MV Doulos - Chapter 1

ssMaritime.net

A Vintage Liner Sails into the 21^st Century

Reuben Goossens

MV Doulos

Ex MV Franca C (1952-1977), SS Roma (1948-1952), SS Medina (1914-1948)

A ship with a vast history

With the author onboard, MV Doulos arrives in Sydney on August 21, 2008 for her final Australian visit!

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Introduction

1 - What is considered vintage in maritime circles?

In maritime circles, thirty years is considered the average life span of a ship and any ship sailing longer than that is considered classic. Being an Australian I will use P&O Australia’s TSS Fairstar (ex Oxfordshire) as an example. She retired at the age of forty and departed Sydney on February 16, 1997, heading for an Indian breakers yard. Her successor however the TSS Fair Princess (ex Cunard Line Carinthia, Sitmar Cruises Fairland and Princess Cruises Fairsea) concluded her Australian cruise programme at the good age of forty-five when she returned to Sydney from her final cruise on November 10, 2000, yet she was sold to become a Casino based cruise ship based in Asia renamed TSS China Sea Discovery but was sold in August 2005 to the breakers at the ripe old age of 50. Fair Princess was considered a genuine vintage liner when she reached the half-century mark in 2005, and she was just one of a few who remained active until such a fine age.

Fair Princess was considered a vintage ship at 45 years. She is seen here mid 2000

This fine ship could have gone on for quite a few more years had she remained under good management, but during her final Asian days she was very badly managed and the company did go into liquidation, meaning the end of what was once a great ocean liner and cruise ship!

But when it comes to the MV Doulos we are speaking of one solitary ship that stands out above every other ship in the world, for there is nothing to compare it to, for obviously the Doulos has surpassed them all, and has almost doubled them all in years. The Doulos is a ship with an amazing ninety-four year history and amazingly she continues to have a future, which will see her sail on until at least October 2010 with her current owner!

2 – Doulos’ 1999 Australian Visit that inspired this work!

MV Doulos arriving in Sydney Australia - Sunday July 4, 1999

Photograph © copyright Ramon Williams – used with permission

Although the MV Doulos made her first call to Australia in 1989, for the author and many ship lovers alike it was a special occasion on Sunday July 4, 1999, when the world’s oldest deep sea passenger ship still in service sailed through Sydney Heads and into Sydney Harbour.

This elegant vintage lady gracefully slipped past the Sydney Opera House and gently manoeuvred alongside the Sydney Cove Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay, where she remained berthed until July 26. Whilst in Sydney in 1999, she had twenty official “open days,” during which some 49,880 people came to visit the ship.

MV Doulos was launched on August 22, 1914 just two years after the Titanic departed Southampton on that ill fatedl voyage. According to the "Guinness Book of Records," the Doulos is the "World’s oldest active ocean-going passenger ship" and the minute anyone lays eyes on her there is no doubt that this ship is an amazing piece of maritime history! In addition, she serves in a very special role as she sails around the world, for the Doulos is a ship that brings “Knowledge, Help and Hope” to so many needy countries around the World! I will cover this part of the ships duties later when we reach the Doulos chapters, but following words from the Bible could well sum it up …

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14.

Doulos’ arrival at the Sydney Passenger Terminal

Doulos in Sydney 19 July 1999

3 – MV Doulos - A brief career summary

During her 94-year career, she carried four names and has served in four very different roles. The Motor Vessel Doulos was originally built as the Steam Ship SS Medina and then sold having three new names appearing on her bow and stern, Roma, Franca C and the Doulos.

Originally, she was built as a simple US freighter, transporting vegetables to US ports. After a thirty four year wartime and civil career, she was sold and rebuilt as an austere migrant & refugee ship. Later she had several further renovations and she became first a trans Atlantic liner and then a luxury cruise ship. When she was a good sixty three years old she was sold to a non denominational Christian organisation, ON – Operation Mobilization to become a floating book exhibition/shop and she continues sailing to this day. During her distinguished life she has been registered in the United States, Panama, Italy and currently in Malta. MV Doulos had been continually being upgraded by OM and she remains in top condition and has all the latest safety and satellite technology! Today, the Doulos meets all the International SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea) regulations and she will be able to sail around the world until the new 2010 SOLAS regulations come into effect. Then she will have to be sold, and will either go to the breakers, or will be sold to become a floating boutique hotel and maritime museum, berthed somewhere in the world, which is the aim of the author or even as transformed into a “Super-Yacht” as one possible buyer has it. However, another goal is to see her as a non-denominational Bible college, possibly in Asia. See: “The Doulos Campaign.” But all that is in the future.

