Freewinds
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:10 pm
MV Freewinds is a cruise ship operated by International Shipping - Miami and owned by San Donato Properties which is a company connected to the Church of Scientology. She was built in 1968 by Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard in Turku, Finland for Wallenius Lines as MS Bohème for service with Commodore Cruise Line. She was the first cruise ship built in Finland. Her ownership passed to a Church of Scientology-controlled company in 1985.
As of April 2008, the Freewinds has been sealed, and work stopped on refurbishments, due to "extensive contamination" with blue asbestos.
The vessel that eventually became known as the Freewinds was originally ordered by the Sweden-based Lion Ferry as the second in a pair of two car/passenger ferries for use on their new Bremerhaven (West Germany)—Harwich (U.K.) service, with provisions made for cruise service during the northern hemisphere winter season. The ships shared the same design as Finnhansa and Finnpartner, that were under construction for Finnlines at Wärtsilä Helsinki New Shipyard at the time. The ships ordered by Lion Ferry were built at Wärtsilä's Turku Shipyard, and the first of them, Prins Hamlet, was delivered to her owners in May 1966. However, the passenger demand on the Bremerhaven—Harwich route proved to be insufficient for two ships, and Lion Ferry cancelled the order for a second ship.
Meanwhile the newly-founded Commodore Cruise Line were looking for ships to operate on cruises around the Caribbean. An agreement was reached where the build contract of the half-complete ship was sold to the Sweden-based Wallenius Lines, who would have the ship completed as a cruise ship, and following completion she would be chartered to Commodore Cruise Lines. Following their tradition of naming ships after operas, Wallenius decided to name the ship Bohème, after La Bohème. Cabins were added in place of the car decks on the ship (although bow or stern doors were never fitted on her), and her superstructure was redesigned to better accommodate the need for sundeck space in the warmer climates.
The Bohème was delivered to Wallenius Bremen, Wallenius Lines' West Germany-based subsidiary, on 12 November 1968. She was registered in West Germany, with Bremerhaven as her home port.
1968—1981: Wallenius Lines ownership
Following delivery the Bohème sailed to Stockholm, the location of Wallenius Lines' headquarters, for a presentation to invited guests.
On departing Stockholm for Miami she carried her first paying passengers onboard. Her maiden voyage was cut short however, as she hit an underwater cliff outside Dalarö in the Stockholm Archipelago. The cliff breached the ship's hull and fuel tanks. Lifeboats were used to evacuate all passengers from the listing ship, and three days later she was refloated and towed to the Finnboda shipyard in Nacka for week-long repairs.
After the repairs she again left for Miami, this time without passengers.
On 7 December 1968 the Bohème left on her first cruise from Miami to Saint Thomas. During her first year in service the ship had notable problems with her air conditioning due to the shipyard's inexperience with building ships for the warm Caribbean climate. As a result she returned to Europe in 1980, sailing to the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, West Germany where the air conditioning system was rebuilt, an additional screw compressor as well as two freshwater generators were installed. Following the rebuild the Bohème re-entered service with an itenary of Miami—Puerto Plata—Saint Thomas—San Juan—Cap-Haïtien—Miami. She followed the same itenary around the year, becoming the first ship to offer around-the-year seven-night cruises from Miami. She was also the first cruise ship to call at Puerto Plata and the first to offer regular sailings to Cap Haitien.
In March 1981 Commodore Cruise Line, as well as the Bohème, were sold to the Finland-based Rederi Ab Sally. The new owners re-registered the Bohème to Panama, which resulted in most of the German officers resigning due to worsened working conditions. The resigned officers were replaced with
Scandinavians. The following year the German deck and engine crews were replaced by Filipinos. Originally the new crew members were meant for Navarino, a former ocean liner Sally had purchased for conversion into service with Commodore Cruise Line. However, after the Navarino was severely damaged first by a fire and then due to capsising of the drydock, the conversion plans were abandoned. The crew already hired for the Navarino was transferred to the Bohème.
Between November 1982 and August 1983 the Bohème was chartered to the Brazilia-based Saitecin Cruises for cruises around South America.
She also made one cruise from Miami under this charter. Following this charter the ship again returned to West Germany to be rebuilt, this time in Bremerhaven, where two new diesel generators were installed and much of the interior decorations replaced. While in Bremerhaven she also received a new external livery. On returning to service in 1984 the Bohème was placed on a new Miami—Port-au-Prince—Port Antonio—Grand Cayman—Coromuel—Miami itenary. The schedule proved to be too tight to maintain, especially in poor weather conditions. With engine problems causing further problems, this itenary only lasted until November 1984, when the ship was chartered to SeaEscape for their Miami—Freeport ferry service.
