Nomadic The State of Play

[Erik Wood]

We may want to look into a couple of things.

Such as making our efforts into a non profit organziation. If we do this we could get grants and extra from different business and the like. It would be a write off for them. We could also be eligable for Historical funds from different governments.

Erik

 

[Sam Brannigan]

This just in from Phil:

Dear Sirs,

As a result of my conversation with Nomadic's owner about your decision, Mr
Vincent asked me to inform you about the following :

1. He will, to the last minute, prefer to sell the ship to Belfast.
2. He will agree whatever serious compromise about purchase price and
payment.
3. If needed, he could inform you about transportation and/or restoration
by a local company.
4. All of this could permit you to bring the boat back to Belfast before
"1912-2002 commemorations" and give you the necessary timescale to find
other investors.

Warm regards.

Philippe Delaunoy

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Well, at least that leaves the foot in the door. Wish I had some ideas as to where to go from here. It's been suggested that the current owners financial difficulties could be used as some leverage. I'd tread very lightly here. If the man thinks he's being blackmailed or excessively pressured, he could sell the NOMADIC to other interests out of sheer spite.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart

 

[Philippe Delaunoy]

Dear all,

I owe you an apologize. I only noticed this "protected" board today .....!

I will ASAP translate and post the Nomadic's examination report.

Here are my last actions about the Nomadic Rescue Project :

1. I sent about 45 e-mails to North Down Councillors, Belfast City Council's webmaster, various NI Assembly MLA's, ...

I received ... 1 reply : from Miss Marion Smith. She also is a UTS member and she's a friend of Bill McQuitty (ANTR director).

2. I asked Bass Leisure Retail if they could be interested to take part in the funding of Nomadic's restoration. BLR already restored the TS Queen Mary, morred today on the Tames in London.

Reply :"Dear Philippe

Thank you for your email and enquiry. I have passed your detail on to our
Property Department, however we have not plans to acquire any further ships
for conversion.

Thank you for your interest in the Company.

Kind regards
Sally Ellson
Six Continents Retail"

3. I'm now trying to get the support from recognized Titanic Historians and other VIP's. I asked Sam to contact Ken Marshall. I contacted George Behe.

Phil could you please forward my request to all qualified person you know?


The idea is to give more formality to our quest.

4. I also forwarded a mail received from the "Waverley" Preservation Society to Eamonn O'Neill. The Waverley is the last seagoing paddle steamer. Mr Cameron (?) informed me that the total restoration costs were about £4.3 million and "Finally, the funding route for the Waverley rebuild were :

Heritage Lottery Fund (approx 63%)
Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (approx 23%)
Scottish Enterprise / Local Government Funding (approx 10%)
European Union (approx 4%)"

Mr O'Neill secretary replied me "Dear Philippe

Thank you for your e-mail, dated 11 October 2001 regarding SS Nomadic.

Eamonn will bring the issue up with other interested MLA's. You may contact
any MLA directly via the Assembly website: www.niassembly.gov.uk

Should you experience any problems with the website or require any further
clarification please do not hesitate to contact our Castlewellan office.

Yours Sincerely

Laura King
Administrative Assistant for Cllr Eamonn ONeill MLA"

5. Last Friday, I tried to contact Dr Ian Adamson. Dr Adamson is a member of the NI Assembly AND the Belfast City Council. It seems that BCC will play a leading role in the final decision. Dr Adamson was not at his office but his secretary said me that she heard that:

* the Project total costs are about £ 6 million
* technical problems to move the ship will force Belfast Authorities to give up.

Your comments are welcome.

Write you soon.

Phil

 

[Philippe Delaunoy]

Here is a summary of the last Nomadic's examination report :

S. FRANCOIS
Sea & River Examinations
Avenue de l’Europe, 12
91200 ATHIS_MONS
Phone : 0033.1.69.38.56.07
Fax : 0033.1.69.38.72.12


SURVEY REPORT:


General description:

Name: NOMADIC
Type: Ferry
Matriculation: P 15 818 F
Length: 67.00 m
Breadth: 11.00 m

Building

Year: 1911
Type: riveted plates
Shipyard: Harland & Wolff — UK
Material: steel

Last survey: 10, 11 and 12 August 1994
Owner: Mr. Y. Vincent
Quai Debilly
75016 Paris

TOOLS:

Preparatory cleaning: hydraulic brush 110 bar — nylon and steel.

Inspection:

Apparatus: Krautkramer/Branson portable
Type: D M D 2
Length of sounder wire: 10 meters
Type of sounder: Marine DA 301B — 5 MHz
Monitor: Numeric LCD
Calibration: 10 mm — 5 mm — 2 mm (0.394 inch — 0.197 inch — 0.0788 inch)
Rate: 5900m/sec
Stitch: 2 meters
Inspection spots: 180
Inspection date: 10, 11 and 12 August 1998
Inspection place : Quai Debilly Paris
Divers : J.J. Ferro — L. Fouillet — P. Dedain
Experts : S. Francois — J.J. Ferro

REPORT :

Development :

During the inspection, the visibility under the water was 50 cm. The stream was medium.
Divers inspected the totality of under water hull plates.

Observations:

Shafts and screws are still there.

