Ship Ivan Franko. To the blessed memory of the ship "Ivan Franko". From memories. "School" and other charms of special flights

In the mid-1960s, there was some warming of the international situation in the world, and the government of the Soviet Union took certain steps to build bridges between East and West. Among the priority measures, it was planned to create a Soviet transatlantic passenger line, thereby ensuring a stable maritime connection, first with Canada, and then with the United States.

Of course, the task of the Soviet government was not the pursuit of the Blue Ribbon, and it was by no means going to hit the world with some kind of high-speed airliner. Therefore, when the Ministry of the Navy of the USSR received a corresponding order, the choice fell on a relatively small ship type "Ivan Franko", which at that time were being built in the GDR for the Soviet Union. The vessels of this series did not strike the imagination with their colossal dimensions: in terms of tonnage, each of them was four times inferior to " Queen Mary”(the largest passenger liner of the mid-twentieth century), and in terms of speed - one and a half times. Nevertheless, these vessels were made soundly, with traditional German accuracy, so that the candidacy of the first Soviet transatlantic was chosen quite reasonably.

Motor ship "Ivan Franko"

One fine day, the young captain of a passenger ship " Estonia» Aram Mikhailovich Oganov was summoned to the head of the Baltic State Shipping Company. There Oganov first learned about the decision to open the Soviet transatlantic line Leningrad - Helsinki - Bremerhaven - London - Le Havre - Quebec - Montreal. The head of the shipping company also said that the first-born of the Soviet transatlantic fleet would be the ship " Alexander Pushkin"of the type" Ivan Franko "and that he, Oganov, is recommended for the position of captain of this transatlantic.

Motor ship "Estonia"

Aram Mikhailovich knew well the graceful liners of this series: Ivan Franko, Taras Shevchenko, Shota Rustaveli - 11-deck ships that take 700 passengers and 1500 tons of cargo. Liners are really comfortable, solid. They have music salons, cafes, a cinema, a swimming pool and other mandatory accessories needed on the transatlantic. But there are many such ships. So what can oppose them, the favorites of the Atlantic, with a new line that has only one single ship. We really need to perform a miracle, find some new means to attract a capricious, spoiled foreign transatlantic passenger to our liner.

Tactical and technical characteristics of motor ships of the type "Ivan Franko"

"Alexander Pushkin" was still at the Mathias Tezen shipyard in the GDR, when Captain Oganov was sent on a long trip abroad to get acquainted with the organization of transatlantic passenger transportation. Of course, first of all, the Soviet captain was interested in how the the oldest transatlantic company "Cunard Line". Oganov's task was to, having studied the experience of Kunard and other leading shipping companies, assess the chances for the success of our liner and prepare public opinion for the fact of the appearance of a Soviet ship on the Atlantic.

Aram Mikhailovich chose the Kunard liner Carinthia for a detailed study, because it belonged to the same class of transatlantic ships as the Alexander Pushkin. On the Carinthia, our captain made a voyage from Halifax to Liverpool as a passenger. He did not hide the purpose of his trip, and therefore immediately became the object of close attention and was classified as a "VIP" (English - "Very Important Person" - "Very Important Person").

Each foreign shipowner is also a collector. But he collects not badges, not stamps, not paintings, but ... celebrities. The head of the company scrupulously fixes which of the famous people paid attention to his liner, and then widely operates with these names, because the presence of VIP passengers on board the liner is an advertisement, an honor given to the company, it is a means of attracting passengers. Hence - and the courtesy with which they treat “this category of passengers on the liner. The entire crew - from the captain to the stewardess - tries to anticipate the slightest desire of an important person, to fulfill his every whim and whim. Well, since Captain Oganov had only one desire - to get a good understanding of the kitchen of the transatlantic business, in the finest mechanism of the liner, Captain Nicholas conscientiously, step by step, revealed to Oganov all the secrets of his craft. For Oganov, such conditions were created that he could visit any room of the ship both day and night, talk with each member of the crew, receive and record any information. In a word, the Russian captain received the most favored nation treatment.

Aram Mikhailovich took advantage of this location and traveled around the liner from morning to evening, inspected all the premises, tirelessly had long conversations with navigators, mechanics, stewards, bartenders, and maids. Finally, having filled five thick notebooks, Oganov could not resist and asked Nicholas why he was so frankly revealing all his cards to a potential competitor. To this, Nicholas replied with a disarming smile: “Yes, because we are not afraid of you. You won't last more than a year in the Atlantic anyway." - "Why?" Oganov was surprised. - "Yes, because the Atlantic is its own special style, its own traditions, its own level of service, which has been formed and honed over decades."

And only then Oganov realized that he was obliged to carefully study and analyze all the best that Kunard and other leading transatlantic companies have, but not in order to imitate them, but in order to develop a completely different style and go their own way. Everything he saw convinced Aram Mikhailovich of one thing: in order to survive, it is necessary, on the one hand, to comply with a number of formal "rules of the game" in force in the Atlantic, and on the other hand, it is necessary to look for your own principles for organizing transatlantic transportation, establish your own forms of relations with passengers, fill the traditional and the obligatory shell of a transatlantic journey with a qualitatively different content.

Oganov understood that his enterprise would have to go through an exceptionally thorny path. The Russian liner, this new recruit in the ranks of transatlantic veterans, will have to immediately challenge both sea and air liners, and at the very moment when the competitive struggle in the Atlantic has entered its final stage. So, first of all, he must assess well and soberly all the strengths and weaknesses of his future opponents.

With all the power of transatlantic aviation, Oganov quickly discerned a weak link in it. An air liner is an absolutely impersonal means of transportation, devoid of any individuality. The same landing ritual takes place on all planes, the same words are heard - a set of inexpressive standard phrases: "We welcome you on board ... it is forbidden ... at your service ... we wish you a pleasant flight ... ". And most importantly, the liner itself does not have its own identity: it has no name, there are practically no “good” and “bad” places on board, contacts between passengers and crew are carried out mainly through broadcasting and through ... trays, again with an impersonal set of standard meals and drinks.

The ocean liner is, first of all, a unique individuality, it is a masterpiece executed in a single copy, having its own face, name, external and internal appearance and, of course, its fans.

I must say that in the maritime countries of Europe and America, the attitude towards the liner is not at all the same as, for example, it was in the Soviet Union or today's Russia. It is difficult for us to imagine, say, a resident of Leningrad - St. Petersburg or Novorossiysk, who would just like that, without special need, come to the port to meet his favorite liner.

In every city you can find a place where football fans gather to discuss the latest news and assess the chances of their team. But the Russians do not have and never had such a “patch” where the seaworthiness of this or that liner, its chances of winning the Atlantic Blue Ribbon prize would be discussed. And in the USA, England, France, Italy and a number of other maritime countries everywhere: in the port, and in the club, and in the cafe, and at a secular reception - all these issues are discussed very lively and temperamentally. In these countries, the power of the public is great, which knows absolutely everything about its favorite liners: their technical characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, information about captains and their assistants, information about competing liners, etc. The chronicle of transatlantic flights is always very wide and detailed was covered in the press, on the radio, and subsequently on television. The successes and failures of prestigious liners became the subject of lively discussion not only in private circles, but also at sessions of parliaments. After all, a sea liner is not just a vehicle, but a carrier of national pride, which is used to judge the level of technological progress, culture and power of the country that this magnificent floating structure represents.

