The 1948-built ship, ASTORIA, is being sold by its owners. The historic vessel has the legacy of being one of the oldest cruise ships sailing in the ocean.
The ship has not operated since the pandemic hit three years ago. The vessel is currently laid up in ROTTERDAM and is being sold for recycling. It is soon to be towed to a ship-breaking yard. However, the owners have denied such a sale and have stated that they are looking for a buyer who plans to operate the ship.
At the beginning of ASTORIA’s career, it was an Atlantic passenger liner after World War II. It was designed to carry cargo and passengers across the Atlantic. The 525-foot, 11,700 gross-ton ship also had an ice-reinforced hull to aid in its journey.
The ship has a rich history spanning nearly 75 years of serving as a transatlantic passenger vessel, a cruise ship for the German Communist party, a barrack for asylum seekers, and a modern-day cruise ship, among others.
However, the ship is best known for a dark mark in its career. On July 25th, 1956, the ship, known then as the “STOCKHOLM” was outbound from New York to Scandinavia. Since radar technology was not as advanced back then, another ship, the “Andrea Doria,” could not be detected by the officers onboard, causing a collision between the two ships. The STOCKHOLM, with its ice-reinforced hull, caused massive damage to the other ship, causing it to sink. The STOCKHOLM itself barely survived and sailed back to New York for repairs. A total of 51 people died in the tragedy.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.
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