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- Facts -
At 233.6 feet long, Nomadic was just over a quarter the length of Titanic.
6 November 2009
Important UpdateSS Nomadic's Future Looking Ever Bleaker
Recent 'project management' updates on the NCT website would have you believe that all is well with ship – but sadly this is not the case. The ship isn't crumbling to pieces but :-
- rainwater continues to enter the ship at an alarming rate
- 'reactivation corrosion' is not being checked/slowed down
- chunks of rust are falling off under the weight of mussel growth
- pools of standing rainwater continue to collect inside the ship
Although this could sound like any historic ship before being 'discovered', we are talking about a ship that has now been under DSD ownership for 4 years. However, problems don't end here for the actual management of the project is in such disarray that :-
- the Conservation Management Plan Vol 1 author has resigned and to date has had no contact from the DSD/NCT regards proposals to better the situation
- after the recent NIAO report and subsequent investigation into the DSD's handling of the project, the Stormont Assembly has shown grave concerns
- the Public Accounts Committee who investigated the DSD have put immense pressure on the DSD/NCT to deliver at all costs the original vision by the original date – but may also be April 2012
- DSD procedures to bring this about is also being scrutinised by the NIAO and PAC until the ship is finished
- a recent meeting with a PAC MLA certainly suggested that all the heritage aspects would be sacrificed in order to achieve this already highly dubious deadline
There are also 2 'advance contracts' being put out by the DSD/NCT/CPD which are no more than essential maintenance contracts. It is likely that :-
- both contracts will add up to around £500,000 but this cannot be substantiated
- one is for the removal of hull growth and a coat of marine primer and other small works
- the other is for the removal of non original fittings which presumably means removal of the concrete ballast as well
Given NCT finances, there will be a shade over £2million left to do the restoration unless more money is raised by the fund raiser. However, Ian Savage's contract expired October just gone.
For further information please visit our forum
Please join in the debate to save this magnificent vessel from obscurity so that it may tell the story of one of the greatest shipyards in history – and of the tragic tale of 'Titanic'.