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With Reuben Goossens
Maritime
Historian,
Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author
Hamburg Süd
Reederei
(Hamburg
South America Line)
Page Two
MS Cap San Diego
The
Last of Six “Cap San” Class Liners
The
sleek Passenger Cargo liner MS Cap San Diego seen at sea
Company’s Postcard
– Author’s collection
Please
Note:
On July 28, 2011, I
received an email from Mr.
Laurens von Oelsen
in Germany
and he wrote;
“I am not
quite sure if this liner fits your bill, but it she is a beauty! The MS Cap San
Diego was built in 1962 for the Hamburg Süd Reederei as a freight and passenger
liner. She is currently preserved in Hamburg as a museum and she can also be
visited as her cabins are used as a hotel. In addition, on special occasions
she is used for day voyages along the German North coast! Laurens v. Oelsen.”
Amazingly, some time
ago I commenced a page on this ship, but for a good number of reasons I never
completed it and it sat in a folder. However, thanks to Mr. v.
Oelsen I decided to locate it and do something about it and below is the
result. However, at this stage, I have not as yet completed this feature and
there is more to come in relation to her current museum condition, but I will
do so as when time permits. But in the meantime enjoy reading about the history
of this beautiful ship. Thank you so much Laurens, for your encouragement to
get this, page online, with Page Two that will cover her current condition as a
fully operating Museum and hotel, very soon.
PS. Laurens stayed onboard the Cap San Diego in one of the
Promenade Deck single bedded cabins, with an extra bed in 2007 and he took all
the photographs as seen on both Cap San Diego pages, which are credited to him.
He informs me that he has visited the ship several times, as well as the
beautifully restored State steamer in Hamburg,
named the Schaarh?rn. See: www.stiftung-hamburg-maritim.de/schiffe/schaarhoern.php.
I also wish to thank Mr. Jens
Weber, Manager of the “Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH,” Hamburg, Germany for providing a series of excellent
photographs of the ship in Hamburg
and her interiors, etc! You can visit their excellent website at: www.capsandiego.de. Although the site is
mostly in German, there is English available under “Summery” that
you will find at the top right hand side. Many of the other links will have the
word “Bilder”, which means photographs,
and there are also some fine videos online! I am most grateful to both Mr. von Oelsen and Mr. Weber
of the Cap San Diego Organisation for their kind assistance in providing some
fine images, etc!
Reuben
Goossens –
Updated Aug 5, 2011.
The
“White Swan of the South Atlantic”
Introduction:
There is no doubt that
the superb 1962 built MS Cap San Diego is one of the finest preserved ships
that came out of six fast passenger cargo liners, that was constructed
especially for a fine German shipping companies in Hamburg and she sailed
between Hamburg and South America until 1981. Thereafter she had a varied
career under two other operators, until obtained to be restored and retained as
a fully operational Maritime Museum and Hotel in Hamburg.
The last of a very attractive
series of six passenger cargo ships built for Hamburg Süd Reederei, was
the MS Cap San Diego which was constructed by the Deutsche Werft AG in Hamburg. She was simply
known as hull number 785. Her keel was laid down on April 10, 1961, and was launched and named later that year on
December 15. After her fitting out was completed she was delivered and
officially handed over to her owners on March 27, 1962, which was quite a feat
to see a ship laid down and delivered within a year, that speaks of typical
German efficiency! Having been delivered to Hamburg Süd Reederei she had two
days to load her cargo and finally her fortunate passengers before she departed
on her maiden voyage for South America, a great beginning of a faithful
Trans-Atlantic service that would include call to North
America as well!
MS
Cap San Diego’s Builder Plaque
Author’s
collection
Her identical
sisters were named as follows: MS Cap San Antonio, Cap San
Augustin, Cap San Lorenzo, Cap San Marco and Cap San Nicolas (seen below).
Amazingly all these ships were built in 1961, but have now been sadly broken
up, whereas the superb 1962 Cap San Diego fortunately lives on as a fine Maritime Museum,
Hotel and operating ship in Hamburg!
The
fifth ship of the Cap series, the MS Cap San Nicholas
Company’s
Postcard – Author’s collection
The
Ships Features:
The 9,998 ton (GRT)
MS Cap San Diego was designed by well known marine architect Mr. Casar Pinnau and there is
no doubt that this elegant ship had a long slender, sleek yacht like look about
her. In addition she had a beautiful and perfectly balanced superstructure that
was located amidships to slightly aft. What made the “Cap San”
series so well known was a delightful “rounded Bridge roof”
feature, which was painted a rich red. However, in reality it was only a windbreak
and there was certainly a regular flat deck on the top of the Bridge, but these
curved and rounded sides continued (but now in white) down to Bridge Deck aft.
