperation after the terrorist attack in Zamboanga, Philippines. Two visits to Albany later, with 48 nationalities, the Doulos crew continues to “have chosen to serve the needs of people around the world,” said the Doulos’ Director Dr. Daniel Chae (South Korea). Mayor Milton Evans commented, “That’s a principle people try their whole life to find.” As this is the last tour of the Doulos in Australia, it was important for the ship to visit this city for, “Albany has a long friendship with the Doulos,” concluded Dr. Daniel Chae.

However, on the negative side, unlike in every other port in the world and whilst the Doulos visited Brisbane, Sydney and Geelong in Albany Doulos’ sewage waste had to be trucked away at an incredible expense, considering the ship is but a charity organisation. Why did this happen? It was because the treatment used on the ships sewage system was not recognized by the WA government, even though it is fine with the rest of the world! Fremantle would again cause the same problems, more about that later.

Doulos’ mini busses lined up at Albany’s wharf ready for another day’s outings

During her enjoyable but rather short visit in Albany some 8,268 people visited the Doulos. Total visitors to the Doulos since 1977 including Albany have been 20,688,207. Books were in popular demand, with educational books sold covering some 40.81% and Christian books 30.91% of the sales. She departed Albany on October 8, at 8pm bound for Fremantle.

A fine early morning bow view of the Doulos in Albany

3 – Fremantle/Perth – Western Australia

The Doulos berthed at Fremantle

The Doulos arrived in Fremantle on 10 October and is berthed at Berth C at Victoria Quay. Present at the official opening was his the Mayor of Fremantle Mr. Peter Tagliaferri and Honourable Minister for Culture & the Arts, Mr. John Day.

Her first few days in port were difficult to say the least as port authorities, as it was in Albany WA, but unlike every other port and State in Australia and the world for that matter, would not provide clearance for the ship to discharge its fully treated sewerage water into the sea. Thus, all staff onboard and visitors alike were forced day and night to go ashore for the first day or so to go to use the facilities. Soon it was proven that ship ships system was in A1 condition and clearance was given, but, Western Australia this is what your (WA people) have written me “I am and always have been a Western Australian and very proudly so, but, in the situation the Doulos found itself in, we in WA certainly have nothing to be proud of. I have to say that the Doulos staff are a wonderful bunch of people and they took it so well and without a single complaint, it proves that they are true bunch of Christians. But I as a Western Australian feel utterly ashamed that this situation occurred, for our authorities actions put a blot on our State and our nation.” John G.

Comment.

It is true that the Doulos is an old ship, but I can tell you that she is in far better condition than many modern ships that Fremantle allow into their harbour. I sailed on the P&O liner MV Oriana last year and her maintenance was nothing short from atrocious, but it was well hidden. Out of 50 nights, we were without air-conditioning for 35 nights and suffered every night, there were toilets out of order all over the ship and many were never fixed during the cruise, and yet this ship was only built in 1995. However, in spite of the the obvious signs of neglect, Fremantle had no problem with her, but the difference is that she injects well over 500 million dollars into the local community during her eight hour visit, and that makes all the difference! Yet the Doulos which is spotless and superbly maintained and accepted in every port around the world and Australia, yet only Western Australia had a problem with her - WHY?

Early morning in Fremantle

During her first 12 open days the Doulos received some 12,412 visitors to the book exhibition alone, in addition there were those who did the ship tour as well as those who attended the various conferences onboard. From reports from various staff members, they are having a wonderful time and meeting some great new and some old friends!

By the time Doulos departed Fremantle on November 29 her stay had been a tremendous success with some 26,823 visitors boarding the Doulos to visit the book fair, attend conferences and other programmes as well as the ships tours. Book sales were reported to have done quite well and over all, the Doulos and her crew told me that they had a wonderful time in Fremantle and they just loved their time in both New Zealand and Australia!

November 29, 2008 - MV Doulos departs Australia for the very last time

Sent in by a supporter but the *photographer is unknown

*Please see the photo notes at bottom of page

4 - Ports after Australia & Lifeboat Drill at Sea

DILI, East Timor: After Fremantle the Doulos will sail to Dili East Timor arriving on November 4 and will depart on the 11th. Whilst she is there the ships crew have some important aid work to perform as there have been significant donations made whilst the ship has been in Australia. Both medical equipment and other much needed items have been donated especially for East Timor. Thus, the Doulos team will have a grand task ahead of them, a task that the Douloid’s (Doulos’ crew) are really good at!

Lifeboat drill at sea.

Whilst the Doulos was at sea along the Western Australian coast sailing the Indian Ocean, bound for East Timor, on November 1, considering it was a nice calm day, time had come for an official lifeboat drill where lifeboats are lowered into the sea. The photographs below were taken by the ships photographer Andrea-Choi and they provides us with some excellent images of that event, as well as some superb photographs of our beloved vintage liner!

Doulos’ ever graceful bow as we see a port side lifeboat lowered and several in the water

As you can see from the photos above and below all lifeboats are lowered into the sea

and each is filled with the ships crew

“Singapore Dry-Docking & Future Ports of Call”

After the Doulos departed East Timor she headed for Singapore where they arrived on November 17. During this time Doulos underwent annual her maintenance work in Dry-Dock.

