Nomadic - The Homecoming

Belfast was basking in a heat wave on the morning of 18 July 2006 as the SS Nomadic arrived quietly into a mooring beside the Odyssey Arena similar to the manner in which she had left, 95 years ago, for a life of service abroad.

This was in contrast to the arrival originally planned for the previous evening - a civic reception, with over 200 guests was set to be hosted by the Nomadic’s new owner, the Department for Social Development and Minister David Hanson, MP. The marquee, the brass band, the media and the guests, including local and worldwide Titanic enthusiasts, were all in place when the sad news broke that a Harland & Wolff employee had died while working on board the vessel a little earlier in the day. Out of respect, the Minister decided it would be more fitting for Belfast’s welcome of the SS Nomadic to be postponed until the following evening.

From the moment Nomadic docked at the Odyssey at 10.30am on 18 July, there was a constant stream of visitors of all ages, including tourists, curious to see this symbol of Belfast’s proud maritime heritage and the Titanic legend.

At the welcome home reception that evening the guests gathered again on the quayside. The press descended and the BBC broadcast its evening news programme Newsline live from the ship.

In their speeches formally welcoming her home, the Minister David Hanson MP and Ruth Patterson, Belfast City Council’s Deputy Lord Mayor spoke of their pride at the arrival of Nomadic into Belfast while recognising the challenges ahead with the fundraising and restoration project.

The return of the Nomadic is good news for Northern Ireland. A major part of the business of the Department for Social Development is the regeneration of Belfast, with tourism playing a key role. The story of the Titanic is known world-wide and this combined with the plans we have here in Belfast for a world class Titanic signature project, it is believed that a restored SS Nomadic has the potential to be a significant visitor attraction. In the 48 hours she sat docked at the Odyssey, over 2000 people came to see her and take photographs of this piece of history.

Since being moved to the Commissioning Quay on 20 July, Nomadic has been assessed by marine consultants Nobel Denton and received her certificate of seaworthiness. It only remains now for the new charitable trust, to be agreed and constituted to spearhead the fundraising and restoration project. An announcement on this is expected in September.

This was the culmination of a frenetic period of work for me, driven originally by the auction date on 26 January. Alongside my senior officer Jackie Johnston, I have been working with the Save the Nomadic Campaign, Belfast Industrial Heritage, the Department of Finance and Personnel, Berwin Leighton Paisner (our solicitors) and DSD colleagues in France to secure the finance to purchase Nomadic and ensure her safe arrival from Le Havre.

I have been on a very steep learning curve about all things nautical and have my sailor’s hat to prove it. I worked closely with Anchor Marine Transport and Hamilton Shipping from Belfast on the detailed transportation of the Nomadic on board a barge from Le Havre back to Belfast. Then I had to liaise with Belfast Harbour Commissioners to ensure the correct protocols were followed when bringing such a vessel into Belfast Port, which extends out as far as Carrickfergus and Bangor marinas. Harland and Wolff in Belfast were also part of this process due to their involvement in providing a dock and the essential survey work when Nomadic arrived home. And finally Spectrum Services, now part of the Red Sky group, were engaged to clean up Nomadic in preparation for her display to the public at the Odyssey. This took a lot of meetings and paperwork to ensure all arrangements were in order and completed on time for the Nomadic’s arrival home on 17 July 2006.

Just because she is home does not mean my work is done. I am part of the team responsible for setting up the charitable trust and we are hoping this will be in place in September. By this time Nomadic will be in its permanent berth at Barnetts Quay, generously provided by Belfast Harbour Commissioners.

It will be at this stage that the work on behalf of the department and supported by the Save our Nomadic campaign can really begin. The new charitable trust will see from other maritime exhibitions, such as the Cunard exhibition in Southampton, how to preserve and present an artefact like Nomadic and it is hoped it will acquire the necessary funding to do so. The first task will be to ensure the Nomadic is entered on the UK National Historic Ship register and hence be eligible for receipt of the vital funding to bring her back to her former glory for everyone to enjoy.