Cradle
The steel cradle has been prefabricated with design and engineering support from many firms in Adelaide and regional South Australia. The cradle will enable the ship to be lifted and moved safely.
A CSCOAL engineer flew from Adelaide to Scotland in February to oversee the assembly of the cradle, and its technical certification for load lifting.
Scottish Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop arranged for a full assessment of all options by DTZ in 2010, the outcome of which was that the Adelaide based not for profit Clipper Ship City of Adelaide Ltd (CSCOAL) was identified as clearly the only viable organisation with the financial capacity and necessary engineering expertise to manage the project. While recognising that others have an interest in saving and acquiring the ship, the DTZ Report found that only our Adelaide bid had the capacity to succeed.
There is very strong support for this project in South Australia, from individuals, business, community organisations and Government.
Support is also strong from South Australia's large Scottish community. CSCOAL has already paid the costs of the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) to inspect the ship in Scotland late 2011 to report on the neccessary actions to prepare for the importation of the ship into Australia. CSCOAL is in the process of satisfying the AQIS requirements.
It is planned that the 'City of Adelaide' will be the centre-piece of a seaport village in Port Adelaide.
Port Adelaide is a relatively central suburb of Adelaide - a city that spawls 100km north to south. Port Adelaide lies about 14 kilometres (20 minutes) northwest of the central business district of Adelaide. Port Adelaide played an important role in the formative decades of South Australia, with the port being early-Adelaide's main supply and information link to the rest of the world. Today, it is important for multi-billion dollar submarine and destroyer shipbuilding projects undertaken there, and as the main shipping port for the state.
Port Adelaide was the destination for all of the voyages of the ‘City of Adelaide’ to South Australia for a quarter century. Some of the clipper’s founding owners were based there, and one of its Scottish captains retired there.
The Adelaide group has also received major support from South Australian businesses and the community, as well as the Adelaide City Council and the Port Adelaide Enfield Council. CSCOAL's financial position is very healthy and CSCOAL is on track to raise all of the necessary funds to return the clipper to Port Adelaide as planned.
-
3D image of Cradle
3D image of Cradle
-
Cradle Launch Ceremony
Cradle Launch Ceremony
-
Initial Cradle Assembly
Initial Cradle Assembly
-
Loading Trusses
Loading Trusses
-
Cradle bilge supports, March 2012
Cradle bilge supports, March 2012
-
Progress at Irbine
Progress at Irbine
-
Side Truss Assembly
Side Truss Assembly
-
Assembly Team at Irvine
Assembly Team at Irvine
-
Side Truss erection
Side Truss erection
-
Distant View
Distant View
-
Bilge Support
Bilge Support
http://cityofadelaide.org.au/the-project/cradle.html#sigProGalleria52cb5861d0
Completing the cradle - 'City of Adelaide'. Photo: Scottish Maritime Museum.
In the image above, please note the locus of the cradle's timber hull-supports that suggest the beautiful clipper hull lines. The cradle was designed using laser survey data that provided millimetre precision for determining the shape of the City of Adelaide. With additional timber packers, fabrication tolerances are also allowed for.
Cradle 'Launch' ceremony at Samaras Structural Engineers in South Australia - late 2011.
891 ABC Adelaide - City of Adelaide Ceremony
To see the YouTube video click on the image below.
Cradle Certification Assembly in Scotland - March 2012
BBC News broadcast about the progress of the certification assembly
of the South Australian built cradle on site in Irvine, Scotland
To see the YouTube video click twice on the image below.
