S.S. Eugenio C & Big Red Boat II
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since 1960, although is now retired but having completed around 680 Classic Liners and Cargo-Passengers
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the information the are seeking, but above all a great deal of pleasure!
Reuben Goossens.

Photographs on these pages are from the author’s private
collection, unless otherwise stated
Costa
Armatori SpA (Linea C) Genoa
ordered a new ship for the South American service. Not only would this ship be
new, but she was going to be revolutionary. This magnificent liner was built by
Cantieri Riuniti Dell Adriatico in Monfalcone,
Italy and her keel was laid
down on January 4, 1964.

SS
Eugenio C seen during her construction
From
the Paolo Baldazzi collection
This
fine liner was launched on November 21 1964 and was delivered to Linea C on
August 22, 1966 and duly departed for her maiden Trans-Atlantic voyage from Genoa to Buenos
Aires. Her twin turbines gave her a remarkable speed
of 27 knots, shortening crossing the Atlantic
considerably. She accommodated 178 first class passengers, 356 second class and
1102 tourist class. With her many modern features in all classes, she became a
popular luxury liner, much was sought after by the rich and famous. For the
next ten years Eugenio C operated a full time Trans Atlantic service from Genoa to South America,
however, with passenger loadings dropping rapidly in the late seventies, she
undertook more and more cruises. However, by 1983 a Trans Atlantic voyage would
be a twice yearly positioning voyage as she cruised year round from Europe or
the Americas.

An
early Linea Lines post card of SS Eugenio C
Specifications:
Length: 713ft –
217.39 Meters.
Breadth: 96.1ft
– 29.39 Meters.
Draught: 28.3ft
– 8.63 Meters.
Gross Registered Tonnage: 32.753 Tons.
Main Engines: De
Laval Twin Cross compounded turbines in two cylinders 55,000
SHP.
Boilers: 3
Babcock and Wilcox selectable superheat boilers of integral furnace design.
Propellers: 2.
Speed: 27 knots / 28.4
maximum.
Passengers: 178
First – 356 Cabin – 1,102 Tourist.
Crew: 424.
Two
sets of stabilizers / Fully air-conditioned.
SS EugenioCosta

In
1984 SS Eugenio C was renamed EugenioCosta
It was decided in 1984 to rename Eugenio C and give her
an extensive conversion. She was renamed EugenioCosta. In 1994 it was planned
to transfer her to “American Family Cruises” (part of the Costa
Group) and rename her American Adventure, however, this venture was never
realised. EugenioCosta completed her last cruise in November 1996.

The
elegant lines of the well built SS Eugenio, but she is seen here with the
livery when she was named the EugenioCosta
SS Edinburgh
Castle

SS
Edinburgh
Castle
EugenioCosta
was sold to the Bremen Vulkan shipyard in part exchange for the Costa Victoria.
The British company, Lowline Shipping acquired her in 1998, and chartered her
to Direct Cruises, who operated budget cruises, which were marketed through
telephone sales to the UK.
Renamed Edinburgh
Castle, she received a US$12 million
refit and commenced her new cruise service with Direct Cruises. Sadly, the ship
was plagued with mechanical problems, which saw her owners go into liquidation
in 1999. Lowline Shipping filed for bankruptcy. Ownership passed to their main
creditor, being Cammell Laird.
SS Big Red
Boat II

It
was hard to miss the SS The Big Red Boat II with her bright red hull
Photographed
by Bill Donall
Edinburgh Castle
now part of the Cammell Laird stable, was chartered to Premier Cruises. She
received a 10 month US$25 million overhaul and refit, which saw her hull
painted bright red, like the other Premier ships. She was renamed “The
Big Red Boat II” and commenced service in 2000.
Sadly, The Big Red
Boat II did not have a long cruising life with Premier Cruises as the company
also went into liquidation in September 2000. Still owned by Cammell Laird, Big
Red Boat II was placed on a short based charter to the U.S. government after which she was laid up at Freeport where most of her
fleet mates had already been laid up. She was laid up alongside the magnificent
SS Rembrandt, ex Rotterdam,
which has since been completely refurbished and is now open in Rotterdam
Holland as the successful SS Rotterdam Hotel and Tourist centre.
The Big Red Boat II
was placed on the market along with all other ships of her fleet. Although her
interiors were in excellent shape it was her mechanical reputation that
remained the biggest drawback for finding new owners, as she required major
repairs to her boilers. The Big Red Boat II was sold to Argo Ship Management in
2003, who sadly allowed her condition to deteriorate. However, she continued on
the market, but it became obvious that cruise companies were not willing to
take a gamble on this once fine liner. In addition being a steam ship means
that operational costs would be considerable compared to a motor ship, this
being another reason why she languished in Freeport for five long lonely years.

SS
Big Red bunkering in the Azores on April 15
Photo © 2005 www.shipinfo.org.uk
Not
being able to find a buyer - be it for active duties or even as a hotel, for
which she would have been perfect, in 2005 this magnificent ship was sold to
Indian breakers. She departed Freeport for India under her
own power and she was seen with huge plumes of black smoke flowing behind her
with the name Big Red on her bow and stern. She was seen bunkering in the Azores on April 15, before heading for Alang.

This
once great liner is coming to the end of her life, a sad sight indeed!
Photograph by & ©
Kaushal Trivedi
SS Big Red She
arrived in Alang on Sunday June 5, 2000 and was beached on the 7th.the day
after the arrival of the Margarita L, ex Windsor Castle.
Two fine and much loved liners have gone forever, one of Italian heritage and
the other very British that ended its day more like a Greek tycoon’s
private yacht.
SS
Eugino C - Big Red Boat II – INDEX:
Page One … The ships history.
Page Two … Photo Album.
Page Three … Big Red Boat II – Photo album - laid
up in Freeport
by Klaas Krijnen.
“Blue Water Liners sailing to the distant shores.
I watched them come, I watched them go and I watched them die.”
****************************
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Photographs
on ssmaritime and associate pages are either by the author or from the
author’s private collection. In addition there are some images and
photographs that have been provided by Shipping Companies or private
photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors, however,
there are some photographs provided to me without details regarding the
photographer or owner concerned. Therefore, I hereby invite if owners of these
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in order that due credit may be given.
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