So, a candidate for the transatlantic must first of all have his own individuality. It is necessary to breathe life into the liner, to make it unlike any other ship - this was the first conclusion made by A. M. Oganov.

Aram Mikhailovich discovered a lot of instructive things for himself, observing the behavior of the captain on a passenger liner. On sailing ships, the captain was always in sight: he stood on a dais, on the open deck and felt like on a stage - in front of captious and fairly competent spectators who had the opportunity to appreciate his professional and personal qualities.

On large modern liners, the workplace of the captain and his assistants has moved high up, into the wheelhouse, into the realm of complex electronic devices. Now people do not see how the captain works, but in order to compensate for this cost of technological progress, on foreign liners, during off-duty hours, the captain is invariably among the passengers (of course, first class). He dines with them, has friendly conversations, participates in masquerades and carnivals, takes care of the passengers.

Liner "Queen Mary"

The captain may be deadly tired after a hard night's work, he may have troubles, he may feel unwell, but, going out to the passengers, he must be cheerful, self-confident, cheerful, charming and witty. Moreover, he has no right to appear among festively dressed people in his usual captain's uniform. In this case, the captain and other officers have the so-called gala uniform: a dandy half-coat with a standing collar and a bow tie instead of a tie.

Thus, one more is added to all the difficult duties of the captain of a passenger liner. He must be an artist who, being among the public, plays a certain role, regardless of his mood, mental and physical state, the role of a super-man, a knight, showing with his whole appearance that traveling by sea with such a captain is as pleasant and safe as swim in swiming pool.

But this applies only to the captain and his inner circle. The rest of the crew members are obliged to behave in such a way as not to annoy the passengers in any way. Seafarers and attendants have no right to be seen by travelers and come into contact with them only if it is required by their duties (bring a suitcase, bring a glass of juice, get a massage or manicure). There is a blank wall between passengers and crew members.

How to break this wall of mutual alienation - here was something for the Soviet captain to think about.

What else instructive Oganov took out from his flights on Carinthia and other foreign liners is that the attitude of the crew towards their passengers is strictly proportional to their ability to pay. Not only are the boundaries between classes strictly observed on the liner, but among first-class passengers, the most scrupulous sorting is carried out into simply rich people (there are practically no other passengers in first class), very rich people and “VIP”. Moreover, the latter can include not only kings, presidents and multimillionaires, but also famous artists, scientists, writers - in a word, those who can make a company a good advertisement.

Aram Mikhailovich recalls a curious fact from his flight on the Carinthia. During dinner, the restaurant manager approached him and asked if Mr. Oganov would like to taste sturgeon. Aram Mikhailovich agreed, and after a while the waiter brought a huge fish on a cart and asked what kind of piece of this sturgeon Mr. Oganov wanted to taste. Aram Mikhailovich showed and received exactly the same piece he had chosen. But that's not all. If some “VIP” passenger would like the same dish, the waiter would give him another, untouched sturgeon on a cart, so that the client would choose the best piece for himself. After this ritual, the rest of the fish disappears from the client's field of vision. She will go to the second grade, where she will be served on the tables already in an impersonal form. That's what personal service means!

Another example on the same subject. On the last day of the voyage, a gala dinner was arranged on the liner. The day before, the director of the restaurant asked Oganov what he would like to taste at this dinner. Aram Mikhailovich replied that he was very fond of pancakes.

And then came the gala dinner. At some point in this impressive event, the doors opened wide, and a procession moved into the hall: the director of the restaurant, the administrator and three chefs pushing carts in front of them, on which heaps of lemons, oranges, some condiments, etc. rose.

The procession stopped in front of Oganov's table. The cook lit the spirit lamp and immediately fried two pancakes in front of the audience, which were served to the Russian captain “piping hot”. So the serving of pancakes to Oganov's table resulted in a separate number of this extraordinary performance.

Oganov's impressions of sailing on the Carinthia grew like a snowball. His notebook entries contained the most unexpected information: how a navigator, a bartender, a maid, a cook work. For example, Aram Mikhailovich was very surprised that colorful menus were printed on the liner several times a day, and they instantly disappeared. It turns out that passengers snatch them up as souvenirs. Very carefully our captain studied the daily newspaper that appeared on the ship. Secular news was printed in it: which of the celebrities was traveling on the liner, what events were scheduled for today, you could immediately find the most interesting messages received on the radio from a distant shore.

Liner "Carinthia"

Traditions that have developed over many years, high professionalism on foreign liners - all this is good, but we also have our own trump cards. Tourists are curious people. And when a Soviet ship appears on the Atlantic, they will certainly want to get acquainted with this curiosity. There is no doubt: there will be travelers who wish to see what a Russian liner is like, what are the procedures, the service on it, and in general to find out what these desperate Russians intend to offer to him, a worldly-wise jaded transatlantic passenger.

Of course, there is no need to simplify the relationship of foreign tourists to Russians. We were long and diligently convinced that foreigners were only interested in Russian popular exotics: balalaikas, nesting dolls, troikas with bells and romances like Black Eyes. No, the interest of foreign travelers to us is much broader and more subtle. This idea was very accurately formulated by one married couple who made a flight on the second Soviet transatlantic - Mikhail Lermontov. When asked why this very rich couple, who, due to their wealth and position in society, should have traveled on a more expensive liner and not in a tourist class, chose a Soviet ship, the couple answered something like this: “We have long been interested in Russia, its customs, customs. But we have not been able to visit your country yet, and we decided to use another trip to London to stay on Russian territory for a week.

So that's the main thing! Let foreigners come to our territory - to a ship flying the Soviet flag. And if they meet genuine hospitality here, if the passengers feel that they are just visiting good people, where they are received in a friendly way, primarily because very hospitable hosts live in this floating house, they will certainly fall in love with the Soviet liner.

But all this will come later, but for now we need to follow the rules of the game that are accepted on the Atlantic and without which our ship will not be able to make a single step on the new line.

Oganov was an experienced sailor. More than once he looked into the face of danger, got out of the most difficult situations. But, perhaps, it was never as hard for him as during the period when he had to overcome the prevailing stereotypes of the then leaders of the USSR Navy, convincing them that everything on the Alexander Pushkin should be "like people."

For example, how to prove to the high authorities that a transatlantic passenger will not tolerate the captain sitting next to him at the dinner table or coming to the ball in his work clothes, that is, in a "statutory" uniform? How to force the bosses to allow the gala form? I had to exert a purely psychological, emotional impact. Oganov chose the most beautiful and representative of his navigators and dressed him in a gala costume. The effect was so striking that the management waved their hand and ... agreed.

Artist Rockwell Kent (second from right) on board the motor ship "Alexander Pushkin" (crew members in gala uniform)

It was just as difficult to break through the printing house on the liner. The counterargument was iron: we never had it! And what did it cost Aram Mikhailovich to get permission to increase the cost of food from three to twelve dollars per person per day, or, say, according to the old tradition of transatlantic liners, at the end of the voyage, arrange a sale of the remaining drinks at reduced prices. Now we have sales have become commonplace, but then ... But Oganov was adamant: if we want to conquer the Atlantic, we must be no worse than foreigners!

