As of today
The la-*test*-('") from ssMaritime.com "August 7: Friends has been no news whatsoever over the weekend. It had been said by some sources that SS Blue Lady would be beached on Sunday, however, this time has now passed and to my knowledge she remains at anchor. I believe that the pressure that has been placed on the Indian Government is working and they, as are the breakers are trying to rid themselves of all the bad publicity that has been created by this and the Greenpeace/BAN campaigns. You have made an impact, but we need ongoing emails to be sent to the sources I have listed at the August 4 report. Remember, email Star with comments relating do the right thing and restore NCL & Star reputation to the world. Do nothing and you will stand condemned! Technically Star is still the owner of the ship, as the beakers only have the ship on a promissory note. Tell the Indian President, Prime Minister, and Ministers for Health and Environment that the breakers do not have the international safety standards to safely remove the toxic waste and by allowing them to do so, will mean that many men and women working on the ship will be condemned to a possible life of asbestosis and death. From my knowledge in response of my request, thousands have been sent, but we need to keep up the pressure. The more pressure the longer the ship will remain at anchor giving us extra time to convince Star Cruises/breakers to sell the ship. You may ask ‘why has she not been purchased so far, the company has the money, etc?’ There is a reason for this, which I am unable to disclose. Bleu Ribband-Gulf Dessert LLC wants the ship, and IF some one comes to reason, they will get her. However, if some of the stupidity continues, she may well be lost. Pressure is the only way to convince the owners to let her go. I will say no more, but much is in your hands, be part of this campaign and hinder all concerned as I have described!"

http://www.gmbports.org/showshipwait.php The Gujarat Maritime Board is still reporting the Blue Lady as 'waiting'.

:cry: :cry: :cry: Jani, I guess what most of it says, but can you give us a short translation?

Mostly about talking those toxic wastes. But i believe here are others, who can translate it better :wink:

Just found this BLUE LADY At Alang 15 August: At 3:34 AM PST, a message was received from our contact that BLUE LADY (ex FRANCE, NORWAY) is at Alang and will beached within the next four to five hours. :x :evil:

This ............... :cry: http://www.ssmaritime.com/Norway-NewsUpdates-1.htm

Eyewitness Alang August 14: From our contact: "I saw the lady and waited for her beaching today in Alang. At last minute it was postponed to tomorrow morning (August 15) and she will be at Alang beach at 7:30 AM. "From a distance she is quite a sight: graceful and marvelous are the words that come to me. Sadly, also tied up with two monstrous tugs for her last voyage, though." BLUE LADY At Alang August 14: At 3:34 AM PST, a message was received from our contact that BLUE LADY (ex FRANCE, NORWAY) is at Alang and will beached within the next four to five hours. MARITIME MATTERS

SS France (Former Cruise Ship Norway) Finally Headed
The famed ocean liner SS France, which enjoyed a successful second life as the cruise ship SS Norway, is expected to be run aground at Alang, India, on August 15th to be demolished for scrap, according to Indian newspapers. SS France (Later Cruise Ship Norway) Off Coast of IndiaThe ship, which has been at anchor just off the Indian coast pending determination whether 1,200 tons of asbestos used as a fire retardent can be disposed of safely, got the clearance to proceed to the Alang shipbreaking yard for demolition from India's Supreme Court. A couple of tugs are expected to help the ship, currently in its final hours called the Blue Lady (a name it never used in its glory days carrying passengers), build up the momentum it needs to run ashore on a high tide. http://www.cruise-ship-report.com/News/081406.htm

From The Times of India, 15 August 2006: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1895897.cms 'Blue Lady' gets ready for shipbreaking. AHMEDABAD: Norwegian cruiseliner the 'Blue Lady' on Tuesday beached for dismantling at the Alang shipbreaking yard in Bhavnagar after recently getting the go-ahead from the Supreme Court. The beaching was permitted after the cruiseliner, also known as the SS Norway, underwent a thorough inspection by a team of experts appointed by the apex court last week after environmentalists said that it contained tonnes of harmful asbestos. Confirming that the cruiseliner had beached at Alang, the port officer Anil Rathore said, "The Blue Lady has beached today in plot No V1 after completing all formalities required. It should be ready for dismantling in a month's time." Blue lady, that stands 315 meters tall and is almost 11 storeyed, got a green signal to beach on July 15 after the Supreme Court-appointed committee inspected it for five days and submitted a report to it. The team comprised 15 members of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) and Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB). On entering Indian seas on July 10 it was docked at Pipavav port in Kutch district till clearance from the experts committee. The cruiseliner made its way into Alang after it was turned away from the Bangladesh Shipbreaking yard following pro-*test*-('") by environmentalists who complained that it contained toxic asbestos that could harm the numerous workers involved in ship breaking.

Thats it then its all over barring the photos :x

Keith, the photos are here :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: http://www.maritimematters.com/shipnewspics.html

Cheers Stephen :cry: