ssMaritime.net

MV Doulos

“A Ship Like no Other”

By Reuben Goossens

An 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

Chapter Ten

--MV Doulos--

Doulos “Goes High Tech” in 2006

Doulos after her arrival at Manama Bahrain on March 1

Unless marked otherwise - photographs on this page are by the ships photographer & are © Copyright MV Doulos

Whilst the Doulos was in Manama, Bahrain a new satellite system was installed. The equipment was generously donated to the Doulos by two American Christian organisations and it was finally mounted on the aft sun deck on Wednesday March 8, 2006. After months of preparation Doulos has entered a new era in communications. The satellite gives the ship satellite navigation as well as most welcome 24-hour access to the phone and Internet. For the 350 volunteer staff and crew onboard this means no more waiting for local phone lines to be connected in each port, and unbroken contact with the rest of the world during long voyages.

American Chris Carson who was the Project IT Manager, who had flown in from the UK said; “It went very well, considering that the tools for the installation didn’t arrive until after the satellite was mounted on the deck!”

All departments onboard had pulled together to make the installation possible. Welders and engineers had worked since dry-dock earlier to reinforce the deck to support the 2 tonne apparatus, carpenters constructed a new server room in the IT office, electricians ran new cables up to the deck and line-up staff prepared customs permission and the crane needed to lift the pedestal and dome onto the ship.

Having been only lifted into place on Wednesday, by Thursday evening the system was operational and ship's company was receiving instructions on using the new phone system.

With a 6-meter high pedestal and fibreglass dome housing the satellite dish sitting just behind the funnel, the veteran of the sea suddenly has a whole new look. Whilst her Bridge is 100% and looks 1914, not much further aft the satellite dome is the future, making this ship totally unique!

Photo Album

The base and pedestal is being assembled up on Sun Deck aft

The Disc is placed into the Dome and wiring connected

The dome is connected and closed

The pedestal is complete and the dome is ready to be fitted

Just a small a matter of placing on the right spot and she is ready to be connected

The Grand Dame sails on now that history and the future has come together

Photograph © 2006 MV Doulos photographer

Go to Photo Page One & Photo Page Two

New updated section – MV Doulos Aug/Dec 2009

Part one - Doulos arrives in Brisbane – July 31, 2008

Return to the Author’s – MV Doulos “A Ship Like No Other” Main Index

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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Commenced in Passenger Shipping industry in May 1960

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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.

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