American Empress Explained

The American Empress is a 360feet diesel-electric powered paddle-wheeler that was formerly operated by Majestic America Line and named the Empress of the North.[1] She was built in 2002 at the Nichols Brothers Boat Builders shipyard on Whidbey Island, in the U.S. state of Washington, for $50 million and debuted as a cruise ship in 2003.[2] She is listed as accommodating 223 guests, and originally cruised Alaska's Inside Passage, the Pacific Northwest, and the Columbia River. While being operated by Majestic America Line, the ship was decorated with a 19th century Russian theme, but with Alaskan touches in the form of carvings and masks.[3]

During the ship's time in Alaska, several smaller port cities such as Wrangell and Petersburg depended on the visits by the Empress of the North for a substantial amount of tourist-related commerce.[4]

In 2013, the Empress of the North was acquired by the American Queen Steamboat Company, which in 2014 renamed the ship American Empress and placed her back into service on the Columbia and Snake Rivers, after five years out of service. The ship's home port is now Vancouver, Washington.[5]

Grounding incidents

During her years as the Empress of the North, the ship ran aground five times. She hit bottom during her launching from the yard when the restraint system failed and some of the boat builders had to jump in the waters of Puget Sound to avoid being run over. She struck a navigation lock in October 2003 at the Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River,[6] and suffered another grounding in November 2003 near The Dalles in the Columbia River. She grounded again in March 2006 near Washougal in the Columbia River.[7]

Early on May 14, 2007, the Empress of the North struck Rocky Island while navigating a 90-degree turn to starboard about 50nmi from Juneau, Alaska in Icy Strait. She began taking on water, forcing all 248 passengers to abandon ship. Reports that the vessel either grounded on Hanus Reef, several miles away, or later drifted there were in error.[8] Several fishing boats, a tugboat and barge, another small cruise ship, and the Coast Guard Cutter Liberty evacuated the Empress' passengers, who were eventually transferred to the Alaska Marine Highway ferry Columbia. There were no injuries, and the rescue effort took place in relatively favorable conditions, amid intermittent rain showers and light winds.[9] Though the Empress of the North had developed a 6-degree list, 33 members of the crew stayed aboard to facilitate the vessel's return to Juneau under her own power. She was escorted en route there by Coast Guard helicopter and a third small cruise ship.[10] The National Transportation Safety Board undertook a multi-month investigation, concluding that the "probable cause" of the accident was primarily the inexperience of a ship's officer.[11] The Empress of the North was repaired at the shipyards of Vigor Industrial in Portland, Oregon, by Vigor Marine LLC, and returned to service on July 7, 2007.[12] [13]

Renaming and return to service (2014)

The American Queen Steamboat Company, owner and operator of the U.S-flagged American Queen, announced on May 22, 2013, that it had purchased the Empress of the North from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) and that it would rename the ship American Empress and resume sailings from Portland, Oregon, in April 2014.[14] On April 5, 2014, American Empress was christened in Portland.[15] The Empress had been out of service for five years.[16] She is the largest overnight riverboat west of the Mississippi River.[14] The ship's home port is now Vancouver, Washington[16] (in the Portland metropolitan area) and her normal route will follow the Columbia and Snake Rivers between Astoria, Oregon, and Clarkston, Washington, with 32 sailings scheduled for 2014, in the period April–November.[5]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Cruise travel looks like a good deal in 2009 . The San Francisco Chronicle . Spud . Hilton . January 11, 2009. April 20, 2014.
  2. News: Nichols Brothers Part of Ferry Building Team . . July 6, 2007 . April 20, 2014.
  3. Web site: Ship Details: Empress of the North. 2006. Majestic America Line. https://web.archive.org/web/20080219092724/http://www.majesticamericaline.com/products/Ship.aspx?ID=3 . February 19, 2008. April 20, 2014.
  4. News: Little Alaska towns feel the loss of cruise ship's visits. . June 4, 2007 . Anne . Sutton . April 20, 2014.
  5. News: Richard. Terry. American Empress returns to Columbia River cruising as West's largest riverboat. April 20, 2014. The Oregonian. April 4, 2014.
  6. News: Fourth grounding incident for Empress of the North. May 14, 2007. KOMO-TV. Associated Press. April 20, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20071221064542/http://www.komotv.com/home/related/7496677.html. December 21, 2007. dead.
  7. News: Vitka . William . Cruise Ship Runs Aground . CBS News . Associated Press . March 25, 2006 . April 20, 2014.
  8. News: Course change led ship to shoal . . May 17, 2007 . May 18, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071010050859/http://www.adn.com/money/industries/tourism/story/8891574p-8791696c.html . October 10, 2007 . dead . mdy-all .
  9. News: Passengers safe after cruise ship ran aground . CNN . May 14, 2007 . May 14, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070516040614/http://www.news1130.com/news/topstory/article.jsp?content=20070514_093234_5004 . May 16, 2007 . dead . mdy-all .
  10. News: Passengers rescued from cruise ship off Alaska . CNN . May 14, 2007. April 20, 2014.
  11. Web site: Accident Report: Grounding of U.S. Passenger Vessel Empress of the North, Intersection of Lynn Canal and Icy Strait Southeast Alaska, May 14, 2007. National Transportation Safety Board. April 20, 2014. 71. November 4, 2008.
  12. News: Empress of the North Drydocked in Portland. Sit News. Ketchikan, Alaska. June 12, 2007.
  13. Web site: Vigor Marine Completes Empress of the North Repairs . April 20, 2014.
  14. Web site: The American Queen Steamboat Company Announces Westward Expansion as American Empress Joins Fleet. May 21, 2013. American Queen Steamboat Company. April 20, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140424150557/http://www.americanqueensteamboatcompany.com/announcing-pacific-northwest/. April 24, 2014. dead.
  15. News: Baran. Michelle. American Empress christened. April 20, 2014. April 7, 2014. Travel Weekly.
  16. News: Richard. Terry. Travel: River-eye views of the Northwest. April 20, 2014. The Sunday Oregonian. April 13, 2014. online date April 5, updated April 9. A&E section, p. 6.

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