a selection of pictures of the

14
A ZIP FROM THE SPRING OF LIFE
A RECOLLECTION OF THE SUPEREVENT
BY COUNTESS BETTINA VON KERSSENBROCK
On March
23rd 2004,
we are on
our way to
an unforgetable
journey:
we are
heading for
the Christening Ceremony of a total of four vessels
in Korea, and in the course of that journey we are
planning to visit as much as four cities in two
countries in eight days. A short time span for
such plans, but we figured, that if we refrained
from sleeping long, we should have the utmost
fun!
One of the sponsors of the christening travels
from a country as remote as Guatemala,
another from Austria, Mr. Holloway comes
from Cyprus and further 6 people are traveling
from Hamburg. Our main goal is Korea and
there, the worldwide well-known shipyard in
Ulsan. That is the place where the vessels lie,
which we are supposed to christen. We are
excited to see the four Panamax Bulk Carriers
of 75,000 tons each and it is we, four sisters of
Mrs. Oldendorff, who will do the Christening.
However, before we arrive at our goal, on the
coast of Korea, we are heartily welcomed by
most friendly representatives of the HHI-
Shipyard at the Airport of Seoul. Kindly and
courteously they are piloting us through hotels
and airports until we eventually arrive in Ulsan
the next day. Before that, they introduce us to
their Capital, Seoul. In the National Museum,
we learn a lot about Korean History and we
watch the colorful change of guards in front of
the Old Royal Palace. Multicolored Flags
fluttering in a strong wind over the soldiers
characterize the scenario on a hill backed by a
massive mountainous landscape. The guards
are armed with bows and arrows and swords
and are wearing frightening beards, which
obviously - at least in Korea's day to day life -
are no longer fashionable.
NORD NEWS Summer 2004
With this scenario and the up to then
unknown remarkable history of Korea in
mind, we eventually arrive in Ulsan for the
Christening Ceremony. Again, we are
surrounded by Korean Hospitality: For the
tour over the shipyard with its 16 docks, a
limousine service supported by quite a number
of attractive young Korean tour guides was
organized by HHI. Now, we approach the
vessels with their white superstructures, gray
coating and their funnels painted with the
well-known emblem of Reederei ‘NORD’.
They look absolutely perfect and certainly will
be sea-worthy trading vessels.
The only thing they now require, is to be given
a good name, and for this purpose, HHI has
taken all imaginable preparatory steps and
measures: for every single vessel there is a
speakers-platform, a grand stand for guests and
spectators, a music band and numerous photojournalists.
From each of the vessels, along side
there are endless flags, Korean Lanterns and
nets full of air balloons. When at the end of
each christening speech the name of each vessel
is released with the slam of a hammer made of
silver, a fireworks display is lit at the bow of
each vessel, the band plays music and colorful
long paper-streamers are dropped from the
Korean lanterns! The nets are opened and
release multicolored balloons. Following old
European Tradition, the Christening is
executed by smashing a bottle of champagne
against the body of the vessel. This applies to
each of the four vessels: NORDMARS,
NORDVENUS, NORDMERKUR and
NORDNEPTUN. For everybody watching
this ceremony is absolute and almost endless
fun!
This, however, was not the end of surprises.
When NORDVENUS, the vessel which was
supposed to leave the shipyard on the very
same afternoon, was inspected, we did not
enter the vessel over a gangway as expected,
instead all guests were carefully heaved onto