MV Funchal

Summary

MV Funchal is a Portuguese ocean liner owned by Brock Pierce as a floating hotel.[1]

MV Funchal in Göteborg, July 1976
History
Portugal
NameFunchal
NamesakeFunchal
OperatorEmpresa Insulana de Navegação
Port of registryLisbon
BuilderHelsingør Skibsværft A/S
Yard number353
Launched10 February 1961
Maiden voyage4 November 1961
In service1961
Out of service1974
Refit1972
HomeportLisbon
Identification
Portugal
NameFunchal
OperatorCTM - Companhia Portuguesa de Transportes Marítimos
Port of registryLisbon
In service1974
Out of service1985
Refit1972
HomeportLisbon
Portugal
NameFunchal
OwnerG. Warwick Co. Inc
OperatorClassic International Cruises
Port of registry
In service1985
Out of service2011
FateTransferred to Portuscale Cruises in 2013
Portugal
NameFunchal
OwnerBrock Pierce[1]
Port of registryMadeira,  Portugal
In service2013
Out of service2015
Refit2013, 2021
Reinstated2021 as Static Hotel
HomeportLisbon
Identification
StatusMoored at Cais Da Matinha
General characteristics
TypeOcean liner
Tonnage9,563 GT
Length152.6 m (501 ft)
Beam19.05 m (62.5 ft)
Depth6.18 m (20.3 ft)
Decks6
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Capacity524 passengers
Crew155

Construction and configuration edit

 
Funchal being built at Helsingor, February 5, 1961

The ship was built in 1961, under the guidance of the Portuguese naval engineer Rogério d'Oliveira. Funchal is an ocean liner with a classic profile and interiors.

The ship's features include stabilisation, air-conditioning, three lifts, a main show lounge (Ilha Verde), piano bar (Porto Bar), club room, library, card room, lido bar, shop, photo shop, medical centre, excursion office, and reception with exchange facilities.

Early service edit

 
The steamship Lima

In the late 1950s Portuguese shipping company Empresa Insulana de Navegação began to plan a running-mate for its popular but ageing steamship Lima on the LisbonMadeira route. The new ship was laid down in July 1960, and was launched as Funchal (after the capital of Madeira) on February 10, 1961. She was delivered to Insulana de Navegação in October, and began her maiden voyage from Lisbon to Madeira via Ponta Delgada, Azores on November 4.[2]

From 1961 to 1972 Funchal worked the Lisbon – Azores – Madeira route consistently, aside from periodic charters by the Portuguese government to act as the country's presidential yacht for both recreational and official functions, including state visits to Brazil in 1968 and 1972 (on the latter trip, repatriating the ashes of Brazil's first Emperor, Pedro I).[3]

However, the ship's boilers had been problematic since her launch, with frequent breakdowns and unplanned maintenance periods, and on a 1972 trip from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro carrying President Américo Tomás, Funchal broke down in mid-Atlantic, and limped into Rio two days late after emergency repairs.[4]

In the aftermath of the boiler failure, Empresa Insulana de Navegação sent Funchal to Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij NV in Amsterdam, Netherlands in late 1972, where her original boilers and Parsons turbines were removed and replaced with a pair of 9-cylinder Werkspoor diesel engines, making a total of 10,000 hp. The company took the opportunity to also rebuild Funchal as a single-class cruise ship. Tourist A and B cabins were mostly rebuilt, to enable a greater share of rooms with private bathrooms, and cargo hold space was converted into additional cabins. Upon re-delivery in May 1973, Funchal now carried 465 passengers in one class, and had a top speed of just 18 knots, 16 knots cruising, slower, but more reliable and efficient.[5]

After making a few cruises with her original black hull, Funchal was repainted white in the spring of 1973. From 1973 to 1974, her routes varied, sailing from Dover, United Kingdom and Zeebrugge, Belgium down to the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, and Cape Verde during the summer months, shifting to Rio de Janeiro for cruises along the South American coast during the winter. By this point, Funchal's owners were struggling financially, and, in early 1974, merged with their larger counterpart, Companhia Colonial de Navegação, to create Companhia Portuguesa de Transportes Marítimos (CPTM), with Funchal becoming part of the combined fleet. Later in 1974, following the revolution that toppled the Estado Novo regime, CPTM was nationalized by the new government.[6]

 
Funchal in Tilbury, 1977

In 1976 CPTM placed Funchal under long-term charter to Greek businessman Georgios Potamianos, a member of the family that also controlled Epirotiki Lines (later known as Royal Olympic / Olympia Cruise Lines). Potamianos formed Arcalia Shipping Company to manage and market the ship, basing Funchal in Harwich, United Kingdom during the summer, running cruises around the Baltic Sea and Norwegian fjords, moving to Rio de Janeiro in the winter.[7]

Service with Classic International Cruises edit

Funchal was the first vessel to join the Classic International Cruises fleet in 1984, and under that flag successfully served the British cruise market for over 20 years, carrying thousands of passengers.

 
Funchal in Helsinki, June 2009

Having undergone extensive work in 2010, to comply with SOLAS 2010, Funchal went to a Lisbon Shipyard in February 2011 for a lengthy refit, which included changes to its power plant as well as passenger and crew cabins and public lounges. The idea was to make the ship fit for service for at least another ten years. In November 2011, she completed 50 years of service, always under the same name. However, in 2012, work stopped towards April with only 20% of the required work completed. Following Classic International Cruises' liquidation, in December 2012, the ship faced the threat of being sold for scrap.