With the rich red feature atop of the ship, and her boot topping the same
colour this was broken with an all white ship, both hull and superstructure,
but these red features gave her that sleek and elegant look. In addition, there was no traditional funnel, but
she had white twin exhaust uptakes, which were located aft on Boat Deck.
However her smoke uptakes were put to another good use, as they served as
“Samson Posts” for derricks serving hold number four.
There was no doubt that MS Cap San Diego, as were her sisters, was the
perfectly balanced ship from her beautifully flared bow, ending with that stern
of sheer perfection to the overall design, that completed the perfect picture! April 1961
Cargo
Facilities:
There is no doubt that the six “Cap
San” class sisters initiated a whole new German era of the
“super-fast passenger-cargo liners” all having five spacious multi
layered holds. These gigantic cargo spaces measured around 540,000 cubic feet,
but these ships had some other unique innovations. Whereas holds 3 and 4 were
fully refrigerated, yet at hold 2 there were three separate hatches two smaller
one on each side, the one on the starboard side and port side were both
refrigerated, whilst the larger midsection hold was for regular cargo. All
refrigerated spaces were cooled down to a minimum of minus -20 degrees, thus
were able to transport frozen meat and other frozen goods, be it fruits and
vegetables. Together these refrigerated holds had capacity of a good 240,000
cubic feet. In addition there were also some heated oil tanks for the
transportation of palm oil. All hatches were operated electronically for
additional efficiency. Her five holds were well taken care of by her three
masts and derricks; there was her Fore Mast, a Loading Mast, and her Main Mast
aft. For interest, located above her bridge were a Signalling Mast, HF
Transmitting Aerial, Magnetic Compass Direction Finder and two Radars.
Maiden
voyage:
On March 29, 1962,
MS Cap San Diego finally departed Hamburg on
her maiden voyage bound for South and North America and she proved to be a
popular ship and obtained the nickname as being the elegant “White Swan
of the South Atlantic.” According to
what I have obtained from online, this was her maiden ports of call: Cuxhaven to Montreal, Baltimore, New York, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Santos, Antwerp, Rotterdam and back
to Bremen.
According to other schedules published the following were also part of Hamburg
Sud’s schedules: 1. Hamburg, Bremen, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Santos, and Buenos Aires. Return
voyages: Optional call at Montevideo.
2. Hamburg, Bremen,
Rotterdam, Antwerp, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Rio Grande, Porto Alegre.
MS
Cap San Diego is seen here departing New
York
Postcard
– George. S.
Public
Venues and Staterooms:
Promenade
(passenger) Deck plan
Publicity material
There
was no doubt, but the Cap San Diego certainly offered some of the most
luxurious and spacious accommodations to be found on any passenger cargo ship
with just 12 passengers sailing in the early 1960’s. Her lounges were the
ultimate in comfort and design and her spacious cabins were indeed the ultimate
and as some of her past passengers stated;
“Our cabin
on the Cap San Diego put many first class cabins on the big so-called luxury trans Atlantic liners to shame! We loved the intimacy and
the excellent food and service on board, and no, we are not German, but
British, but we decided that we just had to do it, for once we saw these ships
we had to try it them, and when we booked, it just happened that it was the
great survivor of the fleet, the Cap San Diego that fitted our timeslot, and it
was certainly one of our the best voyages ever, bar that great Dutch liners you
also have online, the SS Nieuw Amsterdam! Thank you for all your hard work and
the best maritime sites, I have been reading it for over 10 years and never
tire of it. Please keep on going, and I hope that you will write on the Cap
ships soon! George.S. Nov 2008.”
I hereby wish to thank you George.S.,
who did not wish to be fully identified, for providing your thoughts on your
voyage and sending me these excellent postcards, as seen below, it was you that
got me started on commencing this page in 2008, but somehow due to a lack of
time I never finished it, and although I had written much of it, I only
completed this page late in July 2011. Thanks again George!
Bar and
Night Club:
Located forward on
her main passenger deck are the ships three main public venues that span the
entire width of the forward part of the ship and is divided into three rooms.
Port side is the delightful Lounge Bar, which had deep leather luxuriously
furnished sofas and high-backed armchairs, timber cabinets and soft colours
soft furnishings dark glossy lampshades complementing the black marble round
polished steel surrounded tabletops. The bar was on the aft wall towards the
middle of the ship and was rounded and it had a subdued feel, yet it was well
lit and beautifully executed, giving this room an understated but a
delightfully joyful nightclub feel!
On
the port side of the Lounge is the luxuriously furnished Bar
Postcard
– George. S.
