View source for MV Doulos Phos

{{Short description|Retired ocean liner and cruise ship}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=File:MV Doulos Phos in Bintan.jpg
|Ship image size=
|Ship caption=MV ''Doulos Phos'' hoisted onto dry land and converted into a hotel in Bintan, Indonesia
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Ship country=United States
| Ship flag={{USN flag|1914}}
| Ship name=''Medina''<ref name=COLTON>{{cite web |url=http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/large/newportnews.htm/ |title=Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News VA |last=Colton |first=Tim |access-date=7 November 2016}}</ref>
|Ship namesake=[[Medina River]], Texas
| Ship operator=Mallory Steamship Company <small>(1914–1932)</small>
[[Clyde-Mallory Line]] <small>(1932–1948)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/mallory.shtml |title= Fleet List: Mallory Line / Clyde-Mallory Line |publisher=TheShipsList|access-date=4 November 2016}}</ref></small>
| Ship ordered=28 August 1913<ref name="history"/>
| Ship launched=22 August 1914<ref name="history"/>
| Ship commissioned=29 September 1914<ref name="history"/>
| Ship builder=[[Newport News Shipbuilding|Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]]<ref name=COLTON />
| Ship yard number= 176<ref name=COLTON />
| Ship laid down= 21 January 1914
| Ship sponsor= Frances Stuart Semmes
| Ship christened= 22 August 1914
| Ship acquired= 29 September 1914<ref name=COLTON />
| Ship fate=Transferred to Cia Naviera San Miguel SA, 1948<ref name="history"/>
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=title
| Ship country=Panama
| Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Panama}}
| Ship name=''Roma''<ref name="history"/>
| Ship acquired=1948<ref name="history"/>
| Ship operator=Cia Naviera San Miguel SA<ref name="history"/>
| Ship fate=Sold to [[Costa Crociere|Costa Lines]], 1953<ref name="history"/>
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=title
|Ship country=Italy
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Italy|civil}}
|Ship name=''Franca C''<ref name="history"/>
|Ship operator=[[Costa Crociere|Costa Lines]]<ref name="history"/>
|Ship registry=[[Genoa, Italy|Genoa]], {{flag|Italy|civil}}<ref name="history"/>
|Ship acquired=1953<ref name="history"/>
|Ship fate=Sold to [[Gute Bücher für Alle]], 1977<ref name="history"/>
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=title
|Ship country=Malta
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Malta|civil}}
|Ship name=*''Doulos'' (1977–2010)
*''Doulos Phos'' (from 2010)<ref name="history"/>
|Ship operator=*[[Gute Bücher für Alle]] (1977–2010)
*BizNaz Resources International Pte Ltd (from 2010)<ref name="history"/>
|Ship registry=[[Valletta]], {{flag|Malta|civil}}<ref name="history"/>
|Ship acquired=
|Ship fate=converted to a static [[Botel|hotel ship]], 2015<ref name="history">{{cite web |url=http://www.ssmaritime.net/|title=Doulos History|publisher=Ssmaritime.net|access-date=27 October 2014}}</ref>
|Ship identification=*[[Maritime call sign|Call sign]] 9HKF
*{{IMO Number|5119105}}
*{{MMSI Number|256056000}}
|Ship notes=Greek "Doulos" means "Servant", "Doulos Phos" means "Servant of Light"
