The Astoria, one of the world’s oldest and most storied passenger ships, is set to be dismantled and recycled this July in the port of Ghent, Belgium. The 160-metre-long vessel, was sold at auction on Tuesday for €200,000 to Flemish recycling company Galloo, the sole bidder, according to VRT.
The Astoria has been moored in Rotterdam since 2022, but after its owner failed to pay mooring and port fees for two years, a court seized the ship. Under EU regulations, ships of this kind must be dismantled at approved recycling yards, ensuring safe and environmentally responsible disposal of materials.
Galloo plans to recover more than 12,000 tonnes of materials from the vessel, with an estimated 97% to be reused. The company, which promotes a circular economy model, will extract metals, wood, plastics, and glass from the ship during the process.
Built in 1948 in Sweden and originally named the Stockholm, the ship rose to international fame following a deadly maritime disaster in 1956. While sailing near Nantucket, Massachusetts, the Stockholm collided with the Italian liner Andrea Doria, killing 46 people. The Andrea Doria sank, but the Stockholm survived and has continued to operate under various names, including Völkerfreundschaft, Athena, Azores, and finally Astoria from 2016.
Until 2020, it remained in service with various cruise lines, most recently sailing for Cruise & Maritime Voyages. After the British company went bankrupt during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Astoria was taken out of service.