Ship History

	History

RETURN TO THE HOMEPAGE S/S HAMBURG 1969
One of the last turbine-powered steamships ever built, the Hamburg was a dual-purpose liner, designed to both for transatlantic crossings and cruises. She was also Germany's first newbuild postwar ocean liner. The most distinguishing feature of the handsome vessel was her futuristic, saucer-capped hourglass funnel, which, along with a very high passenger space ratio earned her the nickname of "The Space Ship". Her entry into service was also coincided with the Apollo II moon landing in the summer 1969. She soon became known as one of the most luxurious and beautiful liners on the oceans. Design and Construction (1966 - 1969): Deutsche Atlantik Linie was formed in 1958 with the purchase of Canadian Pacific Line's EMPRESS OF SCOTLAND (1930), which was transformed into the stylish HANSEATIC for service between Hamburg and New York. Demand was such that a second liner was conceived in the early 1960s. Some thirty offers from several different yards were considered until a decision was made in late 1966 to go with the Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft shipyard at Hamburg and a near 23,500 gt vessel designed by noted German architect Georg Manner. The HAMBURG would be a very forward-thinking ship. The HAMBURG was extremely attractive, despite, or, perhaps, enhanced by her unconventional funnel, sporting a long raked, knuckled bow atop a pronounced bulb, angular forward superstructure, well-proportioned radio mast, gradually tiered aft superstructure, and rounded cruiser stern. Aft of her bow, she lacked any noteable sheer. The keel of ship number 825 was laid at Slipway 19 at the shipyard on the 21st July 1967. A day ahead of schedule, she was launched on the 21st February 1968 by Marie Luise Kiesinger, wife of the West German Chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger. Fitting out was then accomplished in 13 months, with the Hamburg sailing on her sea trials in the North Sea from the 12-15th February 1969 and achieving a top speed of 23.5 knots. She was one of the last passenger steamships to be built and indeed was the last major passenger steamship built before the Fairsky in 1984 for Sitmar Line. Deutsche Atlantik Line era (1969 - 1973): Hamburg entered service in March 1969 with Deutsche Atlantik Line. She was commissioned on the 20th March 1969 in a ceremony in the Elbe and held at sea off Cuxhaven, and headed by Axel Bitsch-Cristensen during a day long cruise with 700 guests and reporters. After two "shakedown" cruises to South America, Hamburg sailed on her maiden Atlantic crossing from Hamburg to New York on the 19th June 1969 via Rotterdam and Southampton. She soon entered service in the deluxe cruise market, primarily on long, globe-trotting voyages from the U.S. East Coast based out of New York, Port Everglades and from Cuxhaven in Germany. In 1972, Hamburg moved to the U.S. West Coast for cruise service from Los Angeles and San Francisco. In September 1973 she was briefly renamed Hanseatic. Sadly in 1973 due to difficulties caused by the Fuel Crisis, Deutsche Atlantik ceased operations and Hamburg was sold to Sovcomflot. Under Soviet ownership she became Maxim Gorkiy and entered service in January 1974. Before joining the Black Sea Shipping Company's fleet she starred in the film "Juggernaut" as the fictitious Britannic with Richard Harris and Omar Sharif on board. In November 1975, two bombs were planted below her waterline while she was berthed at San Juan, and detonated later that month when the ship was off New York. Following this experience, which fortunately did not result in any loss of life, Maxim Gorkiy was repaired at the Hoboken, New Jersey-based division of Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Until 1980 she cruised in the Soviet fleet from the USA. Sovcomflot era (1973 - Present): In 1980 Soviet ships were banned from American waters due to the invasion of Afghanistan. She then was placed on long term charter to Neckermann Seereisen from 1980 and then to Phoenix Seereisen from 1988. Late at night on 19 June 1989, Maxim Gorkiy struck an iceberg off Spitsbergen, holing her bow and taking on water. The ship was abandoned of all passengers and most of her crew and towed two days later to Svalbard for temporary patching. She sailed to Lloyd Werft at Bremerhaven for permanent repairs and the replacement of some water-damaged accommodation and the two lower restaurants. On the 2nd - 3rd December 1989, the Hamburg played a key role in a momentus and historic event when U.S. president George H.W. Bush and Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev met on board Maxim Gorkiy off Malta's Marsaxlokk Harbour to attend the Malta Summit and signed the pact that symbolized the end of the Cold War. This charter ended on the 30th November 2008 when she arrived back home in Hamburg. She was to have been placed on charter to Orient Lines and become the Marco Polo II but sadly that deal fell through due to the economic crisis. She had been due to sail to Greece for a refit and upgrading to meet SOLAS 2010 standards in preparation for a new life with Orient Lines. But sadly that was not to be as due to the economic crisis Orient Lines were unable to raise finances and forced to delay their relaunch in Spring 2009. As a result the future for the Maxim Gorkiy is now uncertain. However in December 2008 a campaign was launched to return the former Hamburg to her original homeport of Hamburg for preservation as a hotel and tourist attraction. It is believed that this campaign is supported by Hamburg shipping officials and by financial backing from various German investors. So she may have a secure future after all perhaps.