There is a wonderful rule in the maritime charter: not a single person can be enrolled in the staff of a ship without the consent of the captain. Captain Oganov took full advantage of this right in the selection of the crew. He recruited navigators, mechanics, radio operators with the highest professionalism for Pushkin. And for full-time positions of waiters, maids, flight attendants, he was looking for not just good workers, but always sociable, hospitable people, and, if possible, with some artistic abilities. A transatlantic passenger requires artistry from the captain - this is how he will get it, but not from the captain, but from the whole crew, who can not only excellently navigate the ship along difficult transatlantic routes, not only serve passengers excellently, but also sing, dance, play various musical tools.

Long before the liner went on its maiden voyage, Oganov organized one-of-a-kind courses in which he taught not only navigators how to work in the North Atlantic, but also bartenders, maids, cooks - the art of transatlantic service. He did not get tired of repeating that for the passenger the cook is no less important than the navigator, and the bartender is not inferior in importance to the boatswain.

There were no trifles for Oganov. He personally participated in the selection of the repertoire of the ship's orchestra, the assortment of goods in kiosks, the preparation of a program of entertainment events, and restaurant menus. All this, in addition to the practical benefits that could bring the experience of a person who personally studied the work of foreign liners, played an exceptional psychological role. Musicians, cooks, organizers of cultural events saw the attention and innovation with which the captain himself worked with them, and tried to work twice and three times better.

It is no coincidence that when the Pushkin chef was asked what the secret of his mastery was, he answered: “The main secret is to put a big soul into a small saucepan.” And in this answer, the Ogan school is clearly felt.

The strength of the cooks who worked for Oganov consisted in the fact that they knew for sure: Americans start dinner with a glass of water with ice, an Englishman must serve a dish on a hot plate, otherwise he will not appreciate the taste of a culinary masterpiece, and a Swede eats meat with jam.

Just as cruelly and persistently, Oganov taught the best techniques of skill to service personnel, such as maids. He never tired of repeating that a highly professional service should be invisible to the passenger. It is impossible to admit (and, unfortunately, this happens in our hotels, and in boarding houses, and on ships) that the cleaner asked the inhabitants of a given room or cabin to leave for ten minutes, because she needs to do the cleaning. On transatlantic liners, this is unthinkable, and if this happens at least once, no means and means of attracting a passenger will save the shipowner from a bad reputation. The Atlantic does not forgive this.

By the way, subsequently foreign tourists carried out somewhat cruel, but generally fair tests on our liners. So, one of the insidious travelers methodically hid cigarette butts in various hard-to-reach places in his cabin, and then checked whether they were in their places. And each time he stated that after cleaning the cigarette butts disappeared. Gradually, this became a kind of game for him - he really wanted to convict our maid of dishonesty, but he did not succeed until the end of the flight. On the last day of the voyage, the tourist honestly and publicly admitted his defeat. True, this story did not take place on the Pushkin, but on the Ivan Franko, but the Ogan school is clearly visible here.

This is how Captain Oganov taught and brought up his first transatlantic crew. And Aram Mikhailovich began to gradually create at Pushkin ... an amateur art group, so much so that they soon started talking about it on both sides of the Atlantic.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Navy of the USSR was preparing for the opening of the transatlantic line. Before launching the ship "Alexander Pushkin" on the Atlantic, we entered the Transatlantic Passenger Conference, contributing a very large amount of money. But it was necessary to do this, since a respected organization literally destroys strangers. If a liner that is not a member of the conference appears in the Atlantic, it will never get a berth in a foreign port, it will not be allocated stevedores, pilots, tugs, it will not be able to stock up on fuel and other types of supplies. The shipowner will not be allowed to advertise his liner. In a word, you can't hold out here without a conference.

When joining the conference, the applicant must show on which ship or ships he intends to conquer the Atlantic. It would seem that at the same time, the applicant should praise his liner, hide its shortcomings. But in fact, quite the opposite happens. The owner in every possible way scolds his ships, belittles their dignity. Thus, the shipowner is trying to get the conference to allow him to set the lowest fares, that is, so that tickets for his liner cost less than those of competitors. He himself does not have the right to set fares lower than the conference will allow him, so as not to beat off the clientele from rivals. This is how the conference fights for justice.

Another thing is if the owner manages to present his liner so miserable and harmless that the conference will set him a very low rate. Then the shipowner can count on success, if only because he will tempt transatlantic passengers with cheap travel. Then, if things go well, he will be able to raise the tariff - the conference does not prohibit this. For her, it is only important that the owner does not bring down prices on the transatlantic market.

Between the representatives of the Ministry of the Navy of the USSR and the experts of the conference, a heated fight broke out, the essence of which was completely incomprehensible to inexperienced people. We belittled the merits of the Alexander Pushkin in every possible way, diligently emphasized its shortcomings, while the leaders of the conference, on the contrary, praised the Russian liner, looking for more and more positive qualities in it. However, our representatives held firm, and they managed to negotiate quite acceptable (that is, low) tariffs for the firstborn of the Soviet transatlantic line.

In the meantime, the preparation of public opinion was organized in the major maritime countries. Captain Oganov and other competent representatives held press conferences, spoke on the radio and in the pages of foreign newspapers in order to acquaint future travelers with the Soviet liner, to arouse interest, or at least curiosity, in the “newcomer”. Moreover, for obvious reasons, our representatives gave information on "Alexander Pushkin" that was somewhat different from that which was presented to the experts of the conference. Here, the goods had to be served in person ...

So, having shown miracles of perseverance, ingenuity, and, where necessary, commercial cunning, the employees of the Ministry of the Navy of the Soviet Union completed the preparatory work. Now the line could be opened.

In 1966, "Alexander Pushkin" first arrived in Montreal. Thousands of people came to the port to see the liner flying the scarlet flag, to look at these Russian madmen who decided to challenge the minions of the Atlantic. Press conferences and receptions followed one after another. The fact that an agreement on the participation of the Soviet Union in the World Exhibition in Montreal in 1967 was signed on board was also a good advertisement for the Soviet ship.

But interest, simple curiosity does not necessarily make a person a passenger, especially in the face of fierce competition. Indeed, at that time eight vessels served the Canadian line!

The Montreal News wrote:

“We welcome the opening of the Soviet line to Canada. The Russians are expanding the scope of their passenger fleet, but we have serious doubts about the ability of Soviet sailors to service this fashionable line. It is known that ships of leading shipping companies operate on passenger lines across the North Atlantic, which have the highest class of passenger service and whose crews have many years of experience.”

The first flights of Pushkin seemed to confirm the forecasts of Canadian newspapermen: the liner's load did not exceed one third. Prophecies appeared in the right-wing newspapers that the Russian ship would not withstand competition and would leave the Atlantic without salt, as Captain Nicholas had predicted.

But time passed, and out of eight liners serving the Canadian line, only one Alexander Pushkin remained. presented to a transatlantic passenger liner as a luxury cruise ship. Passengers fell in love with the Russian liner not only for comfortable cabins, beautifully decorated restaurants, salons and bars with the poetic names "Mermaid", "White Nights", "Northern Palmyra", a swimming pool, a room for children and much more, which makes the trip enjoyable and interesting. . All this was available on other liners. But they did not have that qualitatively new "Russian service" that Oganov and his colleagues managed to create on the "Alexander Pushkin".

