# Change of a ship's name



## chris8527 (Jul 26, 2008)

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this question....if not, then please relocate it for me.

The question is...why does a shipping company change the name of a ship prior to it being scrapped? It doesn't always happen but seems to occur more often than not.

Thanks....Chris


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## Nick Balls (Apr 5, 2008)

Good question, my guess would be that large companies in particular do not want to see the "Brand image" as depicted as "scrap". Just as for example the ship STAR VEGA changed to STIRLING VEGA when she changed hands from the "STAR OFFSHORE" company to the "STIRLING" company. Anyone else come up with a better explanation?


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

Chris,
A very reasonable question and like many things, there are a variety of answers depending on which route one sets about looking at the issue.

If the ship is sold for scrap but the delivery is at a place well away from the scrapping location – for example the *UGANDA* was sold for scrap and delivered to the buyers at Falmouth; so British India would have requested that the ship be re-named on the handover (n the River Fal) and the new owners (the man who bought her with the sole intention of scrapping her) would need a fresh name to register her with for her final voyage. i.e. she would need to be insured for the duration. So in this case we find she was renamed TRITON for the voyage to Taiwan.

If the ship is sold for scrap but the buyers wants her delivered to the scrap-yard, - for example _the world’s favourite tanker _was taken to Faslane and remained under her name *CERINTHUS* until the handover to Shipbreaking Industries Ltd, so in that case she was broken up bearing the name she had always had, and some would say this was a link with the past… (Jester)

The concept of people being uneasy about seeing a brand name in such dire cir***stances is also common, and we see that interesting ship *MSC NAPLOI* had her name painted out fairly early on in proceedings, but she hardly needed a new name for her final trip to Belfast, as she was only a bit of metal by that time and could be referred to on the do***entation as ex- MSC Napoli, without having this name actaully painted on the side..

There is the other situation where a ship is sold for scrap, but the buyer then changes his mind and decides to trade the vessel, such was the case with the *ex-Crestbank* which was sold for scrap basis delivery in the River Fal, and she sailed with a new name of BERGA but never made it to the promised scrap yard and instead she became* Novanoor *and is a very well maintained general cargo ship, still carrying cement into the Arabia Gulf.

So it is not a clear cut comment, but in general it really comes down to where the ship is delivered to the breaking company – at their yard and the name remains unchanged (but painted over very soon if the Sellers are worried); but at a place distant from the scrapping facility, then a new name to fit with the new owner, has to be used

(Thumb)
Mark


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## chris8527 (Jul 26, 2008)

Thank you, Nick and Tonga for your informative responses. 

There is so much I don't know about the maritime world; I am encouraged to post more questions. 

Thanks again.


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## Cisco (Jan 29, 2007)

I think there may be/have been a standard clause in many companies' sale contracts stating that a name change was required whether she was sold for scrap or further trading. Most of the liner companies would not want their old ships running for dodgy companies under the original name. Of course some of the 'run' names for the trip to the breakers were rather odd... just removing one letter from the old name etc.


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

Cisco said:


> I think there may be/have been a standard clause in many companies' sale contracts stating that a name change was required whether she was sold for scrap or further trading. Most of the liner companies would not want their old ships running for dodgy companies under the original name. Of course some of the 'run' names for the trip to the breakers were rather odd... just removing one letter from the old name etc.


Yes, Clause 12 of the Norwegian Sale Form 1993 (*NSF* is the standard do***ent for the Memorandum of Agreement for sale and purchase of ships, adopted by the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) in 1956)

*Name /markings

Upon delivery the Buyers undertake to change the name of the Vessel and alter funnel markings.*


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## noodles (Apr 22, 2009)

if a ship was going to the shipyard for scrapping wit its orinagal name then that name is not allowed to b used ,so companys that wanted to keep a ships name ,changed it prior to been scrapped ,hope this clears that up


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## bobs (Aug 12, 2006)

Almost invariably, the delivery voyage of a ship to the scrapyard is undertaken by a third party (ie not the original owner). This means the ship has to be re-registered and that normally requires a change of name. Furthermore, the original owner, being no longer associated with the vessel, may not want his nomenclature sytem continued under the new ownership, perhaps even being ready to apply the name to a new ship he is about to acquire.


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