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"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

Over Two months After Grounding - Massive Effort To The Refloat M/V APL Panama Has Ended -- SHE FLOATS !!

THIS IS PAGE 3

Readers Note: This Feature Has Now Moved Forward To 4 Pages:

Page 1 M/V APL Panama Goes Aground- EPIC EVENTS AT ENSENADA -- Dec. 25 2005 to Jan. 27 2006

Page 2 The Epic Battle To Refloat M/V APL Panama -- Jan. 27 to Feb. 28 2006

Page 3 The Dredger To Refloat M/V APL Panama --March 10 2006 SHE FLOATS! (see below) Current March 1 2006 to Present

-- Under Tow To Subic Bay Jine 6 2006

Page 4 M/V APL Panama Leaves A Great Lady Behind (below)

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	"A Great Lady Left Behind" On The Scene At Esenada Beach, Mexico M/V APL Panama A Great Lady Is Left Behind S.S. Catalina Proving Again That: "Ship Happens©" PAGE 4

A Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

The Date: 3300 days ago - Dec. 25,1997

The Place: Ensenada Beach, Mexico

The Function: "The Great White Steamer" Is Sinking

PAGE 4

"A Day Week Month Months At The Beach"

Page 1 M/V APL Panama Goes Aground- EPIC EVENTS AT ENSENADA

Page 2 The Epic Battle To Refloat M/V APL Panama

Page 3 The Dredger Refloats M/V APL Panama -- March 1 2006 to refloating March 10 2006 -- SHE FLOATS !!

Page 4 M/V APL Panama Leaves A Great Lady Behind (below)

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A Great Lady Is Left Behind -- Once More

Picture Taken From The Deck of RMS Queeen Mary 2 by Robert BentsOn Her Short Voyage "Jones Act" Voyage From Port of Los Angeles To Port of Enensanada -- Feb. 27 2006.

The Queen Surveys M/V APL Panama.

But the passengers & crew of RMS Queeen Mary 2 do not notice another tragedy in Ensenada Harbor -- the once "luxurious S.S. Catalina"

M/V APL Panama is now at sea. ......... but S.S. Catalina is the Great Lady Left Behind.

"The Great White Steamer" was built by Santa Catalina Island owner and chewing gum magnate William Wrigley in 1924 at a cost of US$1M.  She was used to elegantly transport passengers to the island of Catalina from the mainland.  From the time of her maiden voyage in 1924 to her retirement in 1975, she ferried over 2.4 million people to and from Avalon Bay on Catalina Island and proudly served in World War II.

"The Great White Steamer" was an icon of Hollywood and the modern Pacific Coast from 1924 to 1975

The Great White Steamship -- today at Ensenada Harbor. Tears for the Great Lady. Help This Great Lady!

After 61 years of proud service -- on March 3, 1985, SS Catalina left American waters for the last time. Her destination was an anchorage 3 miles off Ensenada, Mexico. After a few months there, she was seized at gunpoint by Mexican Marines on behalf of the Port Captain of Port of Ensenada.

In Nov. of 1987, SS Catalina was once again drydocked & given extensive hull work. On board improvements continued throughout the spring of 1988, and on June 25th the ship was ready to reopen as the "CATALINA Bar and Grill Restaurant". She spent a happy summer successfully operating & in excellent condition. Then one night in Sept., the operator absconded with the deposits of the shopkeepers on board, along with nearly US$200,000 in refurbishment costs. Owners tried to keep the operation going but by Dec.1988, it was closed. For the next 7 years owner Hymie Singer would continue to lavish money on the ship he loved, keeping her in great condition & always hoping to reopen the restaurant. His greatest regret was that the Port of Los Angeles had never wanted SS Catalina as an attraction. During her time in Mexico it's estimated that he spent US$2M on the ship. Hymie Singer died in July, 1998 at age 87. In a sense, SS Catalina died as well.

Just before Christmas 1997, water began seeping in through the propeller shaft packings. SS Catalina began to sink slowly by the stern -- now resting on the bottom of Ensenada Harbor.

Photo: Robert Bents If Only These Tugs Could Pull for S.S. Catalina

The Crowley Tugs Are Seen To Continue Their Pull as March 10, 2006 approached and M/V APL Panama was finally refloated to continue her career.

There is no such luck for the stricken S.S. Catalina........ the Great Lady Left Behind.

For our beloved S.S. Catalina, there may still room for hope.