In February 1985 the Bohème returned to Commodore Cruise Line service. Her port of departure was changed to Saint Petersburg, Florida to better cater to the needs of Commodore's main cliente, the retired people living on Florida's west coast. The ship's new seven-day itenary was Saint Petersburg—Key West—Port Antonio—Cozumel—Saint Petersburg. The new route proved to be short-lived, as the Bohème was sold to
San Donato Properties Corporation in September 1986 for $10 million, to be converted for use with the Church of Scientology.
In 1984, the Church of Scientology's parent body, the Church of Scientology International (CSI), decided to obtain a ship on which to deliver high-level Scientology courses. According to a statement by the Church, CSI believed that an ocean-going vessel would be the most appropriate facility for ministering New OT VIII because this advanced level of religious service requires a completely safe, aesthetic and distraction-free environment and because L. Ron Hubbard, the religion's founder, had researched and ministered the first OT levels aboard a ship in the late 1960s. A ship therefore would have particular religious significance
to Scientologists.
An entity called the Flag Ship Trust (FST) was formed in December 1985 with the aid of a $5 million donation from the International Association of Scientologists. In September 1986, the Flag Ship Trust purchased Bohème, renamed her Freewinds and refitted her to enable its use for Scientology purposes. The vessel was put into service in June 1988.
The ownership and management of the vessel was organized through a complicated web of Scientology-run corporations and entities, most of which are owned by the Flag Ship Trust. It is owned by San Donate Properties, a Panamanian corporation of which FST is the sole shareholder.
Another FST-owned Panamanian corporation, Transcorp Services, owns the mortgage on the Freewinds. FSS Organization was a Netherlands Antilles corporation responsible for paying certain taxes on the vessel to the Netherlands Antilles authorities. Scientology courses are delivered aboard the vessel by the Flag Ship Service Organization (FSSO), in effect a floating branch of the Church of Scientology. Majestic Cruise Lines is a
Panamanian corporation which operates the Freewinds, receiving payment from FSSO for the use of the ship. MCL Services is a Netherlands Antilles corporation which provides shore support and liaison services for Majestic Cruise Lines and FSSO from the Freewinds' home port, Curaçao.
Following the Church of Scientology's controversial tax exemption agreement with the United States Internal Revenue Service in 1993, these arrangements were simplified. Majestic Cruise Lines' responsibilities were to be transferred to FSSO, with Majestic itself being dissolved, and FSS Organization was dissolved as it was no longer required for Netherlands Antilles tax reporting purposes. However, Majestic remains in existence and is still actively billing visitors to the Freewinds.
SG3382-86
Information from Wikepedia.
As of April 2008, the Freewinds has been sealed, and work stopped on refurbishments, due to "extensive contamination" with blue asbestos.
The vessel that eventually became known as the Freewinds was originally ordered by the Sweden-based Lion Ferry as the second in a pair of two car/passenger ferries for use on their new Bremerhaven (West Germany)—Harwich (U.K.) service, with provisions made for cruise service during the northern hemisphere winter season. The ships shared the same design as Finnhansa and Finnpartner, that were under construction for Finnlines at Wärtsilä Helsinki New Shipyard at the time. The ships ordered by Lion Ferry were built at Wärtsilä's Turku Shipyard, and the first of them, Prins Hamlet, was delivered to her owners in May 1966. However, the passenger demand on the Bremerhaven—Harwich route proved to be insufficient for two ships, and Lion Ferry cancelled the order for a second ship.
Meanwhile the newly-founded Commodore Cruise Line were looking for ships to operate on cruises around the Caribbean. An agreement was reached where the build contract of the half-complete ship was sold to the Sweden-based Wallenius Lines, who would have the ship completed as a cruise ship, and following completion she would be chartered to Commodore Cruise Lines. Following their tradition of naming ships after operas, Wallenius decided to name the ship Bohème, after La Bohème. Cabins were added in place of the car decks on the ship (although bow or stern doors were never fitted on her), and her superstructure was redesigned to better accommodate the need for sundeck space in the warmer climates.
The Bohème was delivered to Wallenius Bremen, Wallenius Lines' West Germany-based subsidiary, on 12 November 1968. She was registered in West Germany, with Bremerhaven as her home port.
1968—1981: Wallenius Lines ownership
Following delivery the Bohème sailed to Stockholm, the location of Wallenius Lines' headquarters, for a presentation to invited guests.
On departing Stockholm for Miami she carried her first paying passengers onboard. Her maiden voyage was cut short however, as she hit an underwater cliff outside Dalarö in the Stockholm Archipelago. The cliff breached the ship's hull and fuel tanks. Lifeboats were used to evacuate all passengers from the listing ship, and three days later she was refloated and towed to the Finnboda shipyard in Nacka for week-long repairs.
