Vasco da Gama (ship)

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Vasco da Gama, Fremantle, 2020 (03).jpg
Vasco da Gama leaving Fremantle, January 2020
History
Name
  • 1992–2015: Statendam
  • 2015–2019: Pacific Eden
  • 2019–present: Vasco da Gama
Owner
Operator
Port of registry
Ordered1 March 1992
BuilderFincantieri, Italy
CostUS$180 million
Yard numberMonfalcone shipyard 5881
Laid down30 July 1991
Launched3 April 1992
CompletedJanuary 1993
Identification
StatusIn Service
Notes[2][3][4]
General characteristics
Class and typeS-class cruise ship
Tonnage
Length219 m (718 ft 6 in)
Beam30.8 m (101 ft 1 in)
Height40 m (131 ft 3 in)
Draught7.5 m (24 ft 7 in)
Depth19.2 m (63 ft 0 in)
Decks14
Deck clearance11.5 m (37 ft 9 in)
Ice classD (minimum)
Installed power2 x Sulzer 12ZAV40S, 3 x Sulzer 8ZA40S
Propulsion2 x ABB 12,000 kW (16,000 hp)
Speed22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity1,258 passengers
Crew557
Notes[2][4]

Vasco da Gama is a cruise ship owned by Portuguese company Mystic Invest. Completed in 1993, she previously sailed for Holland America Line as MS Statendam, for P&O Cruises Australia as Pacific Eden and for Cruise & Maritime Voyages as Vasco da Gama. In 2020, following CMV's filing for administration, she was sold by CW Kellock & Co Ltd. at auction to Mystic Cruises' parent company, Mystic Invest for US$10,187,000.[5][6]

Construction and career[]

MS Statendam[]

Vasco da Gama previously served as MS Statendam from 1993 to 2015, where she served as the lead member of Holland America Line's eponymous Statendam class, otherwise known as S class. She was ordered in November 1989 alongside two sister ships of her class, and was designated Hull Number 5881.[2] Her keel was laid by Fincantieri in 1991. From 1991 to 1993, the ship was completed and underwent sea trials, and on 25 January 1993, Statendam embarked on her maiden voyage. Upon her maiden voyage, she became the fifth Holland America Line ship to bear the name Statendam, and during the summer of her inaugural season, she also became the first Holland America Line ship to sail a European itinerary in over twenty years.[7]

During her early planning and architectural design phases, there were concerns that Statendam and the S class would not be in compliance with specific vessel stability requirements mandated by SOLAS 90. The hull design of Maasdam and her sister ships are largely based on Costa Classica, a ship operated by sister brand Costa Cruises. These fears were alleviated, however, following Statendam's successful sea trials.[2]

In 2006, Statendam underwent dry dock renovations at Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport.

In 2011, Statendam once again underwent dry dock renovations at Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport.[8]

In August 2013, Statendam was alerted by the Glacier Bay National Park ranger station that a nearby tour ship, Baranof Wind, was stranded in the ice of Hopkins Glacier, and unable to continue to Glacier Bay National Park. On arrival Statendam lowered two lifeboats to rescue approximately 105 passengers and crew. They were disembarked at Glacier Bay National Park ranger station three hours later.[9]

On 20 May 2014, Holland America Line announced that Statendam would be transferred to P&O Cruises Australia.[10]

Pacific Eden[]

After concluding her final season with Holland America Line, Statendam sailed to Singapore for dry dock at Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Yard. From 22 October to 2 November 2015, Statendam underwent extensive interior and exterior changes, emerging as the new Pacific Eden.[11] In an attempt to garner global social media recognition for the introduction of two new flagships, P&O Cruises Australia broadcast the ships' christening ceremony on Twitter and through their godmothers' social media accounts. On 25 November 2015, Pacific Eden and her sister, Pacific Aria, were renamed at a ceremony held in Port Jackson, Sydney. Kate Ritchie served as the godmother for Pacific Eden.[12]

Vasco da Gama[]

In March 2018, it was announced that Pacific Eden would be exiting the P&O Cruises Australia fleet. It was revealed that Pacific Eden had been sold to Cruise & Maritime Voyages, and that she would depart the fleet in March 2019.[13] Following the announcement, Pacific Eden's new owner announced a naming competition for the new member of their fleet. Members of the line's Columbus Club were allowed to choose between a handful of names that honored storied explorers. The competition included names that honoured Vasco da Gama, Pytheas, Henry Hudson, and Amerigo Vespucci. In April 2019, Pacific Eden officially became Vasco da Gama.[14]

