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MS Melody

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MSC Melody in April 2008
History
Name
  • 1982–1988: Atlantic
  • 1988–1997: StarShip Atlantic
  • 1997–2013: Melody
  • 2013–2018: Qing
Owner
Operator
Port of registry
BuilderCNIM, La Seyne, France[2]
CostUS$100 million[3]
Yard number1432[1]
Launched9 January 1981[1]
Completed1982
Acquired2 April 1982[1]
Maiden voyage14 April 1982[1]
In service14 April 1982[1]
Out of service2013
IdentificationIMO number: 7902295[1]
FateScrapped at Alang, India in 2018.
General characteristics [1]
TypeCruise ship
Tonnage
Length204.81 m (671 ft 11 in)
Beam27.36 m (89 ft 9 in)
Draught7.80 m (25 ft 7 in)
Decks9 (passenger accessible)[3]
Installed power
Propulsion2 propellers[3]
Speed
  • 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) (maximum)
  • 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) (service)[4]
Capacity
  • 1,062 (double occupancy)[4]
  • 1,600 (all berths)[3]
Crew535[4]

MS Melody was a cruise ship, formerly owned and operated by MSC Cruises. She was built in 1982 by the CNIM shipyard in La Seyne, France for Home Lines as Atlantic. Between 1988 and 1997 she sailed for Premier Cruise Line as StarShip Atlantic. In 1997, the vessel entered service for MSC Cruises as Melody. In 2009 she repelled a pirate attack off Seychelles. She ended her career as an accommodation ship Qing, during which she sank in storm at her berth, and was scrapped in 2019.

History

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Home Lines – Atlantic

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The Atlantic was built in 1982 by the CNIM shipyard in La Seyne, France, for Home Lines as their second purpose built ship.[5] The ship was the second to take the name, after the previous SS Atlantic of 1948. In preparation for the delivery of the new Atlantic in 1982, the Doric was sold to Royal Cruise Line. When delivered in April 1982, the Atlantic took over the New York-Bahama-Bermuda cruise service. The ship's design was considered very dated for the 1980s, with an exterior that had unbalanced mix of classic and modern design elements; with no dedicated promenade deck, magradome pool area, and a traditional mast with crows nest.[6] The Atlantic continued to operate for Home Lines until 1988, when the company was purchased by Holland America Line and its operation merged into those of Holland America. The Atlantic was sold to Premier Cruise Line, becoming Starship Atlantic.

Premier Cruises – Starship Atlantic "Big Red Boat"

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StarShip Atlantic at Nassau in 1989

In 1988, the Atlantic was purchased by Premier Cruise Lines, which repainted in its 'Big Red Boat' livery and renamed it the Starship Atlantic. The ship would join former fleetmate Oceanic, catering to the family cruise market with a partnership with Walt Disney World.[7] The ship would continue to sail on routes similar to her Home Lines days with short cruises to the Bahamas.[7] Following new ownership of Premier Cruises in 1997, the Atlantic was sold to the newly expanding MSC Cruises.

MSC Cruises – Melody

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MSC Melody at La Goulette (Tunisi) in Tunisia, 2009

In 1997, the vessel entered service for MSC Cruises as Melody. She was remarketed as MSC Melody in 2004, but her official registered name remained Melody throughout her MSC career. She was retired in January 2013.[8] She accommodated 1,076 passengers in 532 cabins. Her crew complement was approximately 535.

In July 2012, there was speculation that MSC Melody was to be chartered to new operators in Japan.[9] The following month, it was reported that she had been sold to a South Korean company, Lotus Mine, and that as from February 2013 she would operate a regular service between Shanghai and Jeju Island, South Korea.[10] However, she was de-commissioned following her final voyage for MSC Cruises in September 2012.[11]

On 7 January 2013, MSC Cruises announced that MSC Melody had been retired effective immediately, despite being scheduled to sail through the summer season, and was listed for sale.[12]

Qing – Accommodation ship

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Qing at the shipyards of Goa during its conversion as hotel in 2014.

