Facts from database

Anniversary of Ships launched on this day 7 September

Name	Imocode	Launched	Builder
YMS 187 1943	IMO.6419514	1942	Greenport Basin & Construction, Greenport NY
USS Glacier 1942	IMO.5299046	1942	Seattle Tacoma SB Co, Tacoma
Escorial 1945	IMO.5240760	1945	Soc Espanola de Cons Naval, Sestao, Bilbao
Yasaka Maru 1974	IMO.5395254	1960	Kure Zosensho, Kure
Knudshovet 1997	IMO.5190379	1960	Helsingor S & M, Helsingor
Lofoten	IMO.5424562	1963	Nyland Verksted, Oslo
Mayne Queen	IMO.6522567	1965	Victoria Machinery Depot, Victoria
HMS Beagle (A319) 2005	IMO.4902921	1967	Brooke Marine, Lowestoft
Monte Rotondo 2002	IMO.7224461	1972	A & C de la Rochelle-Pallice, La Pallice(hull)//A & C du Havre, Le Havre
Raja Basa I	IMO.8807076	1987	President Marine Pte Ltd, Jurong, Singapore
HSC Gotlandia 1999	IMO.9171163	1998	Alsthom Leroux Naval, Lanester, Lorient
AIDAaura 2023	IMO.9221566	2002	Aker MTW, Wismar
Stena Britannica II 2003	IMO.9235517	2002	Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, Ulsan
Akebono Maru	IMO.9832353	2017	Naikai Zosen KK, Setoda Works, Onomichi

Some interesting facts from this database:

The longest name ?

Governor Emerson C Harrington II built in 1913

The second longest name ?

Ciudad de Santa Cruz de la Palma was borne by two ships, one built in 1972 the other in 1975

The ship that has retained the same name the longest ?

Juno since 1874

The oldest ship still active ?

Juno (1874)

The ship that was never completed after 27 years ?

Stena Baltica. Construction as ferry (IMO7907685), commenced in 1985 in Poland, stopped in 1986. In 1989 towed to Perama, Greece for completion as cruise-ship Regent Sky, but building stopped in 1995. Owner bankrupt and ship (completed to deck 7) seized by banks in 1996 but never completed. Eventually laid up 2004, abandoned and in July 2011 towed from Eleusis to Aliaga for demolition. She outlived one sistership; two still active in 2018.

The ship with the most name changes ?

Nils Holgersson (1962) had a 17th name of Sama 1, before being demolished in 2000

The most common prefix to a name ?

Ferry

The face that has launched the most ships ?

Sophia Loren: since 2002 the actress has been official godmother to all MSC cruise ships. MSC Lirica 2003, MSC Opera 2004, MSC Musica 2006, MSC Orchestra 2007, MSC Fantasia 2008, MSC Poesia 2008, MSC Splendida 2009, MSC Magnifica 2010, MSC Divina 2012, MSC Preziosa 2013, MSC Meraviglia 2017, MSC Seaside 2017, MSC Seaview 2018, MSC Bellissima 2019, MSC Grandiosa 2019, MSC Seashore 2021

What links Festival Cruises and MSC ?

Before the company failed in 2004, two ships were built and options for two more ships were cancelled. The 'options' were completed for MSC as MSC Lirica in 2002 and MSC Opera in 2005.

Is that all ?

The two earlier ships completed for Festival Cruises were European Vision in 2001 and European Stars in 2002 and became MSC Armonia and MSC Sinfonia in 2004.

First transit of the North West Passage by passenger ship ?

Was in 1984 by Lindblad Explorer from east to west between 20 August-29 September.

The second transit ?

Was in 1985 by World Discoverer from west to east

Largest ship to traverse Corinth Canal (East to west) ?

Braemar on 9 October 2019

Largest 20th-century passenger ships ?

Queen Elizabeth completed 1940 at 82998grt. Sank 1972.
France completed 1962 at 66348grt. Demolished 2007.
Sovereign of the Seas completed 1988 at 73192grt.
Carnival Destiny completed 1996 at 101353grt. First to exceed 100000grt.

First ship to exceed 200000gt

Oasis of the Seas launched 21/11/2008 at STX Europe, Turku