First of all, sophisticated transatlantic passengers very quickly realized that on the Pushkin they were served by professionals of the highest qualification, who were not inferior to their foreign colleagues, but in some ways even surpassed them. Here is one of the episodes of the life of the liner. Strike in Montreal. Dockers are on strike, pilots are on strike, sailors of the port fleet are on strike. Dozens of ships, including the Carinthia already known to us, were hopelessly stuck in the port, waiting for the strike to end.

Captain Oganov faced a difficult problem. Either not take risks - after all, the path from Montreal to the ocean provides navigators with a whole range of "pleasures": a winding fairway, strong currents, vagaries of the weather - or try to take the ship out into the ocean without the help of pilots and tugboats, risking running it aground or crashing into shore. Of course, this would completely undermine the prestige of Pushkin, since transatlantic passengers do not forgive this, not to mention what the strict authorities from the Baltic Shipping Company say. After all, for the accident of the liner, they could not only be removed from work, but also put on trial.

But on the other hand, because the liner is called a liner because it is obliged to strictly observe the traffic schedule. One could only imagine what a fuss the Western newspapers would make if Pushkin, which had just begun to come into fashion, did not give up the moorings in time. After all, three-quarters of the passengers are people who specifically timed their vacations to coincide with the departure of the Soviet ship. And if he, Oganov, thwarts their plans, it will probably be worse than running aground.

And Oganov made up his mind. After all, it was not in vain that he spent so much time and effort studying the capricious fairway of the St. Lawrence River, along which ocean-going ships left Montreal for the Atlantic. I consulted with our ambassador in Canada - he supported the captain. The only thing the captain was afraid of was whether this daring action of the Russians would be regarded as a strike-breaking in relation to the strikers. No, we don't seem to be letting anyone down here. After all, there will be neither Canadian pilots nor other representatives of the striking organizations on the Soviet liner.

Newspapers immediately filled with huge headlines that the Russian ship was leaving on schedule. A stir began among passengers who bought tickets for other liners. Everyone wanted to get on the ship that would leave on time.

On the appointed day and hour, the Pushkin, packed to capacity, gave three farewell beeps, turned around without the help of tugboats and, accompanied by the ironic smirks of skeptics and ill-wishers gathered on the pier, went along the St. Lawrence River. The transition was the most difficult. Visibility due to the fog already dropped to almost zero, and on top of that, a thick snowfall began, which the inhabitants of these parts had not seen for 40 years. But Oganov won. Himself, without a pilot, in the conditions of disgusting weather, he brought the ship into the ocean. It was the biggest sensation.

The issue of "Alexander Pushkin" and its brave captain was considered in the Canadian Parliament, and in two aspects. Our well-wishers were interested in why such cruelty was shown towards the Russians and they had to risk the ship and people. And our enemies asked a question in a completely different vein: how did the Russians manage to study the most difficult fairway of the St. Lawrence River so thoroughly in just two flights? Not otherwise than the Soviet intelligence did a good job here.

But the passengers and the transatlantic public assessed Oganov's act in a completely different way. There was a second "great turning point" in their minds. The passenger not only finally believed that he would have a good rest and have an interesting time on the Soviet liner, but - no less important - he was convinced of the complete safety of sailing on the Pushkin. After all, it is just as important for a passenger to have full confidence in those people who will transport him across the ocean, as it is for a patient to believe in a surgeon who will perform an operation on him.

In this regard, I would like to cite an interesting fact. Somehow A.M. Oganov went on vacation, and Pushkin arrived in Montreal without him. The acting captain, along with the Soviet representative in Canada, were walking slowly along one of the streets of the city when they were stopped by an elderly couple. The old people greeted the Russians and said that for the third time they were going to make a trip on the Pushkin.

Our representative thanked the couple for their loyalty to the Russian liner and introduced them to the captain of the liner.

The old men's faces changed. Their appearance expressed the deepest disappointment.

“Excuse me, where is Captain Oganov?” - "He is on vacation".

The old man muttered something unintelligible, and his life partner pulled her husband by the sleeve and said in a voice that could not stand objections: “Go and return the ticket immediately. We'll make it, we'll go in a month."

Perhaps few of the transatlantic captains could boast such popularity!

The history of the liner's withdrawal from Montreal - without a pilot and tugboats - is by no means the only example of the highest professionalism and courage of Captain Oganov. Here is another case from his rich practice. "Alexander Pushkin" was undergoing scheduled repairs at one of our shipyards. The factory workers, together with the crew members, dismantled the main engines, so that the liner stood at the quay wall completely helpless.

I must say that wherever the flagship of the Soviet transatlantic fleet was, it aroused constant interest among representatives of all sectors of society. It was constantly visited by workers, scientists, students, schoolchildren. This time, among the other guests on the "Pushkin" was a colonel, a representative of the local garrison.

Having inspected the ship, the colonel told Oganov what excellent equipment our army had and invited the captain to inspect his economy, and at the same time to talk with the soldiers.

On the day when Oganov was going to the military unit, he was told that a hurricane was approaching the city. For a ship deprived of the ability to independently manage, it was very dangerous, so Aram Mikhailovich ordered to have additional mooring lines - all that is - and call tugboats just in case.

The mooring lines were started, but it was bad with the tugboats. There were only two tugs in the port, and both of them were busy servicing some large ship.

The hurricane hit earlier than expected. The wind tore down, tore roofs off, uprooted trees. And the steel mooring lines could not stand it: the metal cables began to burst one after another. A little more, and the ship will break away from the pier, and the wind will carry the helpless ship anywhere. The consequences of the disaster could not be predicted or estimated.

In such cases, they say that the only thing left to hope for was a miracle. But real sailors prefer to rely on experience and on their ability to instantly make the only right decision.

“Starpom, to the shore,” Oganov’s iron voice sounded. “Call the colonel from the garrison and ask for help on my behalf.”

The Colonel reacted immediately. Immediately after the bell rang, four powerful tractors crawled into the port. The soldiers filed steel cables onto the ship, and now the tractors reliably held the Pushkin at the pier.

For two hours military equipment stubbornly resisted the onslaught of the elements, and finally the wind began to subside. The disaster didn't happen. So the resourcefulness and speed of reaction of Oganov, combined with the skill and efficiency of our soldiers, saved the Pushkin ship from a major, and possibly from an irreparable accident.

"How often have you had to take risks?" - Captain Oganov was asked. - “Of course,” the captain replied. “After all, risk is an integral part of my craft. Another thing is to be able to distinguish where reasonable risk ends and excessive prudence begins, from which business most often suffers. But only a very experienced and determined captain can draw this line.”

Boatswain of the ship "Alexander Pushkin" Zayatsky S.S.

And Aram Mikhailovich told one case from his practice, very similar to the Montreal episode we have already described.

Oganov was 26 years old when he was appointed captain of the cargo ship Matros Zheleznyakov. Despite the big name, the ship was small, equipped with a steam engine, which developed a speed of no more than 9 knots.

Approximately two or three months after his appointment to such a high position, Aram Mikhailovich took his "liner" to Rotterdam. When they approached the shores of the Netherlands, a terrible storm broke out. Vessels stood everywhere, incomparably larger and more powerful than the Matros Zheleznyakov.

