This is a great photo of one of the most fascinating ships in the world. She was built in 1914 in Newport News USA as the coal-fired freighter, S.S. Medina. She has been in the Guiness Book of World Records for Years as the Oldest Ocean Going Passenger Vessel in the world still in active service. In 1948 She was converted into a Migrant ship, the S.S. Roma, carring Pilgrims to the Holy Land for the Roman Catholic Holy year (1950). In 1952 She was sold to Costa Lines, renamed Franca C and extensively refitted into a first class passenger vessel, including replacing her steam engines with diesels, and later pioneered the Cruise trade out of Miami. In 1970 Her older diesel was again replaced with the current one. In 1977 (At age 63!!!) She was again put up for sale and was purchased by a Christian service organization called Operation Mobilization who have operated her continuously since. As I have followed this ship's history for 10 years now, I was deeply grieved when I recieved an email from Operation Mobilization about three years ago saying the time had finally come to replace one of their ships... (I think I actually cried out!) But I had to laugh when I read on to see the one they were replacing was the 5 decades newer Logos II! They had simply outgrown the newer ships sise! Anyways the Doulos motors on now in her 91st year of life. Here's to you, Doulos!

For more info and photos of her during various phases of life up till now, check out http://www.ships.de

Jacob Blondahl :-)