Derelict Cruise Ship M/V Lyubov Orlova Abandoned East of Canada

[Tony Morcom]

From our friends @ gCaptain

By Rob Almeida On February 3, 2013



M/V Lyubov Orlova, via Lilpop,Rau & Loewenstein in the Antarctic, 17 February 2010

The deck of the M/V Lyubov Orlova could be the loneliest place on earth right now.
The derelict cruise ship escaped death by the shipbreakers in the Dominican Republic after her towing cable parted shortly after leaving St. John’s, Newfoundland last week only to face an uncertain fate while drifting alone on the cold, dark, and unforgiving north Atlantic Ocean.
Fearing a possible collision with oil and gas installations off eastern Canada, the Lyubov Orlova was secured by the Atlantic Hawk anchor handler on the 31st of January however, after the ship drifted into international waters yesterday, Transport Canada has decided to cut her loose.
“The Lyubov Orlova no longer poses a threat to the safety of offshore oil installations, their personnel or the marine environment. The vessel has drifted into international waters and given current patterns and predominant winds, it is very unlikely that the vessel will re-enter waters under Canadian jurisdiction,” the department said in a statement.
Safety concerns were cited by Transport Canada in their reason to not pursue a salvage operation to retrieve the ship.
The ship is is located at approximately 250 nautical miles east of St. John’s, NL (approximately 50 nautical miles outside Canada’s territorial waters) and drifting northeasterly. If left alone she could end up almost anywhere from the Norwegian arctic, to western Africa, or stuck in the middle of the North Atlantic gyre.
Transport Canada reiterates that the owner of the vessel remains responsible for its movements, and they note that measures have been taken to monitor the position of the drifting ship.

I am sure that we at Merchant-Navy.net could raise a competent crew for her

[alf corbyn]

how can a responsible country like canada just abandon a derilict on the high seas?. once they had it on tow, surely they are responsible for it!. what happens if another ship hits it?. its the sort of thing you might expect of a third world tinpot nation.

[Ivan Cloherty]

What a totally irresponsible attitude which may come back to bite them in the a*se with a vengeance at sometime in the future, as we all know that weather patterns are notoriously unpredictable. Will we read about her foundering on some Canadian shore with a subsequent oil spill. Perhaps before they released the tow someone should have gone aboard and opened up a few portholes on the lower decks, I bet someone went aboard to collect a few souveniers.

Do you think the Canadian Transport spokesman was NOT an ex seaman but the product of a University Education who didn't know the sharp end from the blunt end and what danger he had placed other seafarers in, the decision beggars belief, if factual.

[Chris Allman]

The mind boggles. I suppose it was only a matter of time before this type of thing happened. When you consider what is already floating around out there, what does a derelict ship matter !!! its just something else for the overworked and under paid mariner to dodge along with the odd intoxicated fellow mariner of course.

The crass stupidity and total lack of concern beggars belief but only goes to show the current don't give a dam attitude which prevails in this world of ours these days. Nationality does not matter, every country is at it. People may call me a dinosaur but I prefer the old days when people had values and consideration for others, where did it all go wrong. Answers on a postcard please !!

Chris.

[Kevin Mercer]

I had to read this twice before I realised it was true event. If this can happen to a large ship what else is going to be thrown into the sea far more treacherous. Surely the IMO or some other international power should intervene ?
Kevin

[Colin Hawken]

It seems nobody relly cares.

[alf corbyn]

we also have another disaster. not big to many but disgusting all the same.
i refer to the dirty irresonsible Bas**ds who i would think, cleaned thier tanks out going through the english channel. hundreds of seabirds washed up on england's south coast, many dead and many suffering agony and starvation if they cannot be cleaned properly. these idiots if found out, should be jailed for a minimum of five years, thier ship sold and the company fined, with the proceeds going to the organisations that had to do the catching and cleaning of these poor birds, which are only a few that survived of possibly thousands dead at sea.

[Rocky]

I am sure that we at Merchant-Navy.net could raise a competent crew for her quote from end of first post

Sign me up as AB will even bring a flask and sandwiches for first day or 2

Its a shame really because it looks to be in reasonable condition i have seen working ships looking a lot worse

[j.sabourn]

Lack of moral fibre. A materialistic world. Lack of normal educational knowledge, regardless of so called degrees. A taking over of public awareness by the so called do gooders, lack of parental control, lowering of sentencing in the criminal world. Bad government, bad examples sent out via same. The list is endless. All starts however with the lack of morals. Cheers John Sabourn

[Des Taff Jenkins]

HI All.
How would this ship go moored to some wharf say in London, Sydney, Montreal, Cape Town or any of the ports around the world to provide shelter for the homeless? is it something that would go into the to hard basket.
Cheers Des