Projects

M/V TURAMA, 114m

An almost complete interior strip down and reconstruction of the vessel with exterior styling changes and total systems update, completed in 14 months in time for the Athens 2004 Olympics.

• Previous name: M/V Columbus Caravelle
• Off. No. 720499
• Builder: Rauma Yard , Finland .
• Built: 1990
• Date of Rebuild : 2004
• Loa: 116.41 m
• Lpp: 104.43 m
• Breadth moulded: 17.22 m
• Draught moulded: 4.38 m
• Flag: Malta
• Class: Lloyds Register of shipping
• Notation: + 100A1 + LMC, UMS.

Columbus Caravelle was built in Finland in 1990 as a cruise ship but in actual fact it spent most of its time up to January 2003 as a casino in China . In this respect as one might expect the main machinery and equipment have not suffered a great deal of operational use but other systems have almost become redundant and inoperable. This was not of great concern to the present Owner who did the conversion because all hotel systems would have been replaced anyway and since the Ship was of excellent construction standards the sales deal was closed in January 2003 and the Ship arrived in Greece in March 2003.

Our Projects Team was very enthusiastic about the conversion Project but the enthusiasm was soon injected with an eerie feeling when the Owner announced the available budget and especially the time that a Project of such magnitude had to be completed. We were given 14 months to complete the designs and deliver the Ship before the Olympics 2004 that took place in Athens. We knew that this deadline could not be extended because various world prominent personalities had already been invited to use the Ship during the Athens Olympic games.

The Project consisted of the following major parts:

• Strip-out
• Stern modification
• Bow modification
• Sundeck conversion: Installation of bar, Jacuzzi and helipad
• Funnel modification
• Foremast: New design and repositioning
• Teakdecking
• Exterior deckhead ceilings
• Machinery and equipment overhaul including stabilisers and propulsion systems
• HVAC System
• Piping system
• Fire Detection and Fire Fighting system

Interior:

• Construction of 24 luxury guest cabins: 12 on the main deck and 12 on the Bridge Deck plus an Owner's suite on the " Lido " Deck fore, Jacuzzi, sauna, gym and upgrading the existing swimming pool.
• Long bar on the Bridge deck aft followed by Karaoke area.
• Main salon amid ship's main deck and dining salon main deck aft.
• All stainless steel and glass staircases and luxury corridors in the Owner and guest areas.
• Upgrading 16 cabins on the "Tween" deck, add Internet room, Card room, massage and hair salon, hospital and a ship's office.
• New tenders, watertoys and life saving boats
• Upgrading the Wheelhouse and Bridge equipment
• New Audio-Visual and wi-fi systems
• Two foldable embarkation ladders on main deck and one passerelle aft on the "Tween" deck.
• Upgrading the main galley and adding more pantries
• Fairing and painting of the Superstructure and painting of the hull.