View source for MY Titanic

{{Short description|Luxury motor yacht}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin |display title=MY ''Titanic''}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image               = 
| Ship caption             = 
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header              = 
| Ship name                =*''Toko Maru'' (1971-1996)
*''Kelso'' (1996-2009)
*''Titanic'' (since 2009)
| Ship namesake            = {{RMS|Titanic}}
| Ship owner               =*Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry - Fisheries Agency, Japanese Government (1971-1996)
*Kyoei Kaiun KK, Yokohama (1996)
*Eurex Ltd/Premier Fishing SA (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town (1996-2005)
*Ovenstone Agencies Pty Ltd, Cape Town (2005-2009)
*White Star Line Ltd, Basseterre (since 2009)
| Ship operator            = 
| Ship registry            =*{{Flagicon|Japan}} Tokyo (1971-1996)
*{{flagicon|Panama}} Panama (1996-1998)
*{{flagicon|Belize}} Belize (1998-2009)
*{{flagicon|Saint Kitts and Nevis}} Basseterre (since 2009)
| Ship route               = 
| Ship ordered             = 
| Ship builder             = Hayashikane Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Nagasaki
| Ship original cost       = 
| Ship yard number         = 800
| Ship way number          = 678
| Ship laid down           = 
| Ship launched            = 30 Nov 1970
| Ship completed           = 28 Feb 1971
| Ship christened          = 
| Ship acquired            = 
| Ship maiden voyage       = 
| Ship in service          = 
| Ship out of service      = 
| Ship identification      =*{{IMO Number|7338561}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Call sign]]" V4LE<ref name=Call>{{cite web|url=http://www.itu.int/online/mms/mars/ship_detail.sh?lang=&1991449&TITANIC |title=Particulars - Ship Name: TITANIC |publisher=International Telecommunication Union |accessdate=7 April 2010}}</ref>
| Ship fate                = 
| Ship status              = 
| Ship notes               = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header              = 
| Header caption           = 
| Ship class               = 
| Ship tonnage             = 1,678 [[Gross tonnage|GT]]
| Ship displacement        = 1,900 tonnes
| Ship length              = {{convert|78.64|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam                = {{convert|11.00|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship height              = 
| Ship draught             = 
| Ship draft               = 
| Ship depth               = {{convert|8.01|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship decks               = 
| Ship deck clearance      = 
| Ship ramps               = 
| Ship ice class           = 
| Ship sail plan           = 
| Ship power               = 4 Niigata 6MQG31EZ diesel engines with 4 HS Turbochargers 4800 turbo chargers. 8,000hp
| Ship propulsion          = single screw
| Ship speed               = 14 knots <ref>all ship details checked with Lloyd's Register-Fairplay database 8 Apr 2010</ref>
| Ship capacity            = 
| Ship crew                = 
| Ship notes               = 
}}
|}

The [[motor yacht]] '''''Titanic''''' is a 1,900-tonne yacht that was formerly the Japanese Government's research/fishing vessel {{Nihongo|'''''Toko Maru'''''|東光丸|extra={{lit|ship of the eastern light}}}} and later '''''Kelso'''''. In March 2010, she developed a leak while sailing in the [[Caribbean]].  Her rescue by the [[United States Coast Guard]] was co-ordinated from the [[United Kingdom]].

==Description==
Originally built in 1971, ''Titanic'' is a former research/fishing boat.<ref name=BBC8603276/> She is {{convert|78.64|m|ftin}} long, with a beam of {{convert|11.00|m|ftin}} and a depth of {{convert|8.01|m|ftin}}. She is powered by four Niigata 6MQG31EZ [[diesel engines]]. As of April 2010, the vessel was being reconfigured to accept 4 HS Turbochargers 4800 series turbochargers.<ref name=MM>{{cite web|url=http://www.marine-marchande.net/Jourlejour2/AujourleJour-234.htm |title=Petits Reportages, 17 Fevrier 2010 |publisher=Marine Marchande |language=French |accessdate=7 April 2010}}</ref> She displaces 1,900 tonnes.<ref name=BBC8603276/> Her [[IMO Number]] is 7338561.<ref name=Eships>{{cite web|url=http://e-ships.net/index/T8.shtml |title=SHIPS INDEX |publisher=E-ships |accessdate=7 April 2010}}</ref>

