Finnjet might not be scrapped after all

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The passenger vessel Da Vinci, formerly the high-speed gas turbine ferry Finnjet, may not end up as scrap metal anytime soon, despite news to the contrary on the website of US Shipbrokers.
     
The Turkish shipbroker MSK Maritim Services & Trading Ltd, which is registered in the Marshall Islands, has proposed a new use for the Finnjet.
      Turgay Kinalibalaba of MSK says that two interesting offers have been made for the vessel, and that the clients of the broker and the new owners of Finnjet are reportedly negotiating.
      Both sides would prefer that the ship should remain in active use.
      One of the offers would put the vessel in the Red Sea, where it would operate between Jedda in Saudi Arabia to Suez in Egypt, and to Port Sudan.
      The other offer would take the former vessel to the Mediterranean, where it would operate on a route extending from Ghazaouet in the west of Algeria to Sète in France's Languedoc region.
     
Finnjet waited for a long time in the Bahamas for a possible buyer, after it had had been used as temporary housing for victims of Hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi River.
      The Dutch company Club Cruise bought the ship late last year from Sea Containers, the former owners of Silja Line. The ship was re-christened the Da Vinci and Club Cruise had planned to refurbish it and turn it into a cruise ship or floating casino.
     
Finnjet was brought back across the Atlantic to the Italian city of Genoa. However, Club Cruise then fell into economic difficulties and sold the ship. Just over a week ago the vessel left Genoa, reportedly heading for the Red Sea.
      In its time, the Finnjet was seen as a masterpiece of Finnish shipbuilding. When it was completed, in 1977, it was the world’s largest and fastest car ferry.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  GTS Finnjet headed for breaker´s yard (7.5.2008)
  Finnjet houses Katrina evacuees (20.12.2005)

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