Farewell to the Grand Old Lady Doulos

It will be a sad farewell to the grand old lady who sailed the seven seas carrying books and teams of enthusiastic OMers.

Floating bookshop's sailing days are over

Peggy Loh (Straits Times online)
2009/12/23

AFTER sailing the seven seas for 32 years bringing "knowledge, help and hope", Doulos, the world's biggest floating bookshop, will bid farewell to the public on New Year's Eve.

The ship has a crew of 290 volunteers from 50 countries, including Malaysia. — Picture by Peggy Loh

Pasir Gudang, which she visited in September and October, was her second last port of call.



The ship is now open to the public for the last time at VivoCity, HarbourFront, Singapore, until Dec 26.

It will be open from 10am to 11pm today and 10am to 3pm on Christmas Eve. It will be closed on Christmas Day and reopen from 10am to 11pm on the last day.

The decision to decommission the ship was reached because it was no longer sea worthy and in need of costly repairs. Early indications are that the repairs would cost over US$14 million (about RM48 million) and take five months to complete.

Built in 1914, the Doulos is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest ocean-going passenger ship. For details, visit www.Doulos-last-Port.com.

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