Refit of Cousteau’s Calypso restarts

Refit of Cousteau’s Calypso begins anew

Last updated: March 23, 2020 at 1:34 am

[2016] Jacques-Yves Cousteau‘s famed oceanographic vessel Calypso is moved to the Aykin Shipyard in Turkey for a full refit, including new engines. Calypso’s sad saga began in 1996 when she was struck and sunk by a barge in Singapore. She was salvaged and initially towed to Marseille (France) before being tied up in Larochelle for a decade in an advanced stage of decay. She was towed to Piriou shipyard in Concarneau for a complete refit in 2007 but work was never completed. In March 2015, the Piriou shipyard seeked a legal order to sell the historic ship in order to recover financial losses. Failed talks were held with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation in March 2015 to repair and permanently exhibit Calypso at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, where Jacques-Yves Cousteau served as the director for more than three decades.

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UPDATE
A fire broke out on Calypso while undergoing refit at the Turkish shipyard on September 12, 2017. Only new construction on the ship was damaged by the fire and all of Calypso‘s historical components were reportedly spared. On June 11, 2018, Équipe Cousteau announced¹ that Calypso’s new wooden hull had been completed. The announcement included photos of Calypso‘s new hull. As of June 12, 2019, the Cousteau Society was awaiting the insurance claim settlement to resume the refit².

Cousteau Society | Équipe Cousteau
¹ Anniversaire Cousteau: La nouvelle coque de Calypso est fermée! L’héritage de Cousteau vit encore…
² Cousteau: Calypso subit un sinistre, mis à jour.

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