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A Vintage Liner Sails into the 21st Century
MV Doulos
Doulos
in
As Holly Suffron the
ships reporter said “Pastel clouds, along with a multiplicity of
buildings and supporters welcomed the Doulos into Cunningham Pier in

MV Doulos berthed at the Cunningham Pier Geelong
Photograph
by & © 2008 Andrew MacKinnon
As Doulos sailed out of
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
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
Photograph
by & © 2008 Andrew MacKinnon
2
–

Doulos
berthed at
Photograph by & ©
2008 - Yi-An Neoh

A fine stern View of the Doulos at sunrise
Photograph by & ©
2008 - Yi-An Neoh
At the official opening his Worship the Mayor
Milton Evans of
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
Photograph by & ©
2008 - Yi-An Neoh
During her enjoyable but rather short visit in

A fine early morning bow view of the Doulos in
Photograph by & ©
2008 - Yi-An Neoh
3 –
Fremantle/Perth –

The Doulos berthed at Fremantle
Photograph by Andrea-Choi
– © 2008 OM Ships International
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
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

Early morning in Fremantle
Photograph by Andrea-Choi
– © 2008 OM Ships International
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
4 - Ports after Australia & Lifeboat Drill at Sea
DILI,
Lifeboat drill at sea.
Whilst the Doulos was at sea along the Western
Australian coast sailing the Indian Ocean, bound for

Doulos’ ever graceful bow as we see a port side lifeboat
lowered and several in the water
Photograph by Andrea-Choi
– © 2008 OM Ships International

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
Photograph by Andrea-Choi
– © 2008 OM Ships International

Photograph by Andrea-Choi
– © 2008 OM Ships International

Photograph by Andrea-Choi
– © 2008 OM Ships International
“Future Ports of Call”
After the Doulos departs East Timor she will
head for
I received the following 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 two years at sea, at least until SOLAS 2010 comes into effect.

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 has 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 t the ship for each works in combination to keep this ship looking the ways 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, and you can join that support team if you are part of the Church! See the note at the bottom of the page.
Next ports:
After
Although at the time of writing the above details are correct, please note that Doulos’ itinerary can change and it is best to always check the “Future Ports of Call” page by using the index below.
Conclusion
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
Now we need to think of the challenges that
lay ahead of us as we think of 2010 and the future of this superb ship! Thus, I
ask all believers to pray for wisdom, that OM/GBA Ships International
management will listen to the Almighty and do that which He has appointed, and
not allow the will and stubbornness of man to stand in the way and thus allow
this ship to be destroyed, for indecision will have her destroyed rather than
see her used as a Bible College long in the future! If she is destroyed in 2010
– it will be the German management of GBA Ships that will have gotten in
God’s way with their indecisiveness and their never ending meetings,
rather than taking a solid stand and follow a single project. I have had the
opportunity to sell the ship four times over, but constantly rejected by
Reuben Goossens
Pastor, Maritime
Historian & author
Keep MV Doulos
Sailing – Give a Gift of Fuel
For
details enter: Give a Gift
of Fuel
Also
contacts for prayer support
MV Doulos Index
Chapters
Introduction A Vintage Liner Sails
into the 21st Century
Chapter One “Hull 176”
– SS Medina – SS Medina -1914 - 1949
Chapter Two From Onions to Passengers – SS Roma 1949 – 1953
Chapter Four A New luxury Role – MS Franca C the cruise
ship - 1959, 1970
to 1977
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
Chapter Six 1993
Electrical Project - “Heart
Transplant” in
Chapter Seven SOLAS – NEW “Safety Of Life At Sea”
regulations to come in place mid 2010
Chapter Eight Onboard Impressions - My visit to her in 1999
Chapter Nine Doulos’ Mission
Chapter Ten Doulos Goes High Tech – Satellite Dome/Dish fitted 2006
Photo Pages Photo Page One
Photo Page Two
NEW - Doulos -
2008
Part One Doulos arrives in
Brisbane –
Part Five Doulos
at Sea
- Page Two
Part Eight Doulos in
Sydney – Aug/Sept 2008 - Including the official opening
& 94th Birthday
Part Nine Doulos in Geelong, Albany & Fremantle &
The Doulos
Campaign
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a Gift of Fuel
alternatively go to our ssMaritime.com INDEX
Email
Me at
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!
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