It is an advertisement for Cisco the computer network outfit but it’s still a good video of the Port of Rotterdam.
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Sea trials in 1959 of the ss Rotterdam of the Holland America Lines with still human dimensions, number of passengers 1874 and a crew of 776.
The ss Rotterdam is now a hotel ship moored in the center of Rotterdam. It is a popular place for having a high tea or a Sunday brunch. Old glory still going strong.
Such a handsome vessel! Interesting stacks.
Fine taste in Brubeck, too: https://youtu.be/wVbu9URGJZo
I sailed on the Shell tanker ss Ondina, newbuild RDM-298. The ss Rotterdam was newbuild RDM-300. The ugly smokestacks were a design feature of the Rotterdam Dockyard at that moment. A flaw in the further beautiful design of both ships.
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The story of the refurbishment of the ss Rotterdam is a financial drama. A Rotterdam housing corporation (!), with zero knowledge of ships, decided to purchase the ss Rotterdam. A due diligence exercise was not deemed necessary. They allocated 6 million euros for the purchase and refurbishment of the 228-meter steamship. Due to setbacks, including the removal of asbestos, the costs did rise to more than 240 million euros. In addition to the presence of massive quantities of asbestos on board, the new status of the SS Rotterdam turned out to be a recurring pain in the work in Wilhelmshaven.
Designed as a seagoing vessel, it takes on the function of a building after half a century. This change in status led to frictions between maritime experts and project managers, primarily from the world of housing and architecture. At the end the housing corporation had to sell the ship and take a loss of 225 million euros, money intended for building social housing but squandered on a idiotic project just to satisfy the ego of the director. The company was brought on the brink of bankruptcy and had to be saved, as always in such cases, with government money which is of course tax payers money.
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