You can either read on or use the MV Doulos Index, which is located at the bottom of the page, which will lead you to the many chapters covering this historic and interesting ship - Or go directly to Chapter Two: “Hull 176” – SS Medina.

Read On – or Go to Chapter 1 – “Hull 176” - SS Medina via the Index below.

A special thank You for 1999

July 1999: I hereby wish to thank the following: The Captain of the Doulos, Captain Graeme Bird, Doulos’ Project co-ordinator, Marlieske Smilde, the wonderful Doulos’ staff and crew, for their outstanding hospitality and co-operation for giving me the freedom of the ship whilst she was in Sydney. Also, thank you to Mr. Richard Beaumont, now past Doulos' OM National Director in Australia for all your wonderful assistance. And a special thank you to Ken Miller, Director of Communications in Germany for his ongoing help over the years ever since!

My time aboard the Doulos in 2008

August 2008: I was fortunate to have spent time onboard the Doulos whilst she was in Brisbane from August 1, and sail on her to Sydney and then celebrate her 94th birthday on 22 August. There was great joy to meet quite a few ex SS Roma passengers in Brisbane who came onboard, but in Sydney we met only one. You will find two pages online with details and they are very interesting indeed (see the index). These wonderful people came to Australia to Australia on this historic 94 year old liner 58 years ago, which brought them to a land that gave them hope, and today, now named Doulos she continues to do just that! During my time on board I was able to take hundreds of photographs and many of these are on the 2008 part of this feature.

Thank you: There are a host of people to thank on the Doulos and at HQ in Germany. Doulos: The ship’s Managing Director, Dr. Daniel Chae who is always so helpful and has a great desire to see the ship survive! My delightful host on board, Sven Benseler who made my stay so special! Also, the delightful ships journalist Marl Terilli who took great care of me through my time on board and thank you for the delightful times had with your husband at Supper time. Not to forget, two very special people, Dominic (Chief Engineer) who always makes me smile and want more! And the effervescent Filipe (Project Coordinator) a delightful young man with a heart desire to learn more and more and to take in all that is good! Bless you both and thank you for all that you have given me! To all the crew and staff on board thank you for your outstanding hospitality and cooperation for giving me the freedom of the ship whilst I was on board. Germany: A special thank you to Mr. Ken Miller who I have known since 1999, also thank you to Ronnie Lappin and Mark Dimond. And a special Hi to Marlieske Smilde, you may not have been on board, but somehow everyone knows you and it felt just like you were there!

Keep MV Doulos Sailing – Give a Gift of Fuel

For details enter: Give a Gift of Fuel

Index

Chapters

Introduction A Vintage Liner Sails into the 21^st Century

Chapter One “Hull 176” – SS Medina –SS Medina -1914 - 1949

Chapter Two From Onions to Passengers – SS Roma 1949 – 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

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 …

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

Chapter Seven SOLAS – New regulations to come in place in 2010

Chapter Eight Onboard Impressions - My visit to her in 1999

Chapter Nine Doulos’ Mission - The work of OM International

Chapter Ten Doulos Goes High Tech - 2006

Ports Future Ports of Call

Photo Pages Photo Page One - 1999

Photo Page Two – 1999

Bremen 31 July 2004 - photographs by Raoul Fiebig

Previous names - Medina & Franca C - seen on her bow - photographs by Raoul Fiebig

NEW - Doulos - 2008

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

NEW My voyage to Australia on the SS Roma in 1950 – by Paul Christmann – Aug 2008

Part Four Doulos at Sea – Page One - Aug 19 & 21 - Brisbane to Sydney

Part Five Doulos at Sea - Page Two – Aug 19 & 21 - Brisbane to Sydney

Part Six Doulos Engine Room - Also, 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 the official opening & 94th Birthday

Part Nine Doulos in Geelong, Albany & Fremantle – NOW online

The Doulos Campaign – We are planning her future after 2010!

Give a Gift of Fuel – Help to fuel the Doulos or provide in other ways!

Return to the The Doulos Title Page

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Reuben Goossens commenced in Passenger Shipping industry in May 1960

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