In November 2013, she was sold for an undisclosed price to Sahara India Pariwar, a multinational group involved in finance, leisure, hotels, construction, property and industrial activities. Under the new name Qing, she was to be delivered in Goa, India, and converted into floating accommodation.[13][14]

Qing at Mormugao in 2018

On 29 June 2016, the ship partially sank while docked in Goa, India. The sinking was caused by heavy monsoon rains and neglect. Nobody was on board at the time the ship sank.[15] The ship was re-floated by a salvage company in June 2018. The ship was soon after sold for demolition and scrapping.[16][17] The ship was towed and beached in Alang, Gujarat, India, in mid-2019.[citation needed]

Incidents

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Pirate attack

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While on a repositioning cruise from Durban, South Africa, to Genoa, Italy, with some 1,000 passengers and 500 crew members[18] on board, MSC Melody was attacked by Somali pirates on 25 April 2009 when approximately 300 km off Seychelles at around 11:25 p.m. local time (19:35 UTC). A speedboat with six people on board drew alongside the ship, fired at the bridge with an automatic rifle and subsequently the pirates attempted to board the ship. Media reports indicate passengers fought off pirates by throwing tables and deck chairs overboard before the ship's security personnel could be mobilized.[19]

Later, the ship's Israeli private security detail attempted to repel the pirates by using the ship's fire hose and, when this failed, pistols. Pistol fire was successful in forcing the pirates to retreat, although after boarding their speedboat they continued to fire at the ship for another ten minutes.[20][21][22][23] As a security precaution MSC Melody's original itinerary had been altered to allow her to circumvent some of the more pirate-infested waters.[24] Additionally the Spanish auxiliary military vessel Marques de la Ensenada was scheduled to provide escort to MSC Melody through the Gulf of Aden, but she did not rendezvous with MSC Melody until the afternoon after the attack.[20][23] The pirates that attacked MSC Melody were pursued and eventually captured by the Spanish frigate Numancia on 27 April 2009.[25] The suspected pirates were turned over to authorities in the Seychelles.[26]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Asklander, Micke. "M/S Atlantic (1982)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2008.
  2. ^ Miller, William H. Jr. (1995). The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Ocean Liners, 1860-1994. Mineola: Dover Publications. p. 12. ISBN 0-486-28137-X.
  3. ^ a b c d Ward, Douglas (2006). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz. p. 408. ISBN 981-246-739-4.
  4. ^ a b c "Ship Fact - MSC Melody". MSC Cruises. Archived from the original on 18 October 2007. Retrieved 19 March 2008.
  5. ^ Dawson, Philip S. (2000). Cruise ships : an evolution in design. London: Conway Maritime. ISBN 0-85177-660-4. OCLC 43419400.
  6. ^ Maxtone-Graham, John (2000). Liners to the sun. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Sheridan House. ISBN 1-57409-108-5. OCLC 43186060.
  7. ^ a b Peter, Bruce (2017). Cruise ships. A design voyage. Narberth: Ferry Publications. ISBN 978-1-911268-08-6. OCLC 1003587263.
  8. ^ Boyle, Ian. "MSC Crociere Italiane". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 19 March 2008.
  9. ^ "MSC Melody Set for New Home?". Cruise Industry News. 10 July 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  10. ^ "Ports & Ships Maritime News: Cruise News: MSC Melody Sold". Ports & Ships, South Africa. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  11. ^ "Ex-Melody Heading for India?". Cruise Industry News. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  12. ^ "End of era at MSC Cruises as oldest ship retired". USA Today. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  13. ^ "MSC Crociere sells the Melody in India". Ship2Shore. 18 November 2013. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  14. ^ "Sahara India: New role for Melody". Ships Monthly. 30 January 2014. Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  15. ^ "Lashed By Rain, Ship In Goa Hits Sea Bed, Nobody Injured". NDTV. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  16. ^ Sequerua, Newton. "MPT starts dismantling WISL dry dock". The Times Of India. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  17. ^ Boonzaier, Jonathan. "Indian cruiseship readied for final voyage". TradeWinds. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  18. ^ "Italian Cruise Ship Fires on Somali Pirates". Fox News. 26 April 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  19. ^ Gebauer, Matthias; Hipp, Dietmar (28 April 2009). "Attack on the MSC Melody: Passengers Fought Pirates with Tables and Deck Chairs". Spiegel Online.
  20. ^ a b Niemelä, Teijo (27 April 2009). "MSC Melody attacked by pirates". Cruise Business Review. Archived from the original on 2 May 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  21. ^ Hooper, John (26 April 2009). "Italian cruise ship fends off pirates with gunfire". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  22. ^ "Italian cruise ship foils pirates". BBC News. 26 April 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  23. ^ a b Winfield, Nicole (26 April 2009). "Cruise ship fends off pirate attack with gunfire". Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  24. ^ Reinikainen, Kari (20 April 2009). "MSC Cruises amends MSC Melody itinerary due to security concerns". Cruise Business Online. Archived from the original on 2 May 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  25. ^ "La fragata española Numancia apresa a 9 piratas somalíes acusados de atacar un crucero italiano" (in Spanish). rtve.es. 27 April 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  26. ^ "Spanish capture 'Somali pirates'". BBC News. 27 April 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
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