Appeal launched to save historic steamship

Registered charity The Solent Steam Packet launched an emergency appeal for £80,000 to secure the future of SS Shieldhall, a unique and historic steam-driven cargo and passenger ship based at the port of Southampton.

SS Shieldhall is one of a small number of vessels forming the UK’s National Historic Ships Fleet and was named ‘Flagship of the National Historic Ships Fleet’ in 2009 by the National Historic Ships Unit, meaning it is officially recognised as being of pre-eminent national or regional importance. It is the largest remaining sea going steamship in the UK and was built in 1955 for Glasgow Corporation as a coastal tanker with, unusually, day excursion passenger accommodation. SS Shieldhall is a twin screw seagoing vessel of 1,972 gross tons, with a length overall of 82m and powered by two 800hp triple-expansion steam engines. The 55 year old vessel is the last fully operational coastal passenger/cargo steamer in Europe.

In the spring of this year it must undertake drydocking at an estimated cost of £80,000 to £100,000. Without this it cannot continue to sail and would be at risk of being scrapped in the near future. SS Shieldhall is operated entirely by unpaid volunteers who are now looking for help funding this essential work, which will allow the vessel to keep a valid passenger certificate and continue to delight the thousands of people who visit and travel on it each year.

Budget cuts mean that grants are no longer routinely available to pay for maintenance work on heritage ships and historians say that Britain as a seafaring nation now risks losing many of its most significant vessels.

Captain Peter Roberts, Master of

SS Shieldhall

said, ‘In order to continue to present

SS Shieldhall

to the public and make the trips we do each year we must drydock every two years. Unfortunately, over the past few years our financial reserve has been hit by the huge rise in fuel costs, as well as a loss of income caused indirectly by the current financial climate and we are now looking to the public to help us continue operating this lovely old steamship.’

Since restoration to full working order in 1991, SS Shieldhall has provided the public with an unparalleled heritage maritime experience through seagoing cruises in the Solent and along the south coast of England. The ship is operated by a fully qualified crew together with a shore based support staff, all of whom are unpaid volunteers.