Skip to main content

BLOW FROM THE PAST - EUGENIO C at Malta


SS EUGENIO C was a classic liner built for Costa Crociere, Italy in 1966 by Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico, Italy bearing IMO 6502024.

EUGENIO C was ordered for the South American service by Linea C, to replace the FREDERICO C operating the same route. Her keel was laid on 4 January 1964, with EUGENIO C being delivered to Costa on 22 August 1966, the same day she set out on her maiden trans-Atlantic voyage. 


Above as EUGENIO C entering Valletta, Malta back to 26th April, 1984. 

In 1984 she was extensively renovated and renamed the EUGENIO COSTA. It was planned that the vessel would be renamed American Adventure and transferred to American Family Cruises, which was to be a branch of Costa, but this plan was never realized. EUGENIO COSTA completed her last cruise for her original owners in November 1996.



Above as EUGENIO COSTA at Valletta, Malta back to 10th November, 1993.

Costa sold the EUGENIO COSTA to the Bremer Vulcan shipyards in part exchange for the construction of the COSTA VICTORIA. Lowline Shipping wanted to acquire her and she was charteredto Direct Cruises, a British cruise line which offered budget cruises marketed via telemarketing. $12 million was spent on refitting the EUGENIO COSTA into EDINBURGH CASTLE. 



Above berthed at Southampton, UK during September 1998
The vessel's mechanical problems brought about great difficulty to Direct and Lowline, until Direct filed for liquidation and Lowline Shipping filled for bankruptcy in 1999. Ownership of EDINBURGH CASTLE was passed on to Lowline's main creditor, shipbuilder Cammell Laird. 
Cammell Laird chartered the vessel to Premier Cruises renaiming her as THE BIG RED BOAT II and having her go under a 10-month $25 million overhaul. Premier went into liquidation in September 2000, as a result Cammell Laird briefly chartered her to the United States Government  after which time she was laid up at Freeport in Bahamas.  
THE BIG RED BOAT II was sold to Argo Ship management who kept her up on the market. By 2005 it was obvious cruise companies were not willing to take their chances with her due to her history of mechanical problems. The vessel started her last voyage to breakers at Alang, India doing 2 stops - at the Azores to bunker and off Malta for crew change. 





Above images are off Valletta, Malta during her conveyance service on 5th May, 2005.


Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos - www.maltashipphotos.com

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

U.S. Destroyer Challenges China’s Claims in South China Sea August 10, 2017  by  Reuters By Idrees Ali WASHINGTON, Aug 10 (Reuters) – A U.S. Navy destroyer carried out a “freedom of navigation operation” on Thursday, coming within 12 nautical miles of an art Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have risen recently after North Korea carried out two nuclear tests last year and two ICBM tests last month, prompting a strong round of U.N. sanctions. That angered Pyongyang which has threatened to teach the United States a “severe lesson.” Trump responded by warning North Korea it would face “fire and fury” if it further threatened the United States. ificial island built up by China in the South China Sea, U.S. officials told Reuters. The operation came as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks Chinese cooperation in dealing with North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs and could complicate efforts to secure a common stance. The officials, speaking on condition o...
Post a Comment
Read more
MAERSK INVENTOR at Malta - 18.05.2018. The 2018 built Isle of Man  flagged (IOM) Subsea Support Vessel (SSV)   MAERSK INVENTOR   entered Valletta (Grand Harbour), Malta for the first time on Friday 18th May, 2018 at 0715 hrs. She's the third out of four Stingray Class Subsea Support Vessel. Maersk  ordered a series of four Stingray vessels in 2014. Designed together with Marin Teknikk, the ships are built as a platform to carry out deep and shallow water operations. With an energy efficient propulsion set-up, these DP 3 vessels feature a 400-ton active heave compensated (AHC) crane and two work class remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) capable of operating in a water depth of up to 3,000 meters. Below are some images of MAERSK INVENTOR entering Valletta - At 0938 hrs the 1977 built bunkering tanker SANTA MARIA secured her booms to start bunkering the vessel.  And at 1902 hrs she left Val...
Post a Comment
Read more
Last Voyage - SEVEN OSPREY at Malta - 05.01 - 17.02.2018. The 1984 built LBR flag diving and light construction  vessel SEVEN OSPREY  left Valletta (Grand Harbour), Malta on Saturday 17th February, 2018 from Bormla Wharf at Palumbo Malta Shipyard Ltd after she entered Valletta on Friday 5th January berthing at the Mediterranean Maritime Hub (MMH) and shifted to Palumbo on Saturday 6th January. She was built as the SEACOM until January 1986, NORSKALD until January 1990, SEAWAY OSPREY until February 2006 and ACERY OSPREY until January 2013 and she was the oldest ship in versatile and modern fleet of Subsea 7.   Below images are of her entering Valletta, back on Friday 5th January, 2018 -  Below images are of her shifting at Valletta, back on Saturday 6th January, 2018 -  Below images are of her leaving Valletta on Saturday 17th February, 2018 -  Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these ima...
Post a Comment
Read more