# After decades of rocky seas in Long Beach, Queen Mary in danger of sinking. Can it be saved?



## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/decades-rocky-seas-long-beach-120017291.html



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In the 85 years since its maiden voyage, the RMS Queen Mary has survived rogue waves, transatlantic crossings and even a world war.

For the last five decades, it's enjoyed a second life docked in Long Beach, riding waves of popularity and tough times as a tourist attraction.

But the historic ship is now facing its most challenging voyage yet.
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Much, much more .....


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## rogd (Jul 2, 2018)

Step forward Messrs Gates and Bezos etc.


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## Glyn Lloyd Evans (Aug 9, 2012)

kewl dude said:


> https://www.yahoo.com/news/decades-rocky-seas-long-beach-120017291.html
> 
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> ...


While I would very much like to see the old ship made safe for many more years to come, this is becoming more and more unlikely. My major concern is for the original artwork still on board, most by the foremost British artists and designers of the 1930s. If the ship goes, what happens to the murals etc.? Will they be lost, scattered to the four winds? I would like to see them retained as a collection in a UK museum or art gallery and for this we need a benefactor to step forward and make a pre-emptive offer to purchase these historic items. Many of them are illustrated in my book "The Maritime Art of Kenneth D Shoesmith." Shoesmith was a cadet in HMS Conway before joining RMSPCo and serving with them from 1908 to 1919 then retiring as Chief Officer to take up painting full time,


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

Navy Needs More Dry Docks for Repairs, Says First-Ever Maintenance Report - USNI News


The Navy released its first-ever long-range ship maintenance and modernization plan amid a growing fleet and a growing backlog of repair work, and the report highlights challenges in dealing with chronic mismatches between maintenance requirements and yards’ capacity. The report, Report to...




news.usni.org





Since this was first posted I have been researching online about west coast USA shipyards with drydocks that can accommodate Queen Mary. It appears that the only west coast drydock that can take Queen Mary is one US Navy drydock in Bremerton, Washington?






BAE Systems' San Diego shipyard to tandem dry-dock two destroyers


BAE Systems has received $170.7 million in contracts from the U.S. Navy to perform simultaneous maintenance and repair on two Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided-missile destroyers in its San Diego shipyard.




www.baesystems.com










BAE Systems names its new floating dry dock in San Diego, US


BAE Systems has officially named its new floating dry dock at its San Diego shipyard in the US, as part of a wider effort to enhance its naval ship repair capabilities.




www.naval-technology.com





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The new 950ft-long, 205ft-wide facility is the largest floating dry dock in California, and has a design lifting capacity of 55,000t.
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I wonder what Queen Mary displaces today? Online information says that as built the Queen Mary displaced 77,400 tons. But a lot of heavy items like ALL of the boilers have been removed. I wonder what Queen Mary displaces today?


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

RMS Queen Mary - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org




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The removal of all the boiler rooms, the forward engine room, both turbo generator rooms, the ship stabilisers and the water softening plant. The ship's empty fuel tanks were filled with local mud to keep the ship's centre of gravity and draft at the correct levels, as these critical factors had been affected by the removal of the various components and structure. Only the aft engine room and "shaft alley", at the stern of the ship, would be spared. The remaining space would be used for storage or office space.

In 2017, a report on the ship's condition was issued. The report observed that not only the hull but also the supports for a raised exhibition area within the ship were corroding and that the ship's deteriorating condition left areas such as the engine room vulnerable to flooding.[67] Repair costs were estimated at close to $300 million. In November 2016 the City of Long Beach had put $23 million toward addressing Queen Mary's most vital repairs. John Keisler, economic and property development director for Long Beach, said: "We have a timeline in which the engineers believe they can complete those immediate projects. These are major challenges we can only address over time; it can't all be done at once." Political leaders in Scotland, birthplace of Queen Mary, called for the then UK Prime Minister Theresa May to pressure the American government to fund a full repair of the liner in 2017.[68]

In August 2019, Edward Pribonic, the engineer responsible for inspecting Queen Mary on behalf of the City of Long Beach, issued a report stating that the ship was in the worst condition he had seen in his 25 years on the job.[69] Pribonic stated that the neglect of Queen Mary had grown worse under the management of Urban Commons, and concluded that "without an immediate and very significant infusion of manpower and money, the condition of the ship will likely soon be unsalvageable.” Incidents of recent neglect include the flooding of the Grand Ballroom with sewage after a pipe which was flimsily patched with duct tape burst, significant amounts of standing water in the ship's bilge, and recently applied paint on the ship's funnels already peeling because of the poor way in which it was applied. The pessimistic conclusion of Pribonic was disputed by city officials, who called the warnings "hyperbolic" and pointed to the "significant" work that has already been undertaken towards repairing Queen Mary.[69]

The $23 million apportioned for repairs ran out in 2018, with 19 out of the 27 urgent projects identified by a 2015 marine survey completed as of September 2019. There were significant cost overruns overall, with the cost of fire safety repairs increasing from the original estimate of $200,000 to $5.29 million.[70] Two of the remaining eight issues identified in 2015 are considered "critical" - this includes the removal of the ship's lifeboats, which have rotted and are in danger of collapsing.[70]

In October 2019, the City of Long Beach warned Urban Commons that the company was failing to uphold its commitment to maintain and repair Queen Mary and that it was accordingly in danger of defaulting on its 66-year lease agreement.[65] Urban Commons responded with an updated plan for repairs, including the removal of the lifeboats at a cost of between $5 and $7 million, and new paint work.[71] After Urban Commons filed for bankruptcy in 2021, an architecture and marine engineering firm hired by the city found that $23 million was needed for urgent safety repairs to keep the ship viable over the next two years.[72] The report by Elliott Bay Design Group reported that the vessel is vulnerable to flooding or possibly even capsizing.[66]

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## makko (Jul 20, 2006)

Why don't they build a coffer dam around her and fill it with concrete. That would eliminate the danger of sinking/capsizing and available funds could be used for interior repairs and new lifeboats, etc.

She is older than my father!! And he is fine fettle!

Rgds.
Dave


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## rwshelley (Apr 30, 2011)

Touring USA in 2012 I had the unfortunate privilege of staying on board the QM. Nostalgia may keep it a going concern, but if my stay was anything to go by I'd recommend sending the damn thing immediately to the scrap yard.


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

Just curious could you please elaborate about you're bad experience?


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## Robin McHood (Apr 11, 2015)

We followed her into Long Beach on her final voyage on the Pacific Reliance. What is left today is the rotting relic of a once fine ship. No preservation today can restore her, her heart is gone. Its time she was laid properly to rest. Had she been preserved intact that would have been something but she was 'preserved' as a tourist envelope, a shell with no real link to her final port, romantic cladding on a commercial enterprise. Time to say farewell.


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## rwshelley (Apr 30, 2011)

kewl dude said:


> Just curious could you please elaborate about you're bad experience?


5 hour wait for room to be ready - shortage of staff. No apology or even concern from reception. Ship was hosting large parties from ashore during the evening, service for those staying on board 'It will be at least an hour.' Cabin walls paper thin - with the turbines running it would have probably blanked out background noise. Person in the next cabin coughing until midnight then serious snoring for much of the rest of the night. Never been so pleased to leave an hotel.


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