TS Maxim Gorkiy
- Maxim M ( 2009)
- Maxim Gorkiy (1992-2009)
- Maksim Gorkiy (1974-1992)
- Hanseatic (1973-1974)
- Hamburg (1969-1973)
IMO no. 6810627
The Maxim Gorkiy, (until 2008 russian Максим Горький ), was a Soviet cruise ship of state Black Sea shipping company (until 1992 ), the Russian shipping company Sowkomflot (until 2008) and the long-term charter of Phoenix Reisen in Bonn. It was built in 1968 by the German shipyard HDW - in Hamburg on behalf of the German Atlantic Line and 1969 could take their maiden voyage under the name Hamburg.
The original plan was to use it as the successor of the scrapped Hanseatic in regular service on the North Atlantic route. However, since this route drove demand in the 60s and on, it was actually used from the beginning only for cruises until 1973 under the German flag.
Renaming and sale
After the failure of negotiations connection of the liquidity problems - enormous cost pressure after the 1973 oil crisis - stuck shipping company German Atlantic Line with Hapag -Lloyd, Hamburg was awarded in 1973 for sale the richer tradition names Hanseatic. Even during the sales negotiations with Hapag -Lloyd over 25 million euro reached a higher Japanese offer of 34 million euros, the Hamburg shipping company.
After its bankruptcy on December 1, Hanseatic should (the third of that name ) are sold to Japan, but the contract ready for signature did not materialize and it is for about 31 million euros to cover liabilities in the United States. But behind it was the Soviet state shipping company, under the name Maksim Gorkiy handed the ship on January 25, 1974 ( in honor of the Russian writer Maxim Gorky ) to the Black Sea Shipping Co..
Since 2006, Maxim Gorkiy drove without the red star on the bow. At the chimney, the logo of the Russian shipping company was removed and replaced with the emblem of Phoenix Reisen - replaced - the albatross. In addition, they received instead of the previous red a turquoise " belly band ". The Maxim Gorkiy was at the time of decommissioning of the longest serving passenger ship was built in Germany and is operated under the German flag.
Fame
In 1974 she has been the setting of the British thriller " 18 hours till eternity " in which she was the scene of a blackmail under the film name Britannic.
Historical importance was the ship after the Berlin Wall at the Summit of the U.S. President George HW Bush with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to conclude a disarmament agreement in December 1989 on board in rough seas off the Mediterranean island of Malta.
The Maxim Gorkiy was also known by the media as if it a few months earlier in June 1989 ran in the North Sea off Spitsbergen in a blowing ice rink and wrecked. All passengers were rescued. The ship in danger of sinking and was two weeks later start on it's own, Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven to a makeshift repair. Here she was overhauled extensively during a six-week yard stay and has since been continuously used as a cruise ship.
The serial killer Anatoly Onoprijenko belonged to the crew of the ship.
Decommissioning and rescue attempts
After the end of the summer season, November 30, 2008, the ship was decommissioned. This was due mainly to the high operating costs, which are mainly due to the steam turbine drive. On 14 September 2008, the Maxim Gorkiy went on their journey from Gdansk to Bremerhaven for the last time under that name by the North Sea-Baltic Canal.
The beginning of 2009 it was announced that the shipping company has sold the ship for the equivalent of 4.2 million U.S. dollars to an Indian recycling company for recycling to Alang. On the evening of January 28, 2009, she left under the overpass name Maxim M the port of Piraeus and reached Alang, on 15 February 2009.
To prevent the scrapping and preserve the ship for the Hanseatic city of Hamburg as a technical monument, a community of interests became involved with the support of the citizenry deputies Hans Lafrenz for the purchase of the ship that should then be converted to a hotel and a museum ship. One of the essential conditions for the preservation of the ship was that the city of Hamburg is an attractive rent-free mooring available. Due to the demands made by the Senate and safety benefits associated with a less favorable berth jumped from existing investors. The ship was now on the journey to Alang, so that new investors or other rescue options in the short time were no longer to implement.
Scrapping
On the morning of February 25, 2009, the ship at Alang (India) was placed on the beach, where it was cannibalized and scrapped. Less than a year later, in late January 2010, the last remains of the ship were removed.