I received the photograph below from Chief Engineer Dominic Bothello and I am very grateful to him and his wonderful family! The work was a great success and the Doulos is ready for a further few years at sea.

Doulos looking gleaning white with her blue boot topping and red hull working in perfect harmony

Internally her boilers have been upgraded as has much in the engine room and other parts of the ship. Although there have been Singaporean workers from the shipyards assisting the work, but the volunteer crew, from the Chief Engineer down to the Deck Hand is a credit to the ship for each works in combination to keep this ship operating perfectly and looking the way she does, and sailing the globe for over 94 years without any major mishaps. Mind you, being a Christian ship, you will also be told, that there is not only a great deal of prayer on board the ship, but by those who support the ship worldwide, and you can join that support team if you are part of the Church! See the note at the bottom of the page.

Her ports of call:

After Singapore she departed on December 8 and headed for Kuching Malaysia arriving on the 10thJ. MV Doulos departed Kuching on January 3 bound for Cebu in the Philippines where she arrived on the 8thjand departed on the 11th. The next day she arrived at Bacolod and departed for Manila on March 3, where she arrived on the 5th. She is due to depart Manila on 31 March for Kaohsiung Taiwan.

A stormy voyage from Manila to Kaohsiung:

The voyage from the Philippines to Taiwan was far from being “the smoothest voyage I have been on” wrote Gary Barto one of the best known Douloid’s. He said “It was rough for the two and a half days and some just stayed in their beds.”

Stormy weather bound for Taiwan

Someone else wrote, “huge waves kept breaking over the bow hitting the foc’s’le and it caused some damage due to the strength of the wind and the huge seas, which also resulted in the ship arriving some seven hours late.”

Apparently many of the Douloid’s were sea sick whilst going through going through a type 8 seas, something we certainly so not see very often. As Gary Barto stated, “It was really spectacular and awesome to see God’s power in the sea. We got drenched if we went out on deck. The captain declared the outside front of the ship off limits for safety purposes.” Needless to say that the dinning room was not filled like its usual self during these days. Happily this kind of weather does not happen often and as most douloid’s sign on never having been to sea most get their sea leg’s in a short time.

Arrival in Taiwan:

Doulos arrived a little late on April 2 and remained there until the 29th. There will be two more ports in Taiwan, one being, Haulien arriving on 30 April and departing for Keelung on May 13, where she will arrive the next day. Doulos will depart Keelung on June 4 for Hong Kong on June 6 and stay until 4 July 2009.

If you would like to follow Doulos’ “Future Ports of Call” I suggest that you use the index below and click on “Future Ports of Call.”

Conclusion of Doulos’ final Australian voyage

This page concludes the 2008 Doulos’ final Australian visit, and I am so pleased that I was able to spend almost a month onboard and sailing down to Sydney on her. During this time I made countless new and wonderful friends who will always be very special in my heart! I have come to know this most loved ship so much better having lived on her and explored every remote corner of her as these pages will have shown in photographic detail. However, I wish to thank OM Ships International for inviting me, Mr. Ken Miller in Germany and my gracious host onboard Mr. Sven Benseler and his dear wife Mirjam and their delightful children, Joshua and Samuel. Their kindness and willingness to assist me in my endeavours onboard was never ending! Thank you and I am sure that you will know that you are my friends and brethren forever! To all the Douloid’s I met and you know who you are; thank you for your wonderful hospitality and your kindnesses, you have made my stay onboard so special and I think that it has reflected in these 2008 pages. I give praise and thanks to the Almighty for allowing me to share Your Word on several occasions whilst on the voyage to Your Douloids - servants!

To conclude, the good news is that the historic MV Doulos has been saved and she will sail on for many more years yet, all thanks to be able to reclassify her. This will mean some difficulties for OM, but, I know that a new way of operation is currently being worked on, as long as this historic ship is retained and serving the Lord!

Reuben Goossens

Pastor, Maritime Historian & author

ssMaritime & RMI-Ministries

Go to Part Ten - Doulos Deck Plan – These are current & up to date deck plans

Or, return to the MV Doulos Main Index

PLEASE NOTE:

MV Doulos has been decommissioned in December 2009

Read the …

“MV Doulos Campaign”

Enter the “Save the MV Doulos Campaign” page

***************************************************

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?

Reuben Goossens commenced in Passenger Shipping industry in May 1960

Email the author – at:

info@ssmaritime.com

PLEASE NOTE: I receive hundreds of requests for Passenger/Crew Lists and Sailing Schedules. I hereby wish to advise that I am unable to assist due to time restrains and as most shipping companies have long gone these lists/schedules are no longer available. I regret to advise that any request for these will no longer be answered regardless of the circumstances presented!

ssMaritime.net

Also visit …

www.ssmaritime.com

Discover over 260 Classic Passenger liners

By the same author

Please Note:

Photographs on ssMaritime and ssmaritime.net are: 1. By the author. 2. From the author’s private collection. 3. As provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers. 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 seem 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.

This notice covers all pages, although, we have done our best to ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page, that is, when a page is updated!

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. info@ssmaritime.com.

Hit Counter since April 2005

melbourne dry cleaners Counter