January 30th, 2007. After several decades of trading in the eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, the 1958-built general cargo ship OLD LADY finally returns to Hamburg. Since the ship was no longer able to earn money in today’s market environment, the vessel’s Turkish owner planned to sell OLD LADY for demolition. Citizens of Hamburg and local shipping companies donated money to save her from the torches and take her home. Luckily, OLD LADY’s owners were very cooperative and agreed to sell the ship for its scrap price. She will soon revert to her original name BLEICHEN. After renovation, the ship will serve as a floating exhibit of Hamburg’s maritime heritage. Probably the ship will occasionally perform trips on the river Elbe and in Northern Germany’s coastal waters. www.jantiedemann.de