Fans of MS Queen Elizabeth 2, or simply the QE2, fear for the future of legendary ocean liner, since it is speculated that this world famous liner will be sold to a Chinese firm for £20 million ($32 million), having been moored in Dubai since being sold in 2008. It’s really sad to think that the great symbol of British culture could go into scrap iron.
MS Queen Elizabeth 2
This news is even more surprising given that Istithmar World PJSC, an offshoot of Dubai World that bought the 963ft cruise ship for £64 million ($100 million), earlier this year announced plans to convert the liner into 300-room five-star floating hotel. The launch of such kind of hotel would have allowed rebuilding the tourism economy in the region creating as well many job opportunities. But British media reported that a Chinese crew of 20 people is already on board, raising fears it has already been sold. They replaced a team of 40 people who had been maintaining the QE2 in Port Rashid for the last four years.
The group, which had the support of Chancellor George Osborne and London Mayor Boris Johnson, now says the ship is “almost certainly” being sold for scrap and will be taken to the Far East.
Roger Murray, of QE2 London, said: “Our investors were going to give £20 million for the ship itself plus £60 million for renovation and the cost of bringing the ship back to Britain. But the ship could raise as much as £20 million as deadweight scrap and the Chinese cash would be immediate.”
Built for Cunard and operated by Cunard as liner and cruise ship from 1969 to 2008, legendary QE2 was designed as a liner on the transatlantic service from her home port of Southampton, UK, to New York, USA, and was named after the earlier Cunard liner RMS Queen Elizabeth. She served as the flagship of the line from 1969 until succeeded by RMS Queen Mary 2 in 2004.
The Queen Elizabeth 2, or QE2 as she is commonly known was the flagship of the Cunard Line for nearly 40 years