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Header caption=(as built)
|Ship tonnage=*{{GRT|5,426|}}
|Ship length={{convert|427.66|ft|m}}
|Ship beam={{convert|55.2|ft|m}}
|Ship height={{convert|54|ft|m}}
|Ship draught={{convert|18.2|ft|m}}
|Ship power= Single triple-expansion engine, 4 coal-fired boilers, {{convert|4100|hp|kW}} shaft power<ref name=ALUMNI>{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Bill|title=SS Medina NNS Hull #176...95 Years of Service...and Counting! (2010)|url=http://www.nnapprentice.com/alumni/letter/Apprentice_SS_MEDINA.pdf|website=Newport News Apprentice Alumni Association|publisher=Newport News Apprentice Alumni Association|access-date=4 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515192317/http://nnapprentice.com/alumni/letter/Apprentice_SS_MEDINA.pdf|archive-date=15 May 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
(Converted to oil 1922)
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed={{convert|14|kn|km/h}}
|Ship capacity=
|Ship crew=
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Header caption=(1949 onwards)
|Ship tonnage=*{{GRT|6,822}} <small>(1960)</small>
*{{GRT|6,549}} <small>(1984)</small>
*{{GT|6,818}} <small>(2009)</small>
|Ship length=
|Ship beam=
|Ship height=
|Ship draught=
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=*GMT C4218SS<ref name="specs">{{cite web|url=http://www.gbaships.org/en/previous-ships/doulos |title=Previous Ships – Doulos |publisher=GBA Ships e.V. |access-date=6 November 2016}}</ref>
*V-18 cyl. 4-stroke<ref name="specs"/>
*5958 kW (8100 bhp)<ref name="specs"/>
*Intermediate Fuel<ref name="specs"/>
*Renk Reduction Gear<ref name="specs"/>
*[[Blade pitch|Fixed Pitch]] Propeller<ref name="specs"/>
|Ship speed={{convert|15|kn|km/h}}
|Ship capacity=414
|Ship crew=350
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''MV ''Doulos Phos''''' is a retired [[ocean liner]], and former [[cruise ship]] that held the record of being the world's oldest active ocean-going [[passenger ship]], serving from 1914 until December 2009. She is now owned by Eric Saw, director and chief executive of BizNaz Resources International Pte Ltd in [[Singapore]].<ref name=LAYUP>{{cite web |url=http://maritimematters.com/2013/01/decking-doulos-phos-part-three/ |title=Decking DOULOS PHOS, Part Three |last=Kenego |first=Peter |date=6 January 2013 |website=Maritime Matters|access-date=9 November 2016}}</ref> She was previously operated by the German charity [[Gute Bücher für Alle]] (Good Books for All), and was used as a floating [[bookshop]] and [[missionary]] ship. The ship has previously been known as the '''SS ''Medina''''', the '''SS ''Roma''''', the '''MV ''Franca C''''', and the '''MV ''Doulos'''''.  ''Doulos'' ended her final cruise in late 2009 at Singapore, with the ship being handed over to her new owners on 18 March 2010.  The ship underwent a three year conversion into a luxury hotel that saw the ship mounted on dry land in nearby [[Bintan]], [[Indonesia]] and opened in June 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1096248-d19116067-Reviews-Doulos_Phos_The_Ship_Hotel-Lagoi_Bintan_Island_Bintan_Regency_Riau_Archipelago_Riau_.html |title=Doulos Phos the Ship Hotel |access-date=17 November 2019}}</ref>

