Posted at 11:24 a.m., Monday, April 14, 2003
Norwegian buys SS Independence
By Kelly Yamanouchi
Advertiser Staff Writer
Norwegian said it is evaluating the "potential addition of the SS Independence" to its U.S. flag operations, but has not said whether the ship would sail in Hawai'i.
Norwegian purchased the vessel at federal auction from the U.S. Maritime Administration, "saving her from almost certain scrapping," according to the cruise line. The Maritime Administration said the sale price on the SS Independence was $4,005,000.
A recent federal audit determined that American Classic Voyages cost taxpayers $330 million after it went bankrupt in October 2001. It had been granted about
$1.3 billion of loan guarantees for ships, including the construction of two Project America ships.
Norwegian has plans to put U.S. flags on three foreign-built ships to sail in Hawai'i as permitted by recent legislation endorsed by Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai'i. If the SS Independence is used in U.S.-flag operations, Norwegian said, it would be in addition to those three.
Norwegian also said today that it purchased the SS United States for use in Mainland U.S. operations "where cruise products are not currently available." Norwegian intends to refurbish the vessel at U.S. shipyards and outfit it overseas.
