NIGERIA: World's oldest passenger ship Doulos and floating bookshop arrives in Port Harcourt

Record ID: 236182

  • Title: NIGERIA: World's oldest passenger ship Doulos and floating bookshop arrives in Port Harcourt
  • Date: 1st November 2002
  • Summary: (L!2) PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) WIDE OF THE MV DOULOS IN PORT (0.05) SMV FUNNEL AND DECK OF SHIP (0.09) CLOSE OF SIGN READING "WELCOME TO THE DOULOS " (0.13) WIDE OF MEETING ROOM FULL OF CHAIRS ON THE SHIP (0.17) STILL PICTURES OF THE MV DOULOS SHIP (0.20) STILL OF MV DOULOS WHEN IT WAS NAMED THE ROMA (0.24) SCU SOUNDBITE) (English) PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER MV DOULOS, PAUL BECK, SAYING: "She was built in 1914, which means she is two years younger than the Titanic, and she has had different roles over the years: she's been a cargo ship, she's been a passenger ship, a luxury crew ship." (0.38) SMV TWO PEOPLE LOOKING THROUGH BOOKS ON DISPLAY ON SHIP (0.43) CLOSEUP OF BOOKS ON DISPLAY (0.47) CLOSE OF BOOKS IN A SHOPPING BASKET (0,49) SMV MAN WITH BASKET OF BOOKS (0.54) SMV CROWD WAITING TO PAY FOR PURCHASES (0.58) VARIOUS OF A WOMAN COUNTING NIGERIAN BANK NOTES (2 SHOTS) (1.04) SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) PUBLIC RELATION OFFICER MV DOULOS, PAUL BECK, SAYING: "There is a just a huge, huge selection of books. And, already today, we have welcomed over a thousand people coming to visit. People are getting huge basketfuls, because we are a charity. We are not trying to make profit, we are here to sell to people. We want to offer quality educational books." (1.20) VARIOUS OF STUDENTS LOOKING AT STATIONERY (2 SHOTS) (1.27) SCU SOUNDBITE) (English) SCHOOL GIRL BENITA OPENE SAYING: "I am here, because I want to know the places, I would like to know the ship, because in my school, my school mummy, my matron was saying we were going to see the largest bookshop ever, so I was very impressed." (1.43) SCU OUNDBITE) (English) EDMUND AWALA SAYING: "I am trying to transcend many areas, many subjects areas such as psychology, Christian books, children books and books on cookery." (1.58) WIDE OF YOUTH LEADERS UNDERGOING TRAINING ON THE SHIP (2.04) CLOSE OF STUCENT TAKING NOTES (2.07) SMV STUDENTS IN TRAINING SESSION
  • Embargoed: 16th November 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA6TW01LXZBSKFBROC0PM1KB5XF
  • Story Text: At 86, the MV Doulos is just two years younger than the Titanic, but still going strong. After a rich and varied life at sea, she has just docked at Nigeria's Port Harcourt on an unusual mission -- to bring books to the people.
    The MV DOULOS has just docked in Nigeria's Port Harcourt port. The 88-year-old is just two years younger than the Titanic and is recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest active ocean-going passenger ship in the world.
    "She was built in 1914, which means she is two years younger than the Titanic," explains Paul Beck, the MC Doulos's senior public relations officer. "And she has had different roles over the years: she's been a cargo ship, she's been a passenger ship, a luxury crew ship."
    The ship has sailed under four different names: Medina, Roma, Franca C and now, Doulos.
    After her rich and varied life transporting almost everything from freight goods to immigrants, her job now is totally different.
    In 1977, the MV Doulos was purchased by Gute Bücher für Alle or Good Books for All, a German non-profit organisation.
    The charity turned the boat into a book distribution vessel, visiting port cities throughout the world and selling books and literature to people in those ports.
    The ship now carries 4,000 to 6,000 different titles of books covering a wide range of subjects. Every year, many young men and women join the ship to receive cross-cultural training and exposure. This year, the Doulos has a crew of 320, all of them volunteers.
    So far, the MV Doulos has been to over 400 ports and to 90 countries. Nigeria is the 91st.
    On its many stops, the vessel welcomes local people on board to peruse and buy books. Many of these are difficult to get in local bookshops.
    In Nigeria, teachers brought trips of school children to buy books and to experience being in a large vessel.
    "I am here, because I want to know the places. I would like to know the ship, because, in my school, my school mummy, my matron was saying we were going to see the largest bookshop ever, so I was very impressed," said Benita Opele, a school girl.
    But the ship is open to all, not just school children. It has had more than 15 million visitors on board and the crew has gives tours and seminars.
    Edmund Awala says "I am trying to transcend many areas, many subject areas, such as psychology, Christian books, children books and books on cookery."
    Most of the crew on the MV Doulos are Christian. As they serve people in the different ports they dock at, these young people try to reach them with the Christian gospel. A whole section of their bookshop is dedicated to books and music with Christian themes.
    But there's more to the Doulos than just the books it carries. It's also the platform for an international youth service programme which brings educational and cultural events to schools and community groups.
    When time allows, the trainees stop their learning for a while to enjoy a Gumboot dance from South Africa - which is put on to promote global awareness and understanding.
    As night falls on Port Harcourt, the MV Doulos is getting ready to set sail again -- to take its cargo of books and learning to yet another destination.
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