First RCI ship scrapped

摘要

Formosa Queen (1970/22,945gt), Asia Star Maritime's only venture into shipowning, has been sold for scrap, possibly without ever operating for her final owner. She was built by Wartsila at Helsinki as Song of Norway, and, after just eight years' service, was returned to the same yard to have an 85ft mid-section added. The last years of her career were somewhat chequered after leaving the Royal Caribbean fleet in 1997. After 27 years in the Caribbean, she was purchased by Britain's Airtours (My Travel Croup, later styled as Sun Cruises) and renamed Sundream, as that company started to focus on cruising. Airtours withdrew from the cruise market in 2004 and Sundream was sold to Tumaco Navigation of Greece, renamed Dream Princess and chartered to Israel's Caspi Cruises. Her name was later shortened to Dream for an operation between Karachi and Dubai that lasted for a single voyage.