After the repairs she again left for Miami, this time without passengers.
On 7 December 1968 the Bohème left on her first cruise from Miami to Saint Thomas. During her first year in service the ship had notable problems with her air conditioning due to the shipyard's inexperience with building ships for the warm Caribbean climate. As a result she returned to Europe in 1980, sailing to the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, West Germany where the air conditioning system was rebuilt, an additional screw compressor as well as two freshwater generators were installed. Following the rebuild the Bohème re-entered service with an itenary of Miami—Puerto Plata—Saint Thomas—San Juan—Cap-Haïtien—Miami. She followed the same itenary around the year, becoming the first ship to offer around-the-year seven-night cruises from Miami. She was also the first cruise ship to call at Puerto Plata and the first to offer regular sailings to Cap Haitien.
In March 1981 Commodore Cruise Line, as well as the Bohème, were sold to the Finland-based Rederi Ab Sally. The new owners re-registered the Bohème to Panama, which resulted in most of the German officers resigning due to worsened working conditions. The resigned officers were replaced with
Scandinavians. The following year the German deck and engine crews were replaced by Filipinos. Originally the new crew members were meant for Navarino, a former ocean liner Sally had purchased for conversion into service with Commodore Cruise Line. However, after the Navarino was severely damaged first by a fire and then due to capsising of the drydock, the conversion plans were abandoned. The crew already hired for the Navarino was transferred to the Bohème.
Between November 1982 and August 1983 the Bohème was chartered to the Brazilia-based Saitecin Cruises for cruises around South America.
She also made one cruise from Miami under this charter. Following this charter the ship again returned to West Germany to be rebuilt, this time in Bremerhaven, where two new diesel generators were installed and much of the interior decorations replaced. While in Bremerhaven she also received a new external livery. On returning to service in 1984 the Bohème was placed on a new Miami—Port-au-Prince—Port Antonio—Grand Cayman—Coromuel—Miami itenary. The schedule proved to be too tight to maintain, especially in poor weather conditions. With engine problems causing further problems, this itenary only lasted until November 1984, when the ship was chartered to SeaEscape for their Miami—Freeport ferry service.
In February 1985 the Bohème returned to Commodore Cruise Line service. Her port of departure was changed to Saint Petersburg, Florida to better cater to the needs of Commodore's main cliente, the retired people living on Florida's west coast. The ship's new seven-day itenary was Saint Petersburg—Key West—Port Antonio—Cozumel—Saint Petersburg. The new route proved to be short-lived, as the Bohème was sold to
San Donato Properties Corporation in September 1986 for $10 million, to be converted for use with the Church of Scientology.
In 1984, the Church of Scientology's parent body, the Church of Scientology International (CSI), decided to obtain a ship on which to deliver high-level Scientology courses. According to a statement by the Church, CSI believed that an ocean-going vessel would be the most appropriate facility for ministering New OT VIII because this advanced level of religious service requires a completely safe, aesthetic and distraction-free environment and because L. Ron Hubbard, the religion's founder, had researched and ministered the first OT levels aboard a ship in the late 1960s. A ship therefore would have particular religious significance
to Scientologists.
An entity called the Flag Ship Trust (FST) was formed in December 1985 with the aid of a $5 million donation from the International Association of Scientologists. In September 1986, the Flag Ship Trust purchased Bohème, renamed her Freewinds and refitted her to enable its use for Scientology purposes. The vessel was put into service in June 1988.
The ownership and management of the vessel was organized through a complicated web of Scientology-run corporations and entities, most of which are owned by the Flag Ship Trust. It is owned by San Donate Properties, a Panamanian corporation of which FST is the sole shareholder.
Another FST-owned Panamanian corporation, Transcorp Services, owns the mortgage on the Freewinds. FSS Organization was a Netherlands Antilles corporation responsible for paying certain taxes on the vessel to the Netherlands Antilles authorities. Scientology courses are delivered aboard the vessel by the Flag Ship Service Organization (FSSO), in effect a floating branch of the Church of Scientology. Majestic Cruise Lines is a
Panamanian corporation which operates the Freewinds, receiving payment from FSSO for the use of the ship. MCL Services is a Netherlands Antilles corporation which provides shore support and liaison services for Majestic Cruise Lines and FSSO from the Freewinds' home port, Curaçao.
Following the Church of Scientology's controversial tax exemption agreement with the United States Internal Revenue Service in 1993, these arrangements were simplified. Majestic Cruise Lines' responsibilities were to be transferred to FSSO, with Majestic itself being dissolved, and FSS Organization was dissolved as it was no longer required for Netherlands Antilles tax reporting purposes. However, Majestic remains in existence and is still actively billing visitors to the Freewinds.
SG3382-86
Information from Wikepedia.