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All text and photographs (unless stated otherwise) © Paul Timmerman The current Statendam is HAL's fifth Statendam. Her predecessors are Statendam I (1898-1911), Statendam II (1917-1918) which was lost in WWI, Statendam III (1929-1940) and Statendam IV (1957-1982), currently laid up in Greece since 1995 after the collapse of her last owners, Regency Cruises. In 1988, HAL placed a letter of intent to build two 60.000 ton cruise ships from the German shipyard Bremer Vulkan. HAL’s last newbuildings at this time were the Nieuw Amsterdam and the Noordam of 1983 and 1984 respectively. Before work on the new vessels began however, HAL was taken over in 1989 by Carnival Cruise Lines, but retained its separate identity.
Explorers Lounge, Upper Promenade deck Although Carnival indicated that new tonnage for HAL was under consideration, it was decided not to build the vessels at Bremer Vulkan. Instead, after talks with several other yards, Italian Fincantieri was chosen to construct the new vessels.
Rotterdam Dining room, Promenade deck Technical
Marine Planning Ltd of London was appointed naval architecture and
engineering consultants. This firm had worked with
Carnival from the start of the
company in 1972. The Dutch firm of De Vlaming, Fennis and Dingemans would be the
new interior architects. However,
the interiors of the show lounge and the disco/
observation lounge atop the
ship would be designed by Joseph Farcus (who needs no introduction, having been
the interior architect of all Carnival ships
to date). On November 29, 1989, the final order was placed at Fincantieri for a series of three sister ships
of 55.000 GRT. Later a fourth vessel was added. After it was agreed upon the final general arrangement and the design specifications, work started on the new ship. To design an optimal hull form, and given a service speed of 22.5 knots, tunnel tests were carried out in Austria and in Holland. Statendam has been equipped with the latest marine technology. She has main and auxiliary engines, as well as five diesel generators that produce electricity that is used for various purposes on board: turning the ships' propellors, airconditioning, in the kitchen etc. It can be directed by the ships engineers to where powers is needed at that particular time. The number of generators in use is flexible, and if more power is needed, more generators are connected. Diesel engines, alternators, couplings, all are fixed on flexible rubber mountings to ensure minimal vibration is experienced by the passengers onboard. Statendam is equipped with two 12-cylinder GMT/ Sulzer diesels and three 8-cylinder ones, weighing 200 and 160 tons respectively. Engines not in use at any particular moment remain preheated and lubricated to ensure that they can be brought on line almost immediately.
Passageway Van Gogh Show lounge, Promenade deck Continued on page 2......
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