Anger over possibility of QE2 being scrapped (From Daily Echo)
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Anger over possibility of QE2 being scrapped
11:44am Thursday 27th December 2012 in News
Anger over possibility of QE2 being scrapped
THe revelation that the QE2 could be sold off for scrap has been met with anger in her home city of Southampton.
As previously reported, fter four years languishing alongside the docks in Dubai, ambitious plans to convert the former iconic Cunard vessel into an international tourist attraction and floating hotel seem to have sunk without trace, leaving the ship facing an ignominious end.
The news of QE2’s fate has been met with anger in Southampton, which was the ship’s home port for nearly 40 years.
“If QE2 is sent to the scrapyard it would be an appalling act of vandalism,’’ said Terry Yarwood, a regular traveller on the ship and who once headed a group of enthusiasts who tried to keep the liner in Southampton.
“She served the country both in times of peace and war and is an important part of our nation’s heritage.’’ Even a last-minute bid by a British consortium which wanted to buy the ship and bring her back to London to be moored on the River Thames met with failure in the face of a Chinese offer, thought to be worth £20m, to reduce the once elegant liner to scrap.
Fears about her future grew when the skeleton crew, who had looked after QE2 since she arrived in the Middle East, were suddenly ordered to leave the vessel and replaced by a team of Chinese seamen.
The notoriously secretive Dubai owners of QE2 have made no official comment but reports originating in the oil-rich state suggest the ship is being prepared for her last voyage, a one-way trip to the breaker’s yard.
Southampton said an emotional final farewell to QE2 in November, 2008 when she set sail for the Middle East where the much-trumpeted project to transformher into a world-class tourist and convention centre turned into a disaster.
Initially plans called for her distinctive funnel to be removed and replaced by a towering, all-glass structure.
Decks were to be reshaped, and she would have become the dramatic centrepiece of a development designed to attract some of the richest people in the world.
However, as the global recession bit deep into Dubai’s economy, starting dates for the scheme repeatedly came and went amid assurances the plans had not been abandoned.
Even as recently as earlier this year a scaled down blueprint was drawn up to bring QE2 into service, together with the announcement she would be open for business in 18 months’ time.
Chris Fame, the maritime historian and author, said: “QE2 is the last ocean liner to have been built in Great Britain.
“She was built in Scotland at a time when all other passenger ships were being retired and against all odds went on to become a ship that was an ambassador for Britain around the world for close to 40 years.
“As the world’s most travelled ship, this unique icon of British engineering deserves to be saved and respectfully restored as a hotel, for future generations to enjoy.
“QE2 is far too significant to be scrapped. She served in the Falklands War, sailed 5.6 million nautical miles, carried 2.5 million passengers and is still to this day beloved all over the world.’’
Comments(19)
phil maccavity
says...
1:28pm Thu 27 Dec 12
Cost of purchase (plus presume towage back to the UK), annual maintenance,etc etc would be very expensive in todays difficult economic climate.
The Royal Yacht in Leith takes about £2/£2.5m net from visitors but this is situated right next to a big shopping centre with free parking and has the added advantage of Edinburgh (a major tourist attraction) on its doorstep.
If (and it is a massive IF) QE2 is to be saved for the UK, unfortunately Soton may not be the best location for it
aldermoorboy
says...
3:41pm Thu 27 Dec 12
Simply this was the best ship ever designed and it cannot be replaced.
focus19
says...
3:58pm Thu 27 Dec 12
Lord Ikea
says...
4:48pm Thu 27 Dec 12
southampton999
says...
5:56pm Thu 27 Dec 12
hulla baloo wrote:Dubai is not oil rich!!!
According to the Echo report on the 24th, it currently costs 650,000 a month to keep her as it she is.Then add the renovation costs, and the subsequent running costs, but if the oil and cash rich state cannot see it as viable, then what hope have the city of Southampton.
southampton999
says...
5:59pm Thu 27 Dec 12
hulla baloo
says...
6:19pm Thu 27 Dec 12
southampton999 wrote:Economy is now real estate,finance and tourism but was originally kickstarted from oil revenues.
hulla baloo wrote:Dubai is not oil rich!!!
According to the Echo report on the 24th, it currently costs 650,000 a month to keep her as it she is.Then add the renovation costs, and the subsequent running costs, but if the oil and cash rich state cannot see it as viable, then what hope have the city of Southampton.
southampton999
says...
6:32pm Thu 27 Dec 12
Sotonianman
says...
6:41pm Thu 27 Dec 12
QE2 become old and expensive to operate and maintain and her time was up.
This was the inevitable end of a great ship.