"What's the matter?" - Oganov asked on the radio. - “The port is closed,” they answer, “there is no pilotage. If you can, enter the port yourself.”

What to do? It was possible, of course, to act like everyone else - to wait for a pilot or good weather, but after all, a ship was created in order to carry cargo, and not stand still. And the young captain, who, it would seem, had to be afraid every second, no matter how something happened, how not to spoil his reputation at the very beginning of his career, decided to go to the port.

Looks - another brave man under the Panamanian flag moved towards the port. Oganov is behind him. Suddenly, the Panamanian tanker at the very entrance to the port begins to turn around and lays down on the opposite course. It can be seen that the captain's nerves could not stand it.

“Well, it’s absolutely impossible,” Oganov commented on his actions. “If you’ve already set your sights on it, go!”

Right in front of the crew of the Sailor Zheleznyakov, the Panamanian tanker was thrown ashore, and the ship died.

I remember one old movie about racing drivers - it seems American or French. When the protagonist was asked why he wins competitions, he replied, “The secret is simple. When the car in front turns over before our eyes, all the drivers instinctively slow down, and at that time I make a jerk.

"Full speed ahead!" - Oganov shouted to the navigator on duty, and the ship slipped into the bay. And there was such silence in it that one could not even believe that a storm was raging very close by.

But the story didn't end there. Unloading went on for two days, and then it was necessary to return home. But the storm didn't stop. Representatives of the port supervision urged Oganov to wait. But the captain nevertheless went on the return flight and, in his words, he himself does not know how he got to Leningrad.

They came home, and at that time a party organization was passing by. One of the leaders of the Baltic Shipping Company speaks and says that a fashion has appeared among experienced captains: a little storm - they defend themselves, they do not want to take risks. So these sea wolves do not interfere with learning from Oganov. Without a year a week captain, not afraid to take charge. These are the captains you should look up to!

So Oganov immediately gained a reputation as a brave and determined captain. Some time later, he was promoted to an honorary position - to command the passenger ship "Estonia". Soon Oganov was awarded the Order of Lenin. He was characterized as a highly qualified specialist, as a supporter of various experiments and a bold innovator. Apparently, it was these circumstances that determined the choice of the leadership when the decision was made on who to appoint as captain on the Alexander Pushkin. After all, it was here, as nowhere else, that the ability to deviate from the usual canons, to seek and find unexpected, sometimes paradoxical forms of work in emergency situations, was required.

It is said that the press is a mirror of public opinion. Where did the skeptical tone of the first information about the Russian liner go? Newspapers spoke in completely different words: "The Russians are becoming a serious competitor on ocean passenger lines." Still would! If in the first voyages of Pushkin in 1966 the loading of the ship did not exceed one third, then already in the first half of 1968 this figure increased to 81.6% - an excellent result, which immediately put our liner among the favorites of the Atlantic.

There were such voyages when, before the Pushkin departed, people with suitcases stood on the pier in the hope that at the very last moment someone would refuse to participate in the voyage.

Along with successful work on the regular line, Pushkin has proven itself well on cruises: to the Canary Islands, Bermuda, Trinidad, Curacao, Newfoundland. For success in the tourist field, the liner received the name "cruise star" in the foreign press.

One of the criteria for the popularity of the liner is the percentage of "own passengers" - not those who accidentally ended up on board this particular vessel, but precisely those who deliberately gave it their preference. So, on Pushkin, 60% of “own passengers” were on liner flights, and 80% on cruise flights. A kind of champions appeared who made 9-10 flights on our liner. And when A.M. Oganov for his feat (otherwise one cannot call victory in this unequal battle on the blue carpet of the Atlantic) was awarded the highest award - the title of Hero of Socialist Labor, among those who warmly congratulated the captain on board the ship was a passenger who made 14 flights on it!

The artist Rockwell Kent, the first female cosmonaut Valentina Nikolaeva-Tereshkova, the composer D.D. Shostakovich, writer James Aldridge and other famous people of our planet. Musical works were composed about the Soviet liner, books were written, poems and a series of postage stamps were dedicated to him.

The first female cosmonaut V.V. Nikolaeva-Tereshkova on board the ship "Alexander Pushkin" with captain A.M. Oganov

A huge impression was made by the fact that for all the years of work at Pushkin there was not a single accident, not a single violation of the schedule. This had an impact on the work of our other liners, who tried to be equal to the leader. And on May 4, 1971, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, for outstanding success in fulfilling the tasks of the five-year plan, the captain of the ship "Alexander Pushkin" of the Baltic Shipping Company Aram Mikhailovich Oganov was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the award of the Order of Lenin and the medal "Hammer and Sickle.

Meanwhile, the warming of relations continued in the world. Finally, a large crack appeared in the ice field that separated the US and the Soviet Union. And just like in the case of Canada, our government decided to continue breaking the ice of mistrust in a tried and tested way: by establishing a regular line Leningrad - New York.

At the very beginning of the Cold War, in the late 40s, the Soviet ship Rossiya was arrested in the New York port. The American authorities have established in their ports for our fleet such discriminatory rules that were not in any country in the world. Suffice it to say that the Soviet captain had to file a month (!) application for permission to call at an American port with the obligatory indication of the name of the ship, the purpose and exact date of the call, the full list of the crew, etc. In response to these discriminatory actions, our ships they stopped entering the United States altogether, and now, 25 years later, not only a new life, but also a new page in Soviet-American relations had to be opened.

And again, as six years ago, the honor of opening the line was given to the liner from the Ivan Franko series - Mikhail Lermontov, commanded by the Hero of Socialist Labor A.M. Oganov.

Built seven years later than Pushkin, in 1972, the new liner differed from its older brother in some improvements that reflected both the experience gained by previous passenger ships and the development of technical progress in recent years. So, on the Lermontov, at the insistence of Captain Oganov, a thruster was installed, allowing the ship to turn around literally on the spot, which significantly improved its maneuverability. Undoubtedly, having demanded the installation of a thruster, Aram Mikhailovich recalled an instructive episode when he had to withdraw his liner from Montreal without the help of tugboats.

The premises were finished with a new material - neptunite, which was distinguished by exceptional fire-resistant qualities, so that "Lermontov" in its fire safety marked a certain step forward.

The new liner doubled the number of cabins with all amenities, including an electric furnace, air conditioning, fans, all kinds of lamps, etc. Constructors and designers improved the design of restaurants, bars, salons with the poetic names "Mtsyri", "Vostok", "Marine princess”, “Sadko”. They equipped two stores - "Kazachok" and "Kalinka", where you could buy everything: from coats to a toothbrush. Provided cinema "Rainbow", restaurant "Leningrad" and many other public spaces. The liner published its own newspaper "Aurora". One third of Lermontov's crew were veterans of the Alexander Pushkin, led by Captain Oganov. On the flagship, everything was so well-established that part of its crew could be painlessly transferred to a new liner in order to jointly discover America ...

In the first year of operation, Mikhail Lermontov made 14 cruise voyages from Europe to the Canary Islands, Africa, and the Caribbean, and in the same year, the first transatlantic voyage took place on the well-trodden Leningrad-Canada line.