==Cargo ship era==
On 28 August 1913, a contract for two steel freight steamships was signed by [[Northrop Grumman Newport News|Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]] and the [[Mallory Line|Mallory Steamship Company]] of the United States. "The vessel will be a single screw steamship of the hurricane deck type with straight stem and elliptical stern, and with deck houses amidship and aft for the crew accommodations...." The original specifications referred to the vessels as hulls No. 175 and No. 176.  Hull No. 175 would eventually be named SS ''Neches'' and hull No. 176 became SS ''Medina''.<ref name=ALUMNI /> (''Neches'' was lost in a collision with a British warship in 1918.)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/mallory.shtml|title= Fleets of the Mallory Line / Clyde-Mallory Line |access-date=7 November 2016}}</ref> The full contract for the vessels filled a 186-page volume and included the fittings commonly used in a ship for her era and also provision for tropical itineraries; for example, mosquito nets for the crew quarters.

==Terrorist attack==
On 11 August 1991, during the final night of the ''Doulos''{{'}} stop in the southern [[Philippine]] port of [[Zamboanga City]], two of her foreign crewmembers were killed when a grenade thrown by members of the [[Abu Sayyaf]] [[Islamism|Islamist]] terrorist group<ref name = "gmaabusayyaf">{{cite news
 | title      = Abu Sayyaf kidnappings, bombings and other attacks
 | url        = http://www.gmanews.tv/story/154797/abu-sayyaf-kidnappings-bombings-and-other-attacks
 | work       = GMA News
 | date       = 23 August 2007
 | access-date = 10 November 2016}}</ref> exploded on stage during a performance by its Christian volunteers.<ref name = "doulos">{{cite news|author=Debbie Meroff|url=http://news.om.org/country-article/r20465|title=In His Majesty's Service: A Salute to the MV Doulos| newspaper=OM International |access-date=10 November 2016}}</ref> Four locals were killed<ref name = "smithsonian">{{cite news|author=Eliza Griswold|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/waging-peace-in-the-philippines-139354699/?no-ist=|title=Waging Peace in the Philippines| newspaper=Smithsonian |access-date=10 November 2016}}</ref> and 32 others were injured, including several crew members of the missionary ship.<ref name="doulos"/>

In 1995, in order to conform to the then new [[SOLAS Convention|SOLAS]] regulations, she was fitted with a sprinkler system and combustible wall panels were removed and replaced. This unfortunately meant the loss of many of the wall murals that had been installed by [[Costa Crociere|Costa Lines]].<ref name=SOLAS>{{cite web |url=http://www.ssmaritime.net/doulos1-5.htm/ |title=M/V Doulos – Chapter 7 – SOLAS 1995 |last=Goussens |first=Reuben |access-date=7 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218223110/http://www.ssmaritime.net/doulos1-5.htm |archive-date=18 February 2020}}</ref>

In 2006, while in Bahrain, a satellite communication system was installed.<ref name=ALUMNI />

{| class="wikitable"
|+Statistics as MV ''Doulos''<ref name="specs"/>
|-
|Total visitors
|21,461,212
|-
|Programme attendance
|3,500,898
|-
|Books sold
|1,513,446
|-
|Nautical miles sailed
|358,121
|-
|Total ports visited
|603
|-
|Countries and territories visited
|104
|-
|Different ports visited
|297
|}

==Decommissioning==
In 2009, while ''Doulos'' was in dry dock in Singapore, a survey conducted by the ship's classification society, [[Registro Italiano Navale|RINA]], found numerous significant problems with the ship's machinery, structure, and systems that would require work to have been completed by 31 December 2009 for the ship's certificates to be reissued and allow continue sailing. The shipyard servicing the ''Doulos'' would not accept the ship for repairs until September 2010; with the cost of the work exceeding 10 million euros, and the limited ministry that the ship would have after the repairs, it was decided to end the Doulos Ministry at the end of 2009, instead of 2010 as originally planned.<ref name=ALUMNI /> The ship was offered for scrap at the end of 2009 when her operational certification expired.<ref name=ALUMNI /> A caretaker crew remained with ''Doulos'', expecting to sail her to the breakers.<ref name=LAYUP /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://maritimematters.com/2012/12/doulos-phos-decked-part-two-doulos// |title=Decking ''Doulos Phos'', Part Two: ''Doulos'' |last=Kengo |first=Peter |date=23 December 2012 |website=Maritime Matters |access-date=9 November 2016}}</ref>

==New owners==
On 18 March 2010, ''Doulos'' escaped the breakers and had a new owner, Mr. Eric Saw, director and chief executive of BizNaz Resources International Pte Ltd in Singapore.<ref name=UPDATE /> She was renamed ''Doulos Phos'' (Servant of Light).<ref name=UPDATE>{{cite web |url=http://www.nnapprentice.com/alumni/letter/Update_SS_Medina.pdf |title=UPDATE – SS MEDINA |last=Lee |first=Bill |publisher=Newport News Apprentice Alumni |date=May 2016 |website=Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice Alumni|access-date=5 November 2016}}</ref> In 2015, BizNaz formed a joint venture with two other companies with the intention of converting the ship into a luxury hotel.  That August the ship was towed out of Singapore to [[Batam|Batam, Indonesia]], to be refurbished before moving to [[Bintan Island]] to become part of a US$25&nbsp;million hotel resort. In October 2015 she went into drydock, where her hull was refurbished.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rustbullet.com/projects/mv-doulos-phos |title=Restoration of the MV Doulos Phos |access-date=20 October 2016}}</ref> Steel reinforcement bracing was added inside her hull to support her weight on dry land.<ref name=UPDATE /> She was then towed to a location adjacent to the Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal. Using a system of pulling cables and air bags,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chesare|first1=Julia|title=1914-Built DOULOS PHOS on the Beach|url=http://maritimematters.com/2015/10/1914-built-doulos-phos-on-the-beach/|access-date=20 October 2016|publisher=Maritime Matters|date=31 October 2015}}</ref> the ship was hoisted onto the promontory point.<ref name=TOURISM>{{cite web |url=https://bintan-resorts.com/resorts/doulos-phos-the-ship-hotel/ |title=Coming soon..Doulos Phos, The Ship Hotel |publisher=Bintan Resorts International Pte. |access-date=17 November 2019}}</ref> This marked the end of her career as a floating ship.

