HAMBURG cruising in the Caribbean

Company post card of the HAMBURG in the Caribbean
Luís Miguel Correia collection

MAXIM GORKIY "dead" in Equasis

MAXIM GORKIY reported in Equasis database as a "dead" ship - sold for recycling (scrap). Her final name is not recorded.
What a waste of beauty and history...

T.S. HAMBURG "FATHER"

The man behind the creation of Deutsche Atlantik Linie and the construction of their flagship T.S. HAMBURG was Axel Bitsch-Christensen, Mr ABC, a Danish citizen who played an important role in the rebuilding of the Hamburg passenger ship fleet after WW2 and as HAPAG did not seem to be interested in the creation of a new fleet of their own.
In this photo Mr Bitsch-Christensen is seen on the sports deck of HAMBURG.
Luís Miguel Correia collection

T.S. HAMBURG post cards

T.S. HAMBURG in her original home port of Hamburg. Local post card.
Luís Miguel Correia collection

Captain Yakimov - Final Master of MAXIM GORKIY

"A 60-year old, the last Master of MAXIM GORKIY - Vladimir Prokofyevich YAKIMOV photographed by Alexandr Lazarev in the captain’s cabin during the last trip to Alang.
Captain Yakimov was master of MAKSIM GORKIY since 1998 doing mostly the world cruises. He shared command with Captain Aleksandr Nosko."
Report by Nikolay Prikhodko who kindly provided this group of 9 photos taken on board MAXIM GORKIY's final trip to Alang and destruction.

MAXIM's delivery voyage to Alang

Nikolay Prikhodko comments on the Alexandr Lazarev photo on MAXIM GORKIY:
"The last barbecue on the Maxim deck en route to Alang.
Many of this last trip crew had been working on Maxim for many years. It’s amazing how the crew took care of the vessel until her very last moments.
It’s also significant that the ship was delivered to India not by an interim Indian crew (as usually made) but by her permanent Russian-Ukrainian crew (reduced to 33 members) , who loved the vessel and served there for many years, even if since late January the ship didn’t have any relation to Sovcomflot and was owned by the Indians. Had the ship been delivered by the Indians, we would never have any information and photos of her last sailing".
Photograph by Alexandr Lazarev.

Crossing the Red Sea to Alang

Nikolay Prikhodko says it all: "An evening in the warm Red Sea air on February 15, 2009 on Maxim’s open deck, where the crew had the evening meal.
The atmosphere is so lively, unbelievably its only 8 days until her end."
Photograph by Alexandr Lazarev

Arriving at Alang 21 February 2009

Nikolay Prikhodko says it all: "the map shows the vessel on the Alang outer roadstead, arriving there on Feb-21"
Alexandr Lazarev photo taken on board the MAXIM GORKIY.

Final name change off Alang

Alexandr Lazarev photographed the final renaming of MAXIM GORKIY while the ship lay at the Alang roadstead awaiting beaching.
The name board over the sides near the ship's bridge was carefully modified, showing the great care of her Russian dedicated final crew until the very end.
Image and information kindly sent by Nikolay Prikhodko.

MAXIM M - Basseterre off Alang

While at anchor off Alang the MAXIM GORKIY was renamed MAXIM M and registered in St. Kitts and Nevis , her final port of registry being Basseterre.
MAXIM's dedicated Russian crew of 33 included one veteran engineer from the original Russian crew who took delivery of the HANSEATIC ex-HAMBURG in Hamburg in January 1974. 35 years earlier.
They kept their beloved ship in pristine condition until the very end.
Photograph by MAXIM GORKIY's crew member Alexandr Lazarev, February 2009.

Full speed ahead into the beach

Dramatic image of the final moments of the MAXIM GORKIY already under her final name of MAXIM M:
"Her last turn from the Alang inner roadstead and the way to the very end, in the warm night of Feb 25, 04-12 am. (Indian time) everything was over. Its GMT + 4.30. So, Maxim was beached on Feb 24, 23-42 (central European time). In Portugal it was 22-42." says Nikolay Prikhodko.
Photograph taken on board the MAXIM M on 25 February 2009 off Alang by Alexandr Lazarev.

MAXIM's crew after beaching their beloved flagship

The MAXIM M has just been beached in Alang as Nikolay Prikhodko comments the image:
"sad faces. The navigation crew leaves the bridge after beaching. One of the last photos on the ship. Russian officers in Alang. The history is over."
Photograph by Alexandr Lazarev taken in Alang on board the MAXIM M.

Last view from MAXIM's bridge

Nikolay Prikhodko writes:
"The last view from Maxim’s bridge. It’s Alang at night and her last pier.
It looks like she arrived here only for one day to have a look and soon she will leave to her lovers and new destinations. It will be!!, it has already started that night, a never-ending voyage to the history of the world passenger fleet and to the memories of all people who traveled on her, because she is forever in their hearts as the best Russian passenger liner ever in the seven seas"
Photograph taken by Alexandr Lazarev at Alang, India, on 25 February 2009. The MAXIM M has just been beached. What a shame.

HAMBURG at Leixões (Oporto)

A rare photograph of the brand new HAMBURG docking at Leixões (Oporto), Portugal.
Photo by FOTOMAR kindly sent by my dear friend Reinaldo from the NAVIOS e NAVEGADORES Portuguese Shipping excellent blog.
Two Portuguese cargo liners can be seen in the photos, Cia. Colonial PORTO (left) and Cia. Nacional NACALA (right).
Luís Miguel Correia collection