The impeccable work of "Pushkin" has borne fruit. The public was prepared for a meeting with the new Soviet transatlantic, and already in the first navigation on the Lermontov there were tourists who made two or three voyages on it.

On May 28, 1973, at 22:00, the Mikhail Lermontov left Leningrad and headed for New York. His 4,590-mile journey lay across the Baltic, the English Channel, and the Atlantic, calling at Bermerhaven, London, and Le Havre.

Captain of the ship "Mikhail Lermontov" Hero of Socialist Labor A.M. Oganov

Exactly on the appointed day and hour, the liner was at the pilot station in the Port of New York. There he accepted a pilot and entered Hudson Bay. The snow-white ship passed under the huge George Washington Bridge, past the Statue of Liberty, towering in the middle of the water on a small island. Near this monument, fire boats were attached to the ship, and, according to tradition, water jets shot up, shimmering in the sun.

For the Soviet liner, one of the best berths was allocated - berth No. 40 of the Holland - America Line company.

It goes without saying that the ship under the Soviet flag was in the center of attention of New Yorkers. A real invasion of various guests began here, and among them was the mayor of New York, John Lindsay, who handed Oganov a symbolic golden key with the emblem of the city and Lermontov’s book “A Hero of Our Time” in English with the inscription: “Happy sailing. The ship "Mikhail Lermontov" is a link between the peoples of the Soviet Union and the city of New York.

Visited the liner and other guests. As soon as the ship entered the Hudson, a coast guard boat approached the ship and landed on it an official representative of the port authorities, who, together with his group, carefully examined the ship, visited the helmsman and radio room, traveled all decks in elevators, looked into the saloons and cabins, took samples water, and during the parking forced to conduct various training alarms: fire, boat, water. But in the evening, this strict official rank warmly shook hands with the chief mechanic of the ship, Hero of Socialist Labor V.I. Tkachev, who switched to Lermontov together with A.M. Oganov, and said literally the following: “Of all the ships that visited the New York port this year, the Mikhail Lermontov is the first to which I have no comments.”

A press conference was held on the Soviet ship, in which 500 correspondents took part, and the next day the newspapers were full of catchy headlines: “Soviet handsome man captivates the port”, “Beeps of Mikhail Lermontov put an end to another manifestation of the Cold War”, etc.

There were newspapermen who remembered that when Russian passenger ships called in America immediately after the war, there was too much cabbage in the soups that were served to passengers. But they immediately added that now the Russians had good food, good service and good cabins.

"Lermontov" returned to Leningrad as a winner. He took away to the Soviet Union the sympathies of the Americans, who from now on became our friends.

I recall the words spoken by an American journalist who made a trip from New York to Leningrad on the Lermontov:

“I know the maritime passenger fleet well. I had to sail not only on the France, but on almost all major liners in the world. This is my profession. Nevertheless, I am literally shocked by what I saw on your ship. I racked my brains for a long time, choosing the right word to describe your service. I think that the closest word in meaning is sincerity. I am sure that this is your main capital. This is not the case on any other ship. This is wonderful! And if you manage to keep this capital, keep the ease, cordiality and friendliness that distinguishes the ship's staff, I simply guarantee that your line will be a huge success with passengers. And you still remember my words.

The name of the Soviet liner thundered in all the newspapers of the world in 1975, when our ship was saved by the crew of the Sham-Rock yacht.

"Lermontov" with a group of foreign tourists was returning from a cruise flight to New York, when one of the navigators reported to Oganov that he saw red rockets on the left. The captain ordered to slow down and turn on the searchlights. The sea was rough, it was very difficult to look for those in distress, and suddenly, on the crest of a 12-meter wave, the sailors saw a tiny yacht. VHF radio contacted the ship's crew and learned that the engine room was flooded on the yacht.

“Try to start the engine by all means,” Oganov ordered the captain of the yacht. And the incredible happened. Apparently, inspired by hope, the crew members of the yacht managed to start the engine, and after a while the yacht approached the board of the Lermontov. The boat was fixed at two ends. It sat so deep in the water that even at the top of the wave, yachtsmen could barely reach the ladder lowered from the Lermontov. Nevertheless, our sailors showed their skills and brought all the people on board. And as soon as the captain was the last to leave the yacht, the cables connecting the ship with the liner broke, and it disappeared into the abyss. Wet, exhausted yachtsmen cried and kissed the deck of the liner on which they found their salvation. Newspapers widely covered this rescue operation and cited the words said by one of the victims of the disaster - Bran Reyrolds: "When we saw the Soviet hammer and sickle emblem on the pipe of the ship, we felt that we were saved."

It is noteworthy that, despite the delay and bad weather conditions, the liner returned from the cruise flight right on schedule.

In the first four years of operation alone, Mikhail Lermontov completed 22 line and 55 cruise flights. During this time, he carried 36,000 passengers, visited 415 ports in 54 countries, and traveled a total of 400,000 miles from the Earth to the Moon and back.

In 1980, Pushkin and Lermontov were chartered by the Soviet Olympic Committee as the official carriers of the Moscow Olympics.

Meanwhile, the political situation has changed again. The thaw in relations between the Soviet Union and the leading capitalist countries gave way to frosts. The US government again took a number of discriminatory measures against Soviet ships, and we were forced to close the transatlantic line. "Alexander Pushkin" and "Mikhail Lermontov" were relocated to the Far East, where they resumed their activities on cruise routes. This stage in the biography of Soviet liners brought them new fame and new admirers.

Literature:

S.I. Belkin. Blue Ribbon of the Atlantic. - L .: Shipbuilding, 1990

I know nothing will come back
An evil heart beats in the clock.
Only sometimes will respond
Sun, something eternal in us.

I remember the 85th year. Novorossiysk, the ship "Ivan Franko" is standing at the pier. To me, a five-year-old kid, then it seemed simply huge in comparison with river boats.
Now there is no "Ivan Franko" - like most of the Soviet naval fleet, he ended his life on the "Beach of the Dead" in Indian Alang, someone - in Pakistan or Turkey.
This post is a memory. About the fleet that we once had. And I really want to hope that again handsome liners under the Russian tricolor will sail the seas. But for now - alas - it's a dream. Someone will say - all over the world ships are cut into metal. I do not argue. But instead of the departed, new ones appear. And we are still deaf. Not even used ones. This is sad.

Motor ship "Ivan Franko" leaving Alexandria, 1993

motor ship "Mikhail Lermontov" arrives in Tilbury, 1985. Sunk off the coast of New Zealand on February 16, 1986 (was on charter there). 1 person died.

