The last large (although 22,000 tons is not exactly large these days) passenger ship to fly the German flag has been reported as sold. Deutschland, which measures 175m by 23m, was taken out of service late last year after both her owner and her operator (Deilmann Cruises) filed for bankruptcy.
The ship was placed on the market and, although she might have been ideal for German operator FTI, it seems that an unidentified party with US connections has emerged as her buyer. The sale is expected to be completed in June.
Deutschland was built in 1998 and carries around 520 lower berth passengers. She has operated exclusively for Deilmann since her delivery. In the meantime, Deutschland has been laid up, first at Gibraltar and later at Malaga with a skeleton crew on board. But unfortunately, in strong winds on 7 April, she broke her mooring and collided with a quayside in the port. The ship was recovered with tug assistance and, after an examination, it was found that only minor damage had been incurred.
