Belem (ship)

The Belem is a three-masted barque from France.

Related Topics:
Barque - France

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Construction year: 1896.
• Shipbuilding: Dubigeon, Nantes.
• Home Port: Nantes.
• Flag : France.

She is now a sail training ship, but she was originally a cargo ship, transporting sugar from the West Indies, and cocoa and coffee from Brazil and French Guiana to Nantes, France. By chance she escaped the eruption of the Mount Pelée in Saint-Pierre de la Martinique on 8 May 1902.

Related Topics:
West Indies - Brazil - French Guiana - Nantes - Mount Pelée - Martinique

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She was sold in 1914 to the Duke of Westminster, who converted her to his private luxurious pleasure yacht, complete with auxiliary engine.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1922 she became the property of the beer baron Sir Arthur Guinness, renamed the Phantom II.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1951 she was sold to the Venezian count Vittorio Cini, who named her the 'Giorgio Cini' after his son, who had died in a plane crash near Cannes on 31 August 1949 . She was used as a sail training ship till 1965. She was then considered too old for further use and was moored at the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice. In 1972 the Italian carabinieri reconverted her to the original barque rig. When this proved too expensive, she became the property of the shipyard.

Related Topics:
Cannes - Venice - Carabinieri

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Finally, in January 1979, she came back to her home port, as the Belem, flying the French flag. Fully restored to her original condition, she began a new career as a sail training ship.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 
Belem (ship): Current specifications of the Belem ►