ASSEDO (ex-Shota Rustavelli) in the Kiel Canal, 2003

turboship "Maxim Gorky"

turboship "Fyodor Chaliapin"

turboship "Leonid Sobinov"

ship "Admiral Nakhimov"

1945 Here in this form "Berlin" went to the Soviet Union

"Admiral Nakhimov" in the port of Novorossiysk

steamship Der Deutsche. As a result of the division of the fleet, he ended up in the USSR, renamed "Asia". Scrapped in Japan in 1967

steam turbine ship "Soviet Union"

"Soviet Union" lead to the harbor

"Soviet Union" in Kamchatka, 70s

turboship "Baltika"

off the coast of Kamchatka, 1955

turboship "Vyacheslav Molotov" on the Black Sea

In 1957, the ship was renamed "Baltika". In the same years, N. S. Khrushchev made a visit to Great Britain on it.

turboship "Baltic" near Rendsburg, Kiel Canal, 1967

Already under the rule of L. I. Brezhnev, the ship fell into some kind of "disgrace" - Khrushchev's visit had an effect. After that, the ship for the most part works on the internal lines of the Baltic. In 1984, the Baltika turbo ship was decommissioned, and in 1987 it was cut into scrap metal in Denmark.

ship "Abkhazia" in Yalta, 1940

"Abkhazia" goes on a flight

June 1942, Sevastopol

As a trophy, the USSR received the unfinished motor ship MARIENBURG, the construction of which began in 1939. In 1955, he became part of the Cheromorsk Shipping Company under the name "Lensoviet", and in 1962 - another renaming - now "Abkhazia". Initially, the ship was built to work in the Baltic as a ferry between the ports of Germany and East Prussia. Cut into metal in 1980 in Barcelona, ​​Spain

"Abkhazia" in Sochi, 1972

1975 on the right is the false pipe "Victory"

"Victory" in Sochi, 70s. The ship was stripped for metal in 1977. We see "Victory" in the film "The Diamond Arm" - the hero of Yu. Nikulin boards the ship "Mikhail Svetlov" (in real life, the ship "Russia"). And on the pier behind "Russia" is just "Victory" - the former German Iberia (not to be confused with Kunard's "namesake" built in 1954)

motor ships "Tajikistan" and "Victory" (right) in Yalta, 70s

Patria in the Norwegian port of Hammerfirst. Photo of 1938 (from the collection of Ya. Pichenevsky)

1948 The ship is already painted white

motor ship "Ilyich" - the former German Caribia. In the Far East, as part of the FESCO, its sistership, Rus (ex Cordilera), also worked. Rus was decommissioned and sold for cutting in 1981, Ilyich - in 1983, cut in Japan at the end of 1984 in Japan.

"Rus" in Vladivostok

motor ship "Koperatsia"

ship "Emperor Peter the Great"

In 1938, two liners of the same type were built at the Blom und Voss shipyard by order of Romania - Basarabia and Transilvania. After Romania capitulated, her fleet was divided. Basarabia remained in Romania, while Transilvania was transferred to the Black Sea Shipping Company and renamed "Ukraine". The ship was decommissioned in 1987. In general, the 87th was the last for many old ships - the Nakhimov disaster affected. Basarabia was cut into metal already in the 90s.

Transilvania in Yalta, 1972

ship "Vologda"

after modernization in Wismar

Alas, of course, not all ships are here. Everything has its time.

Motor ship "Shota Rustaveli" was built in 1968 at the shipyard "Mathias Thesen Werft", Germany. On board the liner there is a beautiful interior: paintings, tapestries and ornaments in the Georgian style, bright spacious cabins with showers, most of which have safes. For comfortable conditions, the vessel is equipped with stabilizers. For the rest of the passengers on the ship, there are two swimming pools and saunas, a gym, a massage room, a sports ground on the upper deck, a cinema hall, a disco, seven bars with a menu for every taste, and one of them is a night one, a casino, a slot machine hall, a kids club, shops , hairdresser and medical center. The ship was built by order of the Ministry of the Navy of the USSR for the Black Sea region and was considered the fourth in a series of five ships of the same type. The lead liner was Ivan Franko built in 1964, then Alexander Pushkin was launched in 1965, Taras Shevchenko in 1966, followed by Shota Rustaveli and completed the series Mikhail Lermontov in 1971 .

Since July 1968, the passenger liner "Shota Rustaveli" began to make sea cruises between the ports of Odessa and Batumi, and two months later went to the shores of Great Britain. In the port of Southampton, the ship took on board tourists and went on a three-month round-the-world cruise. The flight ran through the ports of Las Palmas, Sydney, Auckland, Papeete and Panama. During such a long journey, the ship left almost 26,000 nautical miles astern and crossed the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, as well as the Tasman and Caribbean seas.

The passenger ship was chartered by various foreign firms Grandi Viaggi, Italnord, Orienturist, Transtour and others. The guests of the comfortable liner were tourists from the republics of the Soviet Union, including prominent personalities - on August 20, 1973, Vladimir Vysotsky, Marina Vlady and her two sons, Pierre and Voldemar, traveled on the ship.

In 2002, after the completion of a lengthy repair in the port of Sevastopol, the ship with the new name "Assedo" (in reverse order means Odessa - the ship's home port), as the property of the company "Kaalbye Shipping Ltd Ukraine", began to operate cruise voyages in the Black, Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas and visit the ports of Western Europe.

Shortly after long passages, the technical condition of the Assedo liner deteriorated and no longer met the ever-increasing international requirements, and on November 28, 2003, the ship was sent for scrapping to the Indian port of Alang.

The fate of other ships of the series was different.

The Ivan Franko motor ship, the lead ship of a series of cruise liners after the collapse of the Soviet Union, was the first to be scrapped in 1997.

The Alexander Pushkin liner, after being built in 1965, made voyages on the Leningrad and Montreal cruise lines, and later, after refitting in Germany, the ship began to travel around the world by sea with passengers from Germany, Great Britain and France. In 1992, after a short period of inactivity in the port of Singapore, the ship was sold to Shipping & General and sent to Greece for a major refit, renaming it Marco Polo. In 2000, the ship became the property of Orient Line.

A tangible reconstruction was carried out, after which the liner found a second life. Four passenger elevators, a swimming pool, a casino, a library, bars, the famous Seven Seas restaurant with 450 seats. Salon for performances "Ambassador" for 438 visitors, and a dance salon for 220 people. Several musical groups with musical programs are constantly present on the liner. Near the pool, in addition to saunas and a jacuzzi, there is also a bar where you can relax in an informal setting.

Motor ship "Taras Shevchenko", the third ship of the series, turned out to be a long-liver among its fellows. The liner made long voyages across all seas and oceans, being chartered by Transtour, STS, Intourist, Sputnik and others. Due to numerous debts for fuel, water, oil and food supply in ports, on January 6, 2005, it was renamed "Tara" and sent to one of the ports of Bangladesh for scrapping.

The Mikhail Lermontov liner, the last ship in the series, was one of the most comfortable ships of the Baltic Shipping Company. In February 1986, the ship sank during the next voyage from Australia to the shores of New Zealand, having received a hole at Cape Jackson. All passengers were rescued.

Today I will talk about the legendary series of Soviet-built passenger ships - Ivan Franko, Alexander Pushkin, Shota Rusaveli, Taras Shevchenko and Mikhail Lermontov. These were the first Soviet modern ocean passenger liners designed for cruises and regular transoceanic passenger lines.

The ships were built at the shipyard "Mathias Thesen Werft", Germany. The ship was built by order of the Ministry of the Navy of the USSR for the Black Sea region and was considered the fourth in a series of five ships of the same type. The lead liner was Ivan Franko built in 1964, then Alexander Pushkin was launched in 1965, Taras Shevchenko in 1966, followed by Shota Rustaveli and completed the series Mikhail Lermontov in 1971 .

The most famous ships of the series were "Alexander Pushkin" and "Mikhail Lermontov": they were transferred to the Baltic Shipping Company and made regular flights on the routes Leningrad - Le Havre - Montreal and Leningrad - Le Havre - New York.