I wonder how many people in Southampton would actually visit the QE2 if it became an attraction and how much would they pay. Would they be prepared to pay £25 for a look around, I don't think so.
southampton999
says...
6:44pm Thu 27 Dec 12
Sotonianman wrote:You are right. It would have been a great Hotel in DXB but it did not work so the Chinese will take it and recycle it into Rover cars or maybe knives and forks that we can all use.
Merchant ships are built to make money and when they do not make a reasonable return they are scrapped.
QE2 become old and expensive to operate and maintain and her time was up.
This was the inevitable end of a great ship.
I wonder how many people in Southampton would actually visit the QE2 if it became an attraction and how much would they pay. Would they be prepared to pay £25 for a look around, I don't think so.
bazzeroz
says...
7:36pm Thu 27 Dec 12
.... they sold it, it was theirs now its not!
andysaints007
says...
3:19am Fri 28 Dec 12
southampton999 wrote:Wind your neck in you d*ckhead
Yes that is right. They realised a long time ago that they had to change.So they decided to 'build it and they will come'. Which is exactly what they have done. What is really annoying with the DE website is that I spelled realised correctly but the spell check said that realized was the correct spelling. We are British DE not American!!! SORT THIS OUT PLEASE!!!!A few other words to check aluminum, color, jail,yep they use an American spell check. What a load of B0110X!!!!
southampton999
says...
9:41am Fri 28 Dec 12
andysaints007 wrote:Wow you are intelligent!!
southampton999 wrote:Wind your neck in you d*ckhead
Yes that is right. They realised a long time ago that they had to change.So they decided to 'build it and they will come'. Which is exactly what they have done. What is really annoying with the DE website is that I spelled realised correctly but the spell check said that realized was the correct spelling. We are British DE not American!!! SORT THIS OUT PLEASE!!!!A few other words to check aluminum, color, jail,yep they use an American spell check. What a load of B0110X!!!!
Linesman
says...
10:18am Fri 28 Dec 12
andysaints007 wrote:Another americanism.
southampton999 wrote:Wind your neck in you d*ckhead
Yes that is right. They realised a long time ago that they had to change.So they decided to 'build it and they will come'. Which is exactly what they have done. What is really annoying with the DE website is that I spelled realised correctly but the spell check said that realized was the correct spelling. We are British DE not American!!! SORT THIS OUT PLEASE!!!!A few other words to check aluminum, color, jail,yep they use an American spell check. What a load of B0110X!!!!
X Old Bill
says...
12:19pm Fri 28 Dec 12
Linesman wrote:Now that the thread has drifted onto another subject it might be worth mentioning that the Echo website does not have a 'Spell-checker' .
andysaints007 wrote:Another americanism.
southampton999 wrote:Wind your neck in you d*ckhead
Yes that is right. They realised a long time ago that they had to change.So they decided to 'build it and they will come'. Which is exactly what they have done. What is really annoying with the DE website is that I spelled realised correctly but the spell check said that realized was the correct spelling. We are British DE not American!!! SORT THIS OUT PLEASE!!!!A few other words to check aluminum, color, jail,yep they use an American spell check. What a load of B0110X!!!!
The software for that facility is in your own machine and the language is set by the user (you!).
If The Echo did provide such assistance then Southy's posts might occasionally make sense.
ac1947
says...
12:37pm Fri 28 Dec 12
Once the name Southy's is mentioned we all know the subject goes off at a tangent...
X Old Bill
says...
3:53pm Fri 28 Dec 12
40 years is about the age when a ship becomes completely uneconomic to run as a ship, so forget that idea.
Static ship? First find someone with deep enough pockets to back the project - They would expect some return. Evidently there is no one rich enough in Dubai at the moment.
As far as I can gather the current scrapping is a rumour that the press have decided to run with based on the fact that she has recently taken on some Chinese crew.
Historic ship that served in the Falkland war? What about HMS Plymouth on which the surrender was signed? She is currently waiting a tow to a scrap yard in Turkey, and if they cant 'save' her, what chance for a troopship?
Pikey-Biker
says...
5:07am Mon 7 Jan 13
andysaints007 wrote:you are just showing off now andy!
southampton999 wrote: Yes that is right. They realised a long time ago that they had to change.So they decided to 'build it and they will come'. Which is exactly what they have done. What is really annoying with the DE website is that I spelled realised correctly but the spell check said that realized was the correct spelling. We are British DE not American!!! SORT THIS OUT PLEASE!!!!A few other words to check aluminum, color, jail,yep they use an American spell check. What a load of B0110X!!!!Wind your neck in you d*ckhead
hulla baloo says...
11:59am Thu 27 Dec 12