STELLA POLARIS

Swedish cruising ship STELLA POLARIS, imo 5340431/ 126,8m/ 5.020gt/ 15,5kn/ 199 pax/ crew 130; 02/1927 completed by A/B Gotaverken, Gothenburg, for Det Bergenske D/S, Bergen; 30/10/1940 STELLA POLARIS, seized by Germans and was used by “Kriegsmarine” as a recreation vessel for u-boat crews; 1943 STELLA POLARIS, “Kriegsmarine” as troop ship; 1945 STELLA POLARIS, Det Bergenske D/S, Bergen, who sent her to builders in Gothenburg for repairs; 1952 STELLA POLARIS, Redri A/B Clipper, mgr. Einar Hansen, Malmo, who modernized her; 1954 STELLA POLARIS, rebuilt and q new engine was installed by AG Weser, Bremen; 1969 SCANDINAVIA, 5,105gt, International House Cy., Tokyo, who used her as floating hotel at small port of Kisho Nishiura. Although she preserved her primitive name on her bows, but she was marketed under the name of FLOATING RESTAURANT SCANDINAVIA; 2005 rumors started to circulate that the ship would be sold to undisclosed buyers and towed to Stockholm for further use as a hotel and restaurant. Indeed, a few months later a Swedish firm, Petro Fast A/B confirmed this; 08/2006, she left her berth for the first time in 30 years to be taken to a yard nearby for necessary refitting before the long voyage to Europe; 02/09/2006, while under tow, the SCANDINAVIA started to take on water and sank in south eastern Japanese waters in 70m deep water.
(Unidentified painter – owner’s brochure).