==Hotel conversion==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Doulos Phos Hotel.jpg|thumb|Early concept rendering of ''Doulos Phos'' as a luxury hotel.]] -->
In February 2016 the ship was officially renamed ''Doulos Phos, The Ship Hotel'' and began conversion into a luxury hotel.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Book ship Doulos turned into hotel on land |url=http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/02/14/book-ship-doulos-turned-into-hotel-on-land/|newspaper=Free Malaysia Today News |date=16 February 2016 |access-date=20 October 2016}}</ref> The conversion is expected to retain the ship's bridge and engine room as part of the Maritime Heritage Museum. Decks A and B are used as the hotel.  Originally scheduled to open in late 2016, workers and heavy equipment were still on the site in November 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://translate.google.com/translate?depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=http://batam.tribunnews.com/2017/11/20/kapal-legendaris-mv-doulos-phos-tertambat-di-bintan-begini-kisahnya%3Fpage%3D3|title=The Legendary Ship MV Doulos Phos is Stuck in Bintan. Here's the Story (November 30, 2017) |publisher=Tribun Batan |access-date=10 January 2018}}</ref> The hotel opened in 2019 with 104 rooms, all with a sea view.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bintan-resorts.com/resorts/doulos-phos-the-ship-hotel/ |title=Bintan Resorts - Doulos Phos the Ship Hotel |access-date=17 November 2019}}</ref>  The hotel closed during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in 2020 and appears to have been reopened since August 2022.

<gallery mode="packed">
File:SS "Medina" at New-York.jpg|SS ''Medina'' in [[New York City|New York]] on her maiden voyage, passed in front of the [[Statue of Liberty]] in 1914.
File:Postcard of the FRANCA C..jpg|SS ''Franca C''.
File:MV Doulos 2004 at Southampton.jpg|The ''Doulos'' at Southampton, England in 2004
File:MV Doulos in HongKong.jpg|MV ''Doulos'' in [[Hong Kong]].
File:Oldest active passenger ocean-going ship.jpg
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[MV Logos II|MV ''Logos II'']]
*[[MV Logos Hope|MV ''Logos Hope'']]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Elaine Rhoton. (1997) ''The Doulos Story''. Carlisle: OM Publishing {{ISBN|1-85078-269-5}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|IMO 5119105}}
* [https://www.doulosphos.com/ ''Doulos Phos'' official site]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190520195651/http://www.ssmaritime.net/Doulos-Index.htm ''Doulos''' history site]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090221234358/http://www.mvdoulos.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=198 History of a Unique Ship]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160730151238/http://www.gbaships.org/en/previous-ships/doulos/port-history Port history as ''Doulos'' 1978–2009]

{{Costa Cruises}}
{{Oldest surviving ships (pre-1919)}}
{{coord|1.160922|104.316206|display=title}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Doulos Phos}}
[[Category:1914 ships]]
[[Category:Cruise ships]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Germany]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of West Germany]]
[[Category:Ocean liners]]
[[Category:Passenger ships of Italy]]
[[Category:Passenger ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships of Panama]]
[[Category:Ships of Malta]]
[[Category:Ships built in Newport News, Virginia]]
[[Category:Ship libraries]]