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HISTORY OF THE SHIP
In General
MS Cap San Diego is
a general cargo ship, situated as a museum ship in Hamburg,
Germany. Notable for its elegant silhouette, it was the last
of a series of six ships known as the white swans of the
south atlantic, and marked the apex of German-built bulk
carriers before the advent of the container ship and the
decline of Germany's heavy industry.
History
The Cap San Diego was built and launched by Deutsche Werft
in 1961 for Hamburg Süd as the last of a series of six
ships. The 159 m, 10000 dwt ship ran a regular schedule
between Germany and South America, completing 120 round
trips until 1981. After being sold and running under
different names and flags of convenience as a tramp trader,
the run-down ship was scheduled for scrapping in 1986, when
it was bought by the city of Hamburg.
Museum Ship
The ship was restored mainly by the labour of enthusiasts
and laid-off dock workers, and is kept operational to date.
Most of the time, the Cap San Diego is moored at the port of
Hamburg, where visitors can access virtually all areas of
the ship from the bridge to the engine. One of the cargo
holds hosts temporary exhibitions. Passenger cabins can be
booked for overnight stays. Several times a year, the ship
leaves the harbour for trips on its own power, mostly on the
river Elbe or to Cuxhaven. In 2001, the ship was awarded the
Maritime Heritage Award by the World Ship Trust, and in 2003
it was declared a protected item of cultural heritage by
German law.
The ship participates in Hamburg's Long Night of Museums.
Sister Ships
The Cap San Diego had five sisterships:
- Cap San
Nicolas
- Cap San Marco
- Cap San
Lorenzo
- Cap San
Augustin
- Cap San
Antonio
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