Service with Portuscale Cruises edit

In early 2013 a Portuguese entrepreneur Rui Alegre purchased Funchal, as well as Princess Danae, Arion and Athena, to serve the newly-formed Portuscale Cruises. During 2013, Funchal was extensively refurbished in Lisbon's Naval Rocha shipyards, being upgraded to a four-star vessel, at a cost of about 10 million euros. In the refurbishment, the ship's hull was re-painted black, its original colour.

On 1 August 2013 the refurbished Funchal was re-instated in the presence of prime minister Passos Coelho. In early August 2013, the ship left drydock in Lisbon, Portugal and, on 27 August 2013, arrived in Gothenburg, Sweden, to restart her cruising career.

 
Funchal in Gothenburg on August 30, 2013

On 28 August 2013 Funchal was detained at Gothenburg. The cruise ship was fully laden with passengers but was not allowed to leave. According to some Swedish press accounts, many safety issues were found.[8] In a press release, the Portuscale Cruise CEO denied the existence of safety issues, saying that the issues were related to the malfunctioning of two watertight doors and one sprinkler station, issues that had already been detected by the crew, who had informed the Swedish Port State Control authorities.

On 3 September 2013, with the issues resolved, and all inspections made and certifications granted, Funchal left Gothenburg harbour and restarted her cruise, heading to Scotland.[9]

Signature Living edit

On 5 December 2018 Funchal was sold at auction in Lisbon for Euro3.1 million. The buyers were named as Signature Living, a UK-based hotel group who intended to convert the ship to a party hotel to travel from Liverpool to the Mediterranean.[10][11][12] However, payment was not made and ship continued laid up in Lisbon where future was uncertain. According to industry sources, the classic 1961-built Funchal was to be towed to Liverpool as soon as new owners Signature Living made the final payment on the vessel.[13] However, on 30 June 2020 Signature Living entered administration with the administrators arranging for the disposal of Funchal. She thus remained moored in Lisbon.[14]

Brock Pierce plans for hotel edit

In December 2020, Funchal was still laid up in Lisbon when put up for auction by sealed tender[15] The purchaser, crypto-currency billionaire Brock Pierce, paid US$1.9 million/€1.6 million with refurbishing costs estimated to add at least US$6.4 million/€5.5 million to turn the boat into a 200-room, 5 star hotel at Yard Naval da Rocha Conde de Óbidos. Pierce also bought the 75 year-old Astoria, docked in Rotterdam, which was also to be transferred to Lisbon for refurbishing and naval certificates, with eventual plans to travel to Funchal, Madeira.[16][17][18] After docked for refurbishment as hotel,[19]

Work appears to be slow[20] and in September 2021 the ship was scene of a fire incident which resulted in 20 fire crews rushing to the scene. One worker suffered minor smoke inhalation injuries.[21][22]

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ a b "Brock Pierce: O criptomilionário que comprou o paquete Funchal". 31 July 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  2. ^ "SS Funchal". 26 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Empresário norte-americano gastou sete milhões para comprar e transformar paquete Funchal em hotel de luxo". 26 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Empresário norte-americano gastou sete milhões para comprar e transformar paquete Funchal em hotel de luxo". 26 August 2023.
  5. ^ "SS Funchal". 26 August 2023.
  6. ^ "SS Funchal". 26 August 2023.
  7. ^ "SS Funchal". 26 August 2023.
  8. ^ Pavlica, Adrianna (28 August 2013). "Fartyget stoppades – ligger kvar i Göteborg" [The ship was stopped — will remain in Gothenburg]. Expressen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  9. ^ "Portuscale Cruises - The Discoveries Continue". Portuscale Cruises. 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  10. ^ Neves, Rui (5 December 2018). "Britânica Signature Living compra o paquete Funchal por 3,91 milhões". Jornal de Negocios (in Portuguese). Cofina Media SA. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  11. ^ "Funchal Poised to Become Hotel Ship in London". Cruise Industry News. New York. 7 December 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  12. ^ "It's Anchors Aweigh on the Signature Living Party Boat Hotel". signatureliving.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  13. ^ "Neue Pläne für MS Funchal". 22 October 2019.
  14. ^ Kirkham, Jenny (June 30, 2020). "Onboard Signature Living party boat that will now never set sail". Liverpool Echo.
  15. ^ "Got US$ 2 million to spare ? You now can own your very own cruise ship". Rutair. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Brock Pierce, o criptomilionário que um dia quis ser presidente dos Estados Unidos". TVI24.
  17. ^ Portugal, Rádio e Televisão de. "Paquete Funchal ganha nova vida". Paquete Funchal ganha nova vida.
  18. ^ Cabrita-Mendes, André (24 August 2021). "Empresário norte-americano gastou sete milhões para comprar e transformar paquete Funchal em hotel de luxo". O Jornal Económico.
  19. ^ "Paquete Funchal imobilizado na Margueira" [Steamship Funchal immobilized in Margueira]. Sergio@cruises.blogspot (in Portuguese). 22 April 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  20. ^ "Paquete Funchal transformado em hotel flutuante". 15 July 2021.
  21. ^ "Incêndio no paquete 'Funchal' faz um ferido". www.cmjornal.pt.
  22. ^ "PJ investiga incêndios no paquete 'Funchal'". www.cmjornal.pt.

External links and further reading edit

  • MarineTraffic: Funchal - Current position of RV Funchal, recent port calls and live map view.
  • MV Funchal ship profile - Portuscale Cruises profile for MV Funchal, showing deck plans and information about the public areas of the ship.
  • ssMaritime: SS Funchal - Early history of Funchal.