Attempts to get GTS Finnjet back to Finland continue

Projects seeking to rescue GTS Finnjet, once the fastest passenger ferry in the world, are continuing in Finland, even though the vessel has been beached at a breakers' yard in Western India for almost two months.
      At least the Turku entrepreneur Johnny Sid is trying to raise funds in order to bring Finnjet to Turku, where the ship could serve as a floating dormitory or a hotel.
      According to Indian authorities, the vessel was to be scrapped immediately after the completion of permission formalities.
     
A group of Finnish experts is about to leave for India in order to assess the present condition of the vessel, but so far they have not obtained a permit to enter the Alang breakers' yard.
      The group will be led by a retired Finnjet officer who wishes to remain anonymous.
      Sid believes that the vessel was not badly damaged when it was driven onto the sands at Alang in early summer.
      While regarding the rescue attempts as positive, Turku Mayor Mikko Pulkkinen says that the city has not found any suitable mooring place for the vessel.
     
According to the Indian Rishi Ship Breakers company, the actual scrapping of the ship has been delayed because the authorities have requested further surveys. However, according to unconfirmed information, some of the vessel’s furnishings have already been removed.
     
The famous gas turbines, which made Finnjet the fastest car ferry in the world, were dismantled already last spring in Italy, confirms the Finnish leader of the inspection group. He says that the turbines were bought by Pratt & Whitney, the US manufacturer of aircraft engines, who had originally made the turbines.
      Finnjet is a piece of Finnish maritime history, but only when the news reached Finland that the vessel was on her way to India for potential scrapping did Finns start hankering after the iconic ship, wishing they could get Finnjet back home.
     
Although many prominent Finns are in favour of purchasing the vessel, there are also those who think otherwise. The question is whether or not saving the 30-year-old vessel from being broken up for scrap would turn out to be a profitable business venture.
      Even when in service, the vessel had great difficulty turning a profit for its owners, not least as fuel costs rose sharply.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Group of Espoo town councillors would have city buy Finnjet (22.5.2008)
  Yet more offers made to rescue Finnjet from being scrapped (5.6.2008)
  GTS Finnjet headed for breakers yard (7.5.2008)
  Silja Line´s Finnjet to provide emergency housing for Louisiana medical school (19.9.2005)
  Indian daily: Scrapping of Finnjet to commence on Thursday (19.6.2008)

Links:
  Finnjet (Wikipedia)
  Finnjetweb.com, an unofficial site and forum maintained by devotees of the vessel