Main
Lounge:
In the middle is the
sublimely elegant Main Lounge that had most of its furnishings located on the
forward section of the room close to the windows. There were comfortable and
elegantly upholstered fabric stripped sofas, as well as more subdued plain
fabric armchairs. Cantered below the windows you will note the book cabinet, as
there was an ample selection of books for the passengers to read. Along the aft
wall was a long steel based and timber topped cabinet with two armchairs at
each side. Centred on the cabinet was always a fresh vase of local flowers
pending on location, and at each end there was an elegant fabric covered base
lamp (same as the plain armchairs) topped with a soft and light lamp shade. In
the drawers of this cabinet passengers would find playing cards and various
games. The wall behind the cabinet is of all glass and it looks directly into
the Lobby and the main stairwell. The vertical, softly stripped side walls,
featured two small pieces of art that were hung very close together, and looked
very smart indeed, this was also a feature in the Bar!
The
beautifully designed Lounge has the ultimate of comfort and
views over the ships bow
On
the starboard side through the opening is the Dining Room
Postcard
– George. S.
Dining
Room”
On the starboard is the
location of one of the most elegant Dining Rooms afloat! It may be a small
restaurant, but it became famed as having the elegance of a fine dining
Restaurant and I have been told that the meals were of the highest
international standard! The décor was simple, yet overflowing with beauty, bet
it the gently rippled walls had a touch of gold, the curtains continued the
theme, but had a darker gold vertical stripe. This venue provided an overall
relaxing feel and it was certainly a good preparation to a splendid meal that
was to come! There are elegant brass wall light fittings with a fluted frosted
glass shade and on the aft wall a fine piece of art. The most striking feature
in this venue was the chairs, having a rather elegant fabric with gold and
brown stripes that added to the whole theme of this luxurious venue. The room
was also oval in shape and thus the whole venue had that sculptured feel about
it and it was nothing short from sublime, and remember this is a freighter that
transported just 12 passengers, thus it is so hard to believe for she looked
more like a full fledged luxury Trans-Atlantic passenger liner! If I could have
only sailed on her in her hey day!!!
The
delightful Dining Room is located next to the lounge on the starboard side!
Postcard
– George. S.
Staterooms:
Aft of the Lobby
there are eight gracious and spacious beautifully appointed staterooms, these
are made up of twin and single bedded rooms. These staterooms were the ultimate
in German style and elegance for as you enter the room the first thing that was
rather obvious was the sheer space of the room, as well as the two large
windows that brightened the space, which was complimented by the light walls
and ceiling, the simple art work that adorned the wall, the large mirror and
the brass wall lamp with a soft lampshade. However the furnishings is without
doubt the most striking features here, as it features superb timbers that
surround the beds, the cabinets, table and wardrobes, all of which are of fine
dark timbers adorned with a gold trim. In addition there is a large sofa, as
well as an armchair, a high table that can be used to dine on, or just as a
coffee table. All rooms are huge, for between the two beds alone there was at
least 8 feet of space, and that is just a part of the stateroom. The two sets
of drawers had a fixed lamp on them, and there was a long desk spanning between
them. Carpets throughout all passenger areas were very much a neutral pale
grey. All staterooms, twin or single offered excellent private facilities!
This
is one of the twin staterooms and all cabins on board were large
compared to most ships today
They were superbly fitted out and their
furnishing added to the luxury feeling of the ship
Postcard
– George. S.
Lobby:
The forward Lobby is the heart of
the ship as it led to all the ships facilities, her lounge, bar, dining room,
staterooms and her lower open deck spaces and the purser’s office. The
Swimming pool is located above on Boat Deck and is reached via stairs located
aft on this deck. Like all the ships carpets they are a pale soft grey, and
with the walls being clad in a rich timber, gives the interior a warm and
homely feeling, the glass wall afforded sufficient light flowing in from the
windows in the Main Lounge. The stairs balustrade is slightly curved giving it
a delightfully sculptured touch! Generally this is a well finished, be it
rather small area.
The
Lobby and main Stairwell goes down to Shelter Deck
Photograph
provided by: Cap San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Lower
Lobby and Stairwell on Shelter Deck looking to port and the door
to the open deck
Image provided by Isaac Jacobsen (DE),
but the photographer unknown - *Please see photo notes at bottom of page
For a passenger
cargo ship, the Cap San Diego offered her passengers an excellent outdoor
swimming pool up on Boat Deck and this area even offered a fine lido deck,
reminiscent of a genuine Trans-Atlantic passenger Liner!
Pool
and Lido Deck on Boat Deck
Photograph
provided by: Cap San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
The
ships overall lay-out
From
original publicity material – author’s collection
Photo
Album
The
Engine Room
Photograph by & ? Laurens v. Oelsen
Here
we see her 52 meter long propeller shaft
Photograph by & ? Laurens v. Oelsen
Looking
over the ships fore-deck
Photograph by & ? Laurens v. Oelsen
A
superb black and white photo of this sleek ship
Photographer unknown -
*Please see photo notes at bottom of page
Specifications:
Builder:??????????????????????????????????????????????? Deutsche Werft AG in Hamburg.
