How & Why Cruise Ships Get Scrapped!

Did you know, most of history’s passenger ships have ended their days at the hand of the cutters torch – including many of the most famous ships that ever set sail.

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+ Peter Knego @midshipcinema for remarkable video footage used in this video of the ships being scrapped at Alang.

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Ships have ended their days at scrap yards for about as long as ships have been around. Scrapping a ship can be a dangerous activity that requires skill and experience to be carried out successfully.

It allows materials such as steel, aluminium, glass and the like, to be extracted, reused and repurposed. This has led to terms like “it’s been turned into razor blades” becoming common slang for the fate of a ship heading to scrap.

For the most part, ships are withdrawn from service as newer vessels come online to replace them. This is a gradual process – with some ships being retained longer than others due to high demand, or delays in the construction of their replacements.

Most ships that have existed have ended their days in a scrapyard. This includes some of the most famous passenger liners of all time.

While scrap is a common fate for most ships, in recent years cruise ships have been kept in service for longer and longer – thanks to the unprecedented global cruising boom experienced over the past few decades.

This isn’t to say cruise ships haven’t been broken up during this time, with older vessels such as SS Norway – the former Pacific Princess “Love Boat” and the former P&O Pacific Sky all being scrapped over the last two decades. Costa Victoria, Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Inspiration and Pullmantur’s Sovereign and Monarch have all been sold for scrap in recent years.

But it might surprise you though that the majority of the things on board the ship, such as dining tables and chairs, beds, lighting and carpets are left aboard and either on-sold or recycled by the scrap yard.

While ships like Canberra, Big Red Boat II, Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Inspiration, Sovereign and Monarch sailed to scrap wearing their original name and livery, in some cases ships bound for the scrap yard may be renamed and de-branded before their final voyage.

For example, the SS Norway was renamed Blue Lady before she made her final journey to Alang. Norwegian Cruise Line branding was removed from the ship in advance of her final voyage.

While the media attention has been grabbed with dramatic footage of cruise ships being driven up onto the beach under their own power – this is not always the case. Norway, for example, was taken under tow owing to her engines being unserviceable after an on board explosion – which was actually the cause of her exit from service.

More recently this was seen with the Costa Concordia. Having been partially re-floated, the ship was towed to Genoa in Italy where she was dismantled.

My thanks to:
Rob Henderson & Doug Cremer for access to the Henderson & Cremer Collection.

J. Frame & Vicki Cross for photographs.

Others:

Thumbnail:
Pic Grab From Peter Knego Video @midshipcinema

#cruisenews #cruiseship #shipscrap

[ChrisFrameOfficial]

Have you sailed on a ship that’s scrapped now?

[Notyourbusiness-nw]

I was a Barkeeper on Regal Princess and QE2. After becoming a Maitre D on Astoria & Astor. For many years enjoying my life as Hotel GM in Asia!!

[mitchellbarnow]

This video was fascinating! Thank you so much for your insight and research as this type of content is very interesting to me.

[chrisjeffries]

Hello Chris, I just found your channel. I live in Huntington Beach California, 10 miles south of Long Beach where Queen Mary resides. I have been aboard her many times. I also saw Queen Elizabeth the day after she burned and rolled to her starboard side. While aboard the USS Chicago CG11, we left Vietnam and came into Hong Kong for R&R and there she was.

[brendonsmith]

I have sailed on several scrapped ships including Fairstar, Fair Princess, Fair Sky, then under it's new name Pacific Sky and even though not scrapped as such QE2. Great video as usual from you. Thanks.

[gaynor]

You do make the most interesting videos Chris.

[djt_Art_Travel]

Another great, interesting video. Thanks

[BigDT.BigDenny]

Very interesting video Chris! Thanks!!!

[cruisingwiththebs]

Really interesting video. Thanks for sharing

[RR]

Some of the oldest ships still in regular service are the huge bulk freighters on the Great Lakes. As their hulls are not exposed to the corrosive effects of salt water they can last for many decades.

[jackrembold]

I wish that there was cruise ship breaking in the U.S.. I could see outfits buying a ship's cabin modules, trucking them inland and making them into motels. The fittings from pretty much any modern cruise ship could be used to make a rather nice resort.

[hmhparis]

Nice video, you should have mentioned the ships who were dramatically lost during towing to the scrap yard like the SS America or the Bremen/ Pasteur …

[marshall.cochran]

I am extremely curious about the destoring process. Where does the stuff go? Who takes it? I am also really curious where Sovereign OTS, giant glsss clock went…

[CJODell]

Is this a reupload? Because I swear I saw this one the other day.

[HKM-]

I's a shame that Olympic wasn't preserved.

[ad]

Why were the Queen Mary's funnels changed?

[barryscott]

Great video but The Britannic wasn’t scrapped it sunk. Or did I miss something?

[lewis]

Not once did you mention corrosion, which must be the reason many ships are scrapped.