While there are rumors that the Port of Ensenada is pursuing salvage options for the ship to clear for a new marina, we have also heard that the plans for the long-awaited Ensenada marina project have fallen apart. But there is also news that preparations to turn the ship into a dive reef would begin this year. Then again, it has been heard recent reports that Ensenada itself was interested in raising and developing the ship as a tourist facility.  So far we have been unable to validate any of these stories.

You Can Help By Supporting & Contributing The Fine Organizations Listed Below -- SAVE S.S. CATALINA --"The Great White Steamer" !

As a boy, your Editor thrilled to every voyage aboard S.S. Catalina -- perhaps our children may yet have the same opportunity. McD

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INDEX TO OUR "A Great Lady Left Behind" -- Please Support the S.S. Catalina Effort

Save S.S. Catalina Organizations

SS Catalina Preservation Fund

SS Catalina Preservation Society

Save The SS Catalina

SS Catalina Hitory

SS Catalina History #1

SS Catalina History #2

SS Catalina Photos & Postcards

While Ensenada may no longer be the quaint fishing port of your Editor's youth .....

Many of us will still agree the there is only one Hussong's!

 We are certain the crews of M/V APL Panama, Crowley & Titan now also agree after 2 months on the beach.

 

Hussong's Frog says ... "Ship Happens! ©"

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M/V APL Panama Salvage Cost Calculator:

After consulting with industry experts, we have put together a rought estimate of what this salvage effort is likely to cost -- allowing for delay expense, salvage operators, equipment rental, lost cargo bookings, lost revenue, security, vessel rotation disruption, cargo claims, environmental claims, lawsuits, legal expense, environmental clean up expense, increased insurance premiums, fines, penalties, lost manufacturing time, product delivery delays, bribes and crane expense for pizza delivery up to the crew -- the daily cost is roughly as follows ..........

This Is Only A Graphic Calculation Display of The Money Hemorrhage Being Suffered By the Company.

It Will Take Years To Measue The Exact Toll - But It is Massive.

M/V APL Panama is free -- but the money clock continues

The Concept Is That A Lot of Money Is Going Into An Historic Black Hole & It's Not Slowing down Any Time Soon!

"Ship Happens! ©"

10 March 2006. -- Day 76 -- Today She Floats!

The Epic Has Ended -- except for the lawsuits!

 Plans Should Continue To Go Forward For The "APL Panama - Marriott Hotel & Casino"!

Are You Watching OUr "SINGLES ONLY" Feature of Cargo Disaster? You Should

Please Contribute to this continuing effort

"A Day Week Month 2 Months At The Beach"

Page 1 - M/V APL Panama Goes Aground- EPIC EVENTS AT ENSENADA

Page 2 - The Epic Battle To Refloat M/V APL Panama

Page 3 The Dredger Refloats M/V APL Panama --March 10 2006 SHE FLOATS! (see below) Current March 1 2006 to Present -- When Will Mexico Let Het Go? Christmas to Easter!

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Our Valued Contributors

Our LAX Videdo - Home Theme!

Are You Watching OUr "SINGLES ONLY" Feature of Cargo Disaster? You Should

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NOTE: Please Provide Us With Your Additional Information For This Loss. Please Contribute.

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EDITOR'S NOTE FOR SURVEYORS, ATTORNEYS & MARINE ADJUSTERS: The Internet edition effort of The Cargo Letter now celebrates it's 8th Year of Service -- making us quite senior in this segment of the industry. We once estimated container underway losses at about 1,500 per year. Lloyd's put that figure at about 10,000 earlier this year. Quite obviously, the reporting mechanism for these massive losses is not supported by the lines. News of these events is not posted to the maritime community. Our new project is to call upon you -- those handling the claims -- to let us know of each container loss at sea-- in confidentiality. Many of you survey on behalf of cargo interests with no need for confidentiality. Others work for the lines & need to be protected. As a respected Int'l publication, The Cargo Letter enjoys full press privileges & cannot be forced to disclose our sources of information. No successful attempt has ever been made. If a personal notation for your report is desired -- each contributor will be given a "hot link" to your company Website in each & every report. Please take moment & report your "overside" containers to us. If you do not wish attribution, your entry will be "anonymous." This will will benefit our industry -- for obvious reasons! McD

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* NOTE: The Cargo Letter wants you to know that by keeping the identity of our contributors 100% Confidential, you are able to view our continuing series of "Cargo Disasters." Our friends send us materials which benefit the industry. The materials are provided to our news publication with complete and enforceable confidentiality for the sender. In turn, we provide these materials to you.  Please Contribute

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