SS Michelangelo
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2009) |
SS Michelangelo docked in New York City, November 1971.
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History | |
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Name | Michelangelo |
Namesake | Michelangelo Buonarroti |
Operator | Italia Societa di Navigazione (Italian Line) |
Port of registry | Genoa, Italy |
Builder | Ansaldo Shipyards, Genoa, Italy |
Yard number | 1577 |
Launched | 16 September 1962 |
Completed | April 1965 |
Maiden voyage | 12 May 1965 |
Out of service | 5 July 1975 |
Identification | IMO number: 5234113 |
Fate | Sold to Iran, 1977 |
History | |
Iran | |
Name | Michel-Ange |
Acquired | 1976 |
Homeport | Bandar Abbas |
Fate | Scrapped in 1991 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Ocean liner; |
Tonnage | 45,911 GRT; 9,192 tonnes deadweight (DWT) |
Length | 276.2 m (906 ft 2 in) |
Beam | Moulded 30.1 m (98 ft 9 in) |
Draught | 10.40 m (34 ft 1 in) |
Installed power | 87,000shp |
Propulsion | Geared turbines from builders, twin screw |
Speed | 26.5 kn (49.08 km/h; 30.50 mph) |
Capacity |
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Crew | 720 |
Notes | Sister ship to SS Raffaello |
SS Michelangelo was an Italian
Design and construction
The Italian Line began planning new ships in 1958. Originally, they were to be slightly larger than
Accommodations aboard the ships were to be divided into three classes. For some reason, the three bottom-most passenger decks would not have any portholes. This was claimed to make the ship's sleek hull shape, but that seems unlikely to be true as ships of similar length/width ratio have been built with windows along the entire hull. Whatever the shortcomings in their initial design, though, the new sisters were advanced on the technological side. The most striking feature in the ships was their
The Michelangelo's interiors were designed by naval architects Nino Zoncada, Vincenzo Monaco, and Amedeo Luccichenti, who gave the ship a less adventurous, more traditional look than the designers of her sister Raffaello.
Service
After several delays, the Michelangelo, under command of Senior Captain Mario Crepaz, was finally ready for service in May 1965. During the sea trials, some vibrations were detected on the stern of the ship. Michelangelo was drydocked in December 1965 and received new propellers and some modifications to her transmission. She clocked 31.59 knots during her post-refit trials, making her the fifth-fastest passenger ship in the world at the time.
On Tuesday morning, April 12, 1966, five days after having departed Genoa, Michelangelo, under command of Senior Captain Giuseppe Soletti, was hit by an
In May 1972, Alfred Hitchcock took a voyage on this ship from New York to his screening of Frenzy at the Cannes Film Festival.
During the following years, passenger numbers in the transatlantic trade declined steadily due to competition from the air, and more and more ships were withdrawn. The Michelangelo spent more time cruising to warmer waters, but she made a poor cruise ship with her windowless cabins and three-class layout. She had large
Italy's flagship SS Michelangelo made her last Atlantic crossing in July 1975, under command of Senior Captain Claudio Cosulich. Afterwards, she was laid up at La Spezia alongside her sister.
Sale
Several buyers (including Knut Kloster of Norwegian Cruise Line) inspected the ships, but did not wish to buy them due to the costs required to modernise them to cruise-ship standard. One serious buyer, Home Lines, wished to buy the ships and keep them under Italian flag for cruising in the Caribbean. The Italian Line refused to sell the ships, reportedly because they felt keeping the Italian flag would have associated the "embarrassing money-losers" with them.
In 1976, a buyer was found who agreed to the terms sought by Italian Line. The
In 1978, plans were made to reconstruct her as the luxury cruise ship Scià Reza il Grande (in honour of
Finally, in June 1991, she was scrapped in
References
- ^ http://www.michelangelo-raffaello.com/english_site/service_michelangelo/accident_michelangelo/accident_mich.htm Website detailing the 1966 rogue wave incident
- JSTOR 44895250
Further reading
- S. Bandini, M. Eliseo, Michelangelo e Raffaello La fine di un'epoca, Hoepli, 2010, ISBN 88-203-4119-0