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Norwegian Cruise Line Acquires U.S. Flagship
S/S United States
Company to Build on New U.S.-flag Operation
Miami, April 14 - Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)
announced today it has purchased the S/S United States, one
of the country's most venerable ships built in the glory days
of trans-Atlantic sea travel. NCL intends to convert the vessel
to a state-of-the art, modern cruise ship and to add her to
NCL's planned US flagged fleet. A relaunched S/S United States
will add more than 1,000 American maritime jobs and 5,000
shoreside jobs to the 3,000 maritime jobs and 17,000 shoreside
jobs that NCL's US flag initiative with Project America is
predicted to generate.
Widely considered to be the greatest superliner
ever built in this country, the S/S United States was engineered
to be faster, safer and more technologically advanced than
anything else afloat when she was christened. To this day,
her Atlantic crossing record has never been matched and she
remains the holder of the fabled Blue Riband.
Knowing that S/S United States faced an uncertain
future, NCL moved swiftly to purchase the vessel. NCL is now
evaluating options for use of the ship under US flag and determining
the extent of renovations needed to convert her to a state-of-the-art,
modern cruise ship that will appeal to today's vacationer.
The ship is expected to offer mainland US itineraries where
cruise products are not currently available. The refurbishment
of the hull and superstructure will be done at US shipyards
with the outfitting completed overseas. NCL is no stranger
to such conversions, having converted the fabled North Atlantic
liner the S/S France into cruising's first Caribbean megaship,
S/S Norway.
"When we discovered this American icon
was in jeopardy, we saw a unique opportunity and acted immediately.
The ship is a classic, she was built in America and is eligible
to operate in domestic service under existing law and regulation,"
said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO. "The S/S
United States would be a phenomenal addition to our US flag
operation down the road. We remain focused on completing Project
America and successfully introducing our innovative US flag
cruise ships in Hawaii, but we will now organize a project
team to work with US yards, naval engineers and architects
to develop plans for what should be the fourth vessel in our
US flagged fleet."
The announcement comes on the heels of NCL's
recent commitment to begin a US flag operation in Hawaii.
A new federal law will allow NCL to complete the stalled Project
America as a US flagged and US manned operation for inter-island
Hawaii cruise service. NCL purchased the partially completed
first Project America ship and substantial materials and related
components for the second Project America ship from Northrop
Grumman Ship Systems (NGSS) in September 2002. The legislative
initiative was designed to recover the US investment in Project
America, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in economic
activity and tax receipts, and creating more than 20,000 US
jobs.
On her maiden voyage, the S/S United States
set an unbroken record by crossing the North Atlantic Ocean
in 3 days, 10 hours and 42 minutes. Her service speed exceeded
35 knots and she was rumored to be capable of 50 knots. Designed
by William Francis Gibbs, the ship is the longest passenger
vessel ever built in the United States, at 990'6", was
considered an engineering marvel at the time, and held a near
perfect operating schedule.
NCL also announced today the purchase of another
classic, American-built ship, the S/S Independence, which
until October 2001 was sailing in the Hawaii trade but which
was a victim of its owner's post-September 11th bankruptcy.
NCL purchased the vessel at federal auction from the US Maritime
Administration saving her from almost certain scrapping. The
potential addition of the S/S Independence as a fifth vessel
in NCL's US flag operation is being evaluated.
Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered the modern cruise
industry beginning in 1966 with the first dedicated cruise
ships in the Caribbean and is recognized for innovation in
the industry, most recently with its popular Freestyle Cruising
concept. NCL also has a history of developing creative itineraries
as the first company to acquire its own Caribbean island,
with the development of the 7-day Hawaii/Fanning Island itinerary,
and now with its Homeland Cruising program, where 13 North
American port cities host NCL ships.
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