Number:?????????????????????????????????????????????? 785.
Laid
down:?????????????????????????????????????????? April
10, 1961.
Launched:??????????????????????????????????????????? December 15, 1961.
Maiden
Voyage:??????????????????????????????????? March
29, 1962.
Tonnage:???????????????????????????????????????????? 9,998
GRT & 5,729 Net.
Length: ????????????????????????????????????????????? ft
– 159.40m.
Beam:???????????????????????????????????????????????? ft
- 21.40m.
Draft:????????????????????????????????????????????????? ft
– 8.44m.
Engines:????????????????????????????????????????????? 1
x 2 Stroke MAN K9Z 78/140 D - diesel engine at 11 650 hp – 8,569 kW.????
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Four auxiliary
KHD-engines (500 hp) with generators to supply the ship with electricity
440V/115 ac.
Screws:?????????????????????????????????????????????? Single.
Service speed:????????????????????????????????????? 19
knots (During trials: Max, 20.3 knots at 118 revolutions per
minute).
Passengers:????????????????????????????????????????? 12
First Class deluxe.
Crew:????????????????????????????????????????????????? 50.
MS Cap San Diego would faithfully sail the
Atlantic for the next 20 years and operate a good return voyages out of Hamburg
across the Atlantic and back, which was quite a feat, but then came the
1980’s and modernisation arrived with new systems, such as container
ships and the shipping trade was rapidly changing and ships like the good old
faithful Cape ships would become close to obsolete. And operating as passengers
ships had slowly become too costly by now with crew costs increasing, etc...
Thus, sadly, late in 1981 the company had
decided to modernise its fleet and to dispose of two of its Cap ships, with the
other three to be sold in the following two years. The Cap San Lorenzo was sold
months after being built. On December 19, 1981 she was taken over by the
Spanish company Hansamerica S.A. and managed by Ybarra y Cia.S.A., Panama who renamed her MS San Diego. She
operated until early 1986, on their services, although little is known, or that
I have available at this time.
The
Ybarra Lines MS San Diego – 1982 to 1986
Photograph
provided by: Cap San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
However in March 1986 she was sold to Multitrade Shipping Inc and she was to be managed by Navorient Maritime Ltd of Kingston. But they soon realised that this
once glamorous liner, renamed MS Sangria, would no longer be a profitable
vessel to operate. Thus it was decided to lay her up and place her on the
market. Sadly due to poor maintenance, possibly even from her previous owner,
as well from current neglect, she was looking more like a ravaged and a rusty
ship to say the least. She was finally sold to a Chinese breaker, but the
question is … was this going to be the end of her?
Here
we see rather sad looking MS Sangria around August 1986
Photograph provided by: Cap
San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
However
the answer to the last question above is NO! For
some very good fortune was on her side as the City of Hamburg decided
to obtain the Cap San Diego in order to preserve her as a Maritime Monument.
On October 31, 1986 this superb ship returned to her homeport of registry and
she was officially handed over to the foundation “Hamburger
Admiralty” in 1987.
Sadly her five older sisters have all been
broken up, whilst the Cap San Diego has survived as superb museum, hotel and tourist venue in Hamburg. She is
extremely well looked after by some 38 volunteer workers most of whom are
retired sailors who hail from a variety of ranks and they take very good care
of her, in addition there are 20 other workers that are part of an employment
program. Amazingly the ship is fully operational and continues to operate short
day voyages throughout the year.
A superb
photograph of the sleek MS Cap San Diego during her days sailing the Atlantic
Company’s
Postcard – Author’s collection
Click HERE for an excellent YouTube video of the MS Cap San
Diego
Hamburg Sud’s INDEX:
Page
One …?????????????????? “MS Santa
Ines & Santa Teresa” -
Including a little “Hamburg Sud” history and a few other ships.
Page Two …?????????????????? “MS
Cap San Diego” - The Last of Six “Cap San” Class Liners.
Page
Three …???????????????? “MS Cap San Diego” - “The Museum & Hotel Ship.”
Page
Four …?????????????????? The other Five “Cap
San” White Swans.
**************************************************
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Commenced
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Photographs
on ssmaritime and associate pages are by the author or from the author’s
private collection. In addition
there are some images that have been provided by Shipping Companies and private
photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However,
there are some photographs that have been provided to me without details
regarding the photographer/owner concerned. I hereby invite owners of these
images, if they would be so kind to make them-selves known to me (my email
address may be found on www.ssmaritime.com ), in order that due
credit may be given in full. I know what it is like, I have seen a multitude of
my own photographs on other sites, yet these individuals either refuse to
provide credit or remove them when requested, knowing full well that there is
no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show these
charlatans up and always do the right thing at all times and give proper credit
where credit is due!
This
notice covers all pages, although, and I have done my best to ensure that all
photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page,
that is, when pages are updated!
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