==History==
The ship was built in 1971 by Hayashikane Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, [[Nagasaki]] as ''Toko Maru''. Commissioned by the Japanese government as a fisheries inspection vessel, it supported the Japanese fishing fleet operating in international waters. After 25 years of service, deterioration of the hull, engines and other facilities led to the ship being decommissioned. It was replaced with a new, larger ''Toko Maru'', capable of supporting Japanese fishing at greater distances and rougher seas in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.<ref>{{cite web |title=東光丸 (Toko Maru) |url=https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/j/senpaku/ships/toko_maru.html |publisher=[[Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan)]] |access-date=13 July 2023 |language=ja}}</ref>

In 1996,<ref name=MM/> she was sold to Premier Fishing, [[South Africa]] and renamed ''Kelso''. In 2009, she was sold to Bill Schlagel of [[California]] who intended to convert her into a luxury motor yacht, and renamed her ''Titanic''.<ref name=TdC>{{cite web|url=http://www.tristandc.com/newsshipping2009.php |title=2009 shipping news |publisher=Tristan da Cunha |accessdate=7 April 2010}}</ref> On 16 August 2009, ''Titanic'' visited [[St Helena]] where it was discovered that she was not displaying her name. The vessel's name was not on shipping registers either. It was established that the vessel was ''[[bona fide]]''.<ref name=Helena>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.co.sh/Newspapers/SHH%2020090821.pdf |title=Motor Yacht Titanic |publisher=St Helena Herald |date=21 August 2009 |accessdate=7 April 2010 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> She departed the next day.<ref name=TdC/>

On 31 March 2010,<ref name=BBC8603276/> ''Titanic'' developed a leak while on a voyage from [[Grenada]] to [[Puerto Rico]] where she was to undergo a refit. Crew member Mark Corbett used the yacht's satellite phone to call his friend Alex Evans's mobile phone.<ref name=BBC8603276/> Evans received the call while in a DIY shop in [[Aberystwyth]], [[Wales]]. He took down details including the position of the ship,<ref name=BBC8603276/> which was {{convert|108|nmi|km}} southeast of [[St Croix]],<ref name=VIDN>{{cite web|url=http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17645212 |title=Coast Guard rescues crew from Titanic  |publisher=Virgin Islands Daily News |first=Corless |last=Smithen |accessdate=7 April 2010}}</ref> (at {{coord|16|17.276|N|63|44.239|W}}), writing the details on a till receipt. Evans then went to the local [[RNLI]] lifeboat station and telephoned the Coastguard at [[Milford Haven]] and asked to be put through to the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) at [[Falmouth, Cornwall|Falmouth]] from where the rescue was co-ordinated at a distance of over {{convert|4000|mi|km}}.<ref name=BBC8603276>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/8603276.stm |title=Aberystwyth lifeboat man's DIY store Caribbean rescue |publisher=BBC News Online |accessdate=7 April 2010 | date=6 April 2010}}</ref>

The MRCC contacted the [[United States Coast Guard]] at [[Portsmouth, Virginia]] who relayed a message to colleagues at [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]].<ref name=VIDN/> A [[France|French]] aircraft was sent to search for ''Titanic''.<ref name=BBC8603276/> A [[United States Coast Guard]] helicopter was despatched from [[Ramey Air Force Base|CGAS Borinquem]], Puerto Rico.<ref name=VIDN/> The helicopter landed a salvage pump on board the yacht,<ref name=BBC8603276/> which was later taken under tow by {{USCGC|Chincoteague|WPB-1320|6}}. The tow was later taken over by the  [[tugboat|tug]] ''Mitchel''. The yacht was taken to [[Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands|Frederiksted]], [[United States Virgin Islands]];<ref name=VIDN/> none of the crew were injured.<ref name=BBC8603276/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/gallery?imo=7338561 Shipspotting.com] Photos of ''Titanic''{{'}}s call at Saint Helena in 2009

{{2010 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Titanic}}
[[Category:1971 ships]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Japan]]
[[Category:Research vessels of Japan]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Panama]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Belize]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Saint Kitts and Nevis]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2010]]
[[Category:Ships built in Japan]]