Alexander Pushkin (Marko Polo)

By themselves, the liners turned out to be successful. "...their overall architectural appearance gives the ships a special elegance." Inside, they did everything to strike on the spot vicious foreigners.

On board the liner there is a beautiful interior: paintings, tapestries and ornaments in the Georgian style, bright spacious cabins with showers, most of which have safes. For comfortable conditions, the vessel is equipped with stabilizers. For the rest of the passengers on the ship, there are two swimming pools and saunas, a gym, a massage room, a sports ground on the upper deck, a cinema hall, a disco, seven bars with a menu for every taste, and one of them is a night one, a casino, a slot machine hall, a kids club, shops , hairdresser and medical center.

In the 80s, nothing could save the socialist economy, not even the currency miracles of our kings of the oceans. Pushkin, out of uselessness and lack of demand, was driven to the Far East, and when in 1988 the head of Orient Lines, Mr. Herrod, approached the management of MMF with an offer to buy Pushkin, he was greeted with champagne and a warm hug.

Western experts in the passenger fleet considered Mr. Herrod crazy, because without red flags and exotics, the liner could be made competitive only by first investing a lot of money in it.

What the capitalist and shipowner did. The modernization of the liner cost him about $ 20 million, and it was worth it.

A tangible reconstruction was carried out, after which the liner found a second life. Four passenger elevators, a swimming pool, a casino, a library, bars, the famous Seven Seas restaurant with 450 seats. Salon for performances "Ambassador" for 438 visitors, and a dance salon for 220 people. Several musical groups with musical programs are constantly present on the liner. Near the pool, in addition to saunas and a jacuzzi, there is also a bar where you can relax in an informal setting.

"Ivan Franko"

The Ivan Franko motor ship, the lead ship of a series of cruise liners after the collapse of the Soviet Union, was the first to be scrapped in 1997. All his life he worked on the Black Sea.

"Shota Rustaveli" (ASSEDO)

Since July 1968, the passenger liner "Shota Rustaveli" began to make cruise flights between the ports of Odessa and Batumi, and two months later went to the shores of Great Britain. In the port of Southampton, the ship took on board tourists and went on a three-month round-the-world cruise. The flight ran through the ports of Las Palmas, Sydney, Auckland, Papeete and Panama. During such a long journey, the ship left almost 26,000 nautical miles astern and crossed the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, as well as the Tasman and Caribbean seas.

The passenger ship was chartered by various foreign firms Grandi Viaggi, Italnord, Orienturist, Transtour and others. The guests of the comfortable liner were tourists from the republics of the Soviet Union, including prominent personalities - on August 20, 1973, Vladimir Vysotsky, Marina Vlady and her two sons, Pierre and Voldemar, traveled on the ship.

In 2002, after the completion of a lengthy repair in the port of Sevastopol, the ship with the new name "Assedo" (in reverse order means Odessa - the ship's home port), as the property of the company "Kaalbye Shipping Ltd Ukraine", began to operate cruise voyages in the Black, Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas and visit the ports of Western Europe.

Shortly after long passages, the technical condition of the Assedo liner deteriorated and no longer met the ever-increasing international requirements, and on November 28, 2003, the ship was sent for scrapping to the Indian port of Alang.

"Taras Shevchenko"

Motor ship "Taras Shevchenko", the third ship of the series, turned out to be a long-liver among its fellows. The liner made long voyages across all seas and oceans, being chartered by Transtour, STS, Intourist, Sputnik and others.

Due to numerous debts for fuel, water, oil and food supply in ports, on January 6, 2005, it was renamed "Tara" and sent to one of the ports of Bangladesh for scrapping.

"Mikhail Lermontov"

The Mikhail Lermontov liner, the last ship in the series, was one of the most comfortable ships of the Baltic Shipping Company. In February 1986, the ship sank during the next voyage from Australia to the shores of New Zealand, having received a hole at Cape Jackson. All passengers were rescued.

Technical data of the liner "Shota Rustaveli" ("Assedo"):
Length - 177 m;
Width - 23 m;
Draft - 8.2 m;
Displacement - 21275 tons;
Number of decks - 9;
The ship's power plant - two diesel engines "Sulzer" type 7RD76, with a capacity of 21,000 liters. With.;
Speed ​​- 20 knots;
Number of passengers - 650 people;
Crew - 100 people;

To be continued...

Ivan Franko - a class of eight-deck sea cargo-passenger ships built at the VEB Mathias Thesen Werft Wismar shipyard in Wismar (GDR), also known as project 301, German designation - Seefa 750 (German: Seefahrgastschiff für 750 Passagiere

- marine passenger ship for 750 passengers). The class is named after the lead ship of this project, Ivan Franko, built in 1964.

Sea passenger ships of this project were manufactured from 1964 to 1972, and in total, 5 ships of project 301 were built by orders of the USSR, which became the most beautiful among the sea ships of the USSR and the largest built in post-war Germany (GDR and FRG).
The German shipyard VEB Mathias Thesen Werft Wismar built ships of its own design, which replaced the small cargo-passenger ships designed for 340 passengers Seefa 340, Mikhail Kalinin class. 3 vessels were delivered to the Black Sea Shipping Company - ChMP and 2 vessels to the Baltic Shipping Company - BMP.
In 1972, modernization began, during which the interior decoration was carried out in Russian, Ukrainian and Georgian styles. After the collapse of the USSR, starting in 1991, ships began to be decommissioned and sold for hard currency.

Technical equipment

The ships were diesel powered with two Sulzer-Cegielski 7RND76 diesel engines. The vessel was equipped with active stabilizers.

On board

Ocean liners with a passenger capacity of 700 seats and the ability to transport up to 300 cars were not only the largest among Soviet standard passenger ships, but also the most comfortable: equipped with stabilizers, having first and tourist class restaurants on board, several bars, cinema halls, swimming pools, etc. Of the 11 decks, connected by three flights of stairs with vestibules on each deck and elevators, seven had passenger quarters.

In the course of operation, the comfort of the cabins was constantly increased, many public premises were expanded and Finnish saunas were built.
The class ships had about 300 cabins: six deluxe cabins (four doubles and two singles), consisting of a salon, a bedroom and a bathroom with a toilet, equipped with a household refrigerator, a writing and dining table, a wardrobe and other items that provide passengers with comfort and coziness .
There were more than 270 double cabins equipped with a washbasin, of which about 120 double cabins had a shower and toilet. In addition, there were four-bed cabins on the ship.

On the upper deck of the vessel, a closed veranda with a dance floor and a bar for 40 people was provided, on the third deck there were: a music salon for 200 seats, four bars, a souvenir kiosk, a post office, a telegraph, a telephone, a Beryozka foreign exchange store, a cinema with 120 seats, smoking room, games room, library-reading room, ladies' and men's hairdressers and an indoor swimming pool. The restaurant with 400 seats was located on the fifth, main deck.

Project 301 ships

The list contains the original name of the vessel, its renaming is indicated in brackets in chronological order:

Ivan Franko (Frank).

Alexander Pushkin (Marco Polo).

Taras Shevchenko (Tara).

Shota Rustaveli (Assedo).

Mikhail Lermontov.