Some shock traces are visible.

Minimum depth under the boat: 40 cm (stern)

Due to important ship traffic, water motion is dangerous for divers.

Conclusions:

Rust marks are visible on original steel plates.

The forward section is more affected: rust marks are greater and closer. On the forward section the rust marks’ average diameter is 4 cm (1.6 inch). On the stern section, the marks’ average diameter is 2 cm (0.8 inch).

The last examination report shows no important rust marks.

Without any consequence on the rivets’ strength, those marks indicate an electrolytic (?) alteration.

Many causes are imaginable:

Difference of metal electric potential.
Water sourness
Electric loss (?)
Earth connection

The ultrasonic inspection shows the same average hull thickness than during the last 1994 survey.

The electrolytic (?) alteration seems to be the only observed default.

There is no major risk that could prevent the ship to keep afloat but it could be necessary to inspect the ship into a dry-dock. A cathode protection is recommended.

Structure:

The structure is mostly rusted on the stern section.

Recommendations:

To clean internal surfaces and to apply an antirust protection.
To apply a cathode protection
To prevent all pipe leakage.

S. FRANCOIS
Sea & River Examinations
Avenue de l’Europe, 12
91200 ATHIS_MONS
Phone : 0033.1.69.38.56.07
Fax : 0033.1.69.38.72.12


Ship: Nomadic


After our examination done on 23d January 1999, the following improvements were observed:

All pipes on cargo decks were repaired,
2 secondary pumps were added,
The stern compartment is dry and no water infiltration is observed."

 

[Philippe Delaunoy]

Last Minute Informations :

The AFT sent his petition to the French Ministry of Culture and his Heritage Department. I received the following informations :

1. Yes, the French Ministry of Culture started a Preservation Procedure concerning the Nomadic.

2. They decided on 25th October to establish a moratorium on the ship. The moratorium will become effective on 01/02/2002 for a period of 1 year. During this moratorium period, it will be impossible to damage the ship. The moratorium will only concern the preservation of the ship. So, the owner can't destroy the ship but he could sell her to anybody (French Government, Northern Ireland Government, Private Investor, ...).

3. The preservation of the Nomadic as a French Historical Monument will be effective if, after a 1 year of reflexion period, it exists a real viable project : owner's financial problems must be fixed, a full (realistic) restoration project must be set on foot.

4. The French Ministry of Culture and his Preservation Department had a first contact with the City of Cherbourg concerning the return of the Nomadic. Cherbourg is developing a huge project devoted to the Sea called "La Cité de la Mer" (Sea City). "La Cité de la Mer" will be situated near the former Cherbourg Maritime Station (Gare Maritime de Cherbourg). The problem is that the Cherbourg City Council and the Local Government already spent more than £ 30 million in the building of "La Cité de la Mer" and acquiring a former Military Submarine. It's universally known that Cherbourg City's wallet is empty.

5. If the Nomadic is effectively perserved as a piece of French Maritime History, the French Government could give about 40% of the total restoration cost.

In summary :

The ship's preservation will be secured on 01/02/2002. It means that, before the 1st February, the owner can do what he wants.
He already said me that he wasn't satisfied with the Government interfering with his selling intention. I guess he could try to sell her before 01/02/2002 (!).

If the Nomadic become effectively a French Historical Monument on 01/02/2003, she won't sail back to Belfast.

If Belfast is still interested, I hope you'll find a solution as soon as possible.

I sent those informations to NI and received this from Miss Marion Smith - North Down Councillor :

"Philippe
I have received your 3 e mails.
Have spoken to Michale McGaughan at the Ulster Folk & transport Museum td day. He is up to speed on what is happening.
I will contact Ian Adamson and Michael mcGimpsey again. But I cannot see any local government agreeing to anything as quickley as 01/02/2002 or even 2003!! Money at every level is very difficult at present.
The only thing I can see is if Cherbourg does keep her and an international trail can be made re the Titanic linking in the Nomadic. eg Belfast - Cobh -Cherbourg. Perhaps something could be done this way.
I am doing my best at this end - but the task is enormous and has some very difficult decisions. I am only trying to be practical. But will keep trying all the contacts I have.
Regards Marion"

 

[Philippe Delaunoy]

Dear all,

There is the last answer coming from Minister McGimpsey :

"Other pressures on resources mean that my Department can have no further involvedment with Nomadic, even in partnership with other bodies."

It seems that the Northern Ireland project is dead!

I keep trying other options.

Kind regards.


Phil

 

[Philippe Delaunoy]

Dear Nomadic's fans,

Here are the latest news concerning the Nomadic :

As I already said, Belfast Authorities stopped their involvment into the return of the ship to her motherland. I received the confirmation through different politicians.

... they probably prefer to finance the destruction of H&W historical buildings ...

So I decided to contact other possible interested parties. I can't reveal any names but someone IS interested by the ship and hopefully will restore her.

What's new in Paris ?

The French Government is also interested by the ship. They rejected the project of transforming (and destroying) the ship into an hotel/restaurant. They are now trying to classify her as a French Historical Monument.

Summary :

Even if some projects are now dead, it seems that the future of the Nomadic as an Historical Ship is on the right track !