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Jason Schleisman
Member
I would have thought someone from Maritime Matters would have posted something if, in fact, the Independence was beached. But as of this moment, nothing yet.
Ryan Thompson
Member
According to Wikipedia its in the process of being scrapped -- the tip of its bow has been removed, which apparently is the usually first step. (???)
Its also interesting and sad that the towing debacle put the ship in the news.
Its also interesting and sad that the towing debacle put the ship in the news.
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Richard Glueck
Member
Wikipedia is a notoriously poor reference. There is plenty of misinformation presented as fact. It may well be that "Independence" is there, but I need a photo.
Michael H. Standart
Member
>>Wikipedia is a notoriously poor reference.<<
No kidding! The problem with Wikipedia is that it can be edited by any Tom, Dick, and Harriet whether they have any genuine qualifications to discuss the subject or not. It can be useful for some signposts and references, but one is always wise to double check what's there with other sources of known reliability.
I wouldn't be shocked if they got it right in this instance. I think it's fairly well understood that this is going to be the end result, but I'd like to see some corroberation.
No kidding! The problem with Wikipedia is that it can be edited by any Tom, Dick, and Harriet whether they have any genuine qualifications to discuss the subject or not. It can be useful for some signposts and references, but one is always wise to double check what's there with other sources of known reliability.
I wouldn't be shocked if they got it right in this instance. I think it's fairly well understood that this is going to be the end result, but I'd like to see some corroberation.
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Rocky Whiteside
Member
If anyone is interested, i have a picture of my grandma on the Independence in the summer of 57.
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James Smith
Member
A month now since Independence's supposed arrival in Alang, and still nary a word from the folks at Maritime Matters. What gives?
--Jim
--Jim
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Jason Schleisman
Member
Been wondering that myself, James. In fact, been wondering about the progress of her journey to Valhalla in general.
Michael H. Standart
Member
They may have anchored the ship in some out of the way backwater in the hope that the whole affair will simply be forgotten. Personally, I don't think the ship is anywhere within eyeball range of Alang. The Maritime Matters people keep a close watch on the place. If she had been anchored there or run up onto the beach, they would have said something.
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Grant Carman
Member
Michael
Are they keeping watch on Bangladesh as well, because it seems to be the spot where ships that Alang doesn't want seem to end up.
Or she could have quietly gone to China for breaking
Are they keeping watch on Bangladesh as well, because it seems to be the spot where ships that Alang doesn't want seem to end up.
Or she could have quietly gone to China for breaking
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James Smith
Member
Well, the plot thickens.
The website that Wikipedia had originally sourced as the claim for the Independence's arrival at Alang has now changed somewhat. They now are claiming, as of May 17, that the Independence is "laid up in Dubai for sale", having arrived there May 10. See http://www.oceanlinermuseum.co.uk/savetheclassiclinerscampaign.html
Someone will need to go back and update Wikipedia, though.
--Jim
The website that Wikipedia had originally sourced as the claim for the Independence's arrival at Alang has now changed somewhat. They now are claiming, as of May 17, that the Independence is "laid up in Dubai for sale", having arrived there May 10. See http://www.oceanlinermuseum.co.uk/savetheclassiclinerscampaign.html
Someone will need to go back and update Wikipedia, though.
--Jim
Michael H. Standart
Member
>>Are they keeping watch on Bangladesh as well<<
That I don't know. I would hope that they would have some contacts there. With Alang in something of a decline, somebody's got to be taking in all those old ships.
That I don't know. I would hope that they would have some contacts there. With Alang in something of a decline, somebody's got to be taking in all those old ships.
Ryan Thompson
Member
If anyone is interested, i have a picture of my grandma on the Independence in the summer of 57.
Sure, would be fun to see. It could be added to the archive here on the site, too.
They may have anchored the ship in some out of the way backwater in the hope that the whole affair will simply be forgotten.
Have investors ever bought ships from Alang that were going to be scrapped and then restored them?
The Dubai story sounds odd. It would be really good news, though, wouldn't it?
Sure, would be fun to see. It could be added to the archive here on the site, too.
They may have anchored the ship in some out of the way backwater in the hope that the whole affair will simply be forgotten.
Have investors ever bought ships from Alang that were going to be scrapped and then restored them?
The Dubai story sounds odd. It would be really good news, though, wouldn't it?
Michael H. Standart
Member
From the Maritime matters ShipNews weblog:
For the rest, see the June 8 2008 entry at http://www.maritimematters.com/shipnews.html
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Grant Carman
Member
Michael
We've seen the same song and dance before, most notably with the France/Norway. While the owner says she will not go to Alang, to me that means she will either be scrapped in Bangladesh or Turkey, or she will be sold to a numbered company, who will then sell her for scrap. With Dubai getting the QE2, I don't see them wanting a second old liner, unless they're going to offer cruises, (they might do that with the QE2, under a different name). If she is "sold" to Singapore, then it will be to sell her forward for razor blades.
Or maybe I'm just too jaundiced. 
We've seen the same song and dance before, most notably with the France/Norway. While the owner says she will not go to Alang, to me that means she will either be scrapped in Bangladesh or Turkey, or she will be sold to a numbered company, who will then sell her for scrap. With Dubai getting the QE2, I don't see them wanting a second old liner, unless they're going to offer cruises, (they might do that with the QE2, under a different name). If she is "sold" to Singapore, then it will be to sell her forward for razor blades.
Or maybe I'm just too jaundiced.
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James Smith
Member
Possibly so.
What seems odd, to me, is the amount of deliberate misinformation that has gone out, apparently in an attempt to get the ship-loving community up in arms. First the faked YouTube image of the Norway at Alang, and now this false story about the Independence already being there. Perversely, some people seem to salivate at the news of another beloved ship being scrapped as long as it gives them more ammunition against NCL.
The misinformation may have worked too well. Why should NCL make a serious attempt to save the Independence or the United States, if doing so will only subject them to another round of rumors, innuendo, and photoshopped images of those ships on some miserable beach in the third world?
--Jim
What seems odd, to me, is the amount of deliberate misinformation that has gone out, apparently in an attempt to get the ship-loving community up in arms. First the faked YouTube image of the Norway at Alang, and now this false story about the Independence already being there. Perversely, some people seem to salivate at the news of another beloved ship being scrapped as long as it gives them more ammunition against NCL.
The misinformation may have worked too well. Why should NCL make a serious attempt to save the Independence or the United States, if doing so will only subject them to another round of rumors, innuendo, and photoshopped images of those ships on some miserable beach in the third world?
--Jim