The ship was christened in Bremerhaven on 9 June 2019, and promptly entered into service with Cruise & Maritime Voyage's TransOcean Tours brand.[14][15] Vasco da Gama now spends the European summer sailing for Transocean Tours before repositioning to Australia for the summer and sailing under the Cruise & Maritime Voyages brand. CMV entered administration in 2020. In October 2020, Mystic Invest bought the ship, on behalf of Mystic cruises, at an auction at CW Kellock & Co in London for US$10,187,000.00,[16] after CMV entered administration in the same year.[17][6][5]

COVID-19[]

Further information: COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships § Vasco da Gama, and COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships § Suspected suicides or suicide attempts

During COVID-19 pandemic, the ship docked in Fremantle in late March 2020. Almost 100 New Zealand passengers were flown from Perth on 29 March and arrived in Auckland on 30 March. On 31 March, about 200 West Australian passengers were ferried to Rottnest Island, which had been converted to a quarantine zone. Another 600 Australians were taken to Perth hotels for 14 days of quarantine.[18]

On 19 May, a male Indonesian crew member fell from deck 12 of the ship while it was docked at the Port of Tilbury, London's main port, and landed on a cargo container that was placed on the dock next to the ship.[19] One source reported that he died from the fall, while another reported that he was seriously injured but there was no confirmation that he had died, and a third reported that he was being treated at a hospital.[20][19][21] The crew member worked as a storekeeper in the ship's supply area.[20] Vasco da Gama had been docked at Tilbury since 1 May, after having repatriated passengers to Australia.[19] Crew members have complained that they have not been paid and are frustrated with Cruise & Maritime Voyages.[a][20][19]

After operations were temporarily suspended to combat the spread of the COVID-19 in March 2020, CMV filed for administration in July. Administrators then auctioned Vasco da Gama through CW Kellock & Co Ltd. to Mystic Cruises.[5] According to a press release from Mystic Cruises, she will sail in the British, German, and Portuguese markets.[22]

Notes[]

  1. ^ For example, one crew member complained that they have not been paid for work since April; that they have been locked up for two months, with neither alcohol nor cigarettes, only water and juice; and that Wi-Fi has only been available starting at midnight.[20]

References[]

  1. ^ Statendam ID 6179, Stichting Maritiem-Historische Databank (in Dutch)
  2. ^ a b c d "Cruise Ship Statendam (and sister ships)" (PDF). June 1993. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
  3. ^ "Shipboard Environmental (data) Acquisition System". US NOAA. June 1993. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Advanced Masterdata for the Vessel Statendam". VesselTracker. 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  5. ^ a b c "Mystic Cruises buys Vasco da Gama, first CMV ship to be auctioned". seatrade-cruise.com. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b Staff, C. I. N. (13 October 2020). "Mystic Invest Buys the Vasco da Gama". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  7. ^ "140 Years Young: Statendam Enters Service | Holland America Blog". 25 January 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  8. ^ Line, Holland America. "Holland America Line's MS Statendam Completes Signature of Excellence Upgrades". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Statendam to the Rescue". Holland America Line. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Ryndam & Statendam to Move to Sister Line P&O Cruises | Holland America Blog". 20 May 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  11. ^ "It's time! the transformation of Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden begins". Carnival Australia. 22 October 2015.
  12. ^ "P&O to Make History as Australian Stars Name Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden by Twitter". Carnival Corporation. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  13. ^ Mathisen, Monty (7 March 2018). "Pacific Eden Sold to Cruise and Maritime Voyages". Cruise Industry News. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  14. ^ a b "CMV's New Ship to be Re-named Vasco Da Gama | CMV Australia". cmvaustralia.com. Retrieved 26 March 2020.[dead link]
  15. ^ Erdmann, Frederik (22 October 2018). "TransOcean sets Bremerhamen naming for Vasco de Gama". Seatrade Cruise News.
  16. ^ "International Ship Auctions | CW Kellock & Co".
  17. ^ "Mystic Cruises buys Vasco da Gama, first CMV ship to be auctioned". 13 October 2020.
  18. ^ "Coronavirus patients from Artania cruise ship sent to Joondalup hospital after 29 new COVID-19 positive tests". ABC News (Australia). 30 March 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  19. ^ a b c d "Crew Member Seriously Injured After falling From Vasco da Gama". Cruise Law News. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  20. ^ a b c d "Indonesian Crew Member Goes Overboard From CMV Cruise Ship". crew-center.com. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  21. ^ "Crew member in hospital after falling from cruise ship moored up at Port of Tilbury". Thurrock Nub News. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  22. ^ "Mystic Cruises adquire navio Vasco da Gama". Publituris (in European Portuguese). 14 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.

Further reading[]

External links[]

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