The historic Delta Queen steamboat will sail its last season in 2008 after Congress failed to enact legislation to extend the vessel’s exemption to modern fire safety rules.
Majestic America Line plans a farewell season with events that will commemorate the ship’s 80 years of service on the rivers, said president David Giersdorf. A company spokeswoman told Seatrade Insider that plans for the paddlewheeler beyond 2008 have not been firmed.
Built in 1926, the Delta Queen sports a steel hull and a wood superstructure. Subsequent fire safety regulations prohibited wooden superstructures, but Congress decided more than 40 years ago to provide a special exemption for the Delta Queen.
Lawmakers extended the exemption on six occasions. The current exemption is due to expire in November next year and Congress did not extend it despite a campaign that highlighted the vessel’s spotless safety record.
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