Sunday, 06 November 2016 10:36

Save the SMIT-LLOYD 1

foto Stigter| foto Stigter|

The moment of truth is there. The very last version of the original A-class Smit-Lloyd suppliers is about to disapear. We are talking about the former “Smit-Lloyd 1”, built in 1965 en the second vessel in de Smit-Lloydfleet. Since 2013 operating under the name of “Deep Offshore”. The condition of the ship is excellent but the current owners have decided to take it out of commission due to lack of employment. At this time there are negotiations between a group of passionate shiplovers and the owners to try to get the former “Smit-Lloyd 1” back home and save it from the scrap yards. We need the amount of 250.000 US dollars (or 230.000 euro’s) to be able to buy the vessel. And then we need some more for transportation, either with a fully certified crew, or maybe the possibility of a semi-submergible pontoon. In the first case we need insurance, food and fuel supply. In the second case…. well, no company will do this transportation for free… At this moment we are looking into ways to set up a foundation to try to raise the money through crowd funding/sponsoring/donations. Buying the ship and getting it back to the Netherlands is one thing. Maintaining it is something else. We need docking facilities, a group of volunteers and the list goes on. But every journey starts with the first step and that is buying the vessel. I’m confident more steps will follow once the first step is taken. We need all the expertise we can get in this matter. Like the Americans say: “Put your money where your mouth is!” On the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Smit-Lloyd-11770022119922751/?fref=ts you will find the initiator of this project mr. Leroy Smith.