Jascon 27
IMO : 8636180
Build : 1979 by Gotaverken Finnboda A/B – Göteborg in Sweden, nr 409 as Balder Scapa
Me and my colleagues sometimes joke that being at sea is the same as being in prison, except with less luxury & privileges…..Well: here is the ugly truth: This exuberantly painted accommodation barge used to be a prison and when the living conditions were judged too harsh she was sold to an offshore company for the housing of offshore-workers.
She has been used (among other things): as a troop and workmen accommodation in the Falkland Islands, as a Drug Rehab Centre and moored on the Hudson River and (as said before) as Britains first and last floating prison. Nowadays she is used as an offshore accommodation barge. I personally wouldn’t wanna set foot on it!
And offcourse she is as ugly as sin, I rather not have to work close to her as well!
Certainly not “Britains first & last floating prison”. The UK has been using floating prisons certainly since the wars with France in the 18th century.
Hey all, the J27 might be an ugly barge, but it has been totally renewed and has nothing left of a prison, how do I know that, cause I was part of the team, supervising and organizing the modification.
I could mention some of the goodies it has, but hey why don’t you have a look on the sea Trucks website.
But it does look ugly.
I am really fascinated by this ship, in fact I am trying to research its history and collect images. If you have any stories about it or images of it that you would be willing to share I would be really interested and grateful to hear from you. I am an artist and university researcher/lecturer, and I hope to produce some kind of publication or exhibition about this ship in the future.
I think it looks better after my paint job! (untill the rust returns). How are you doing Albert?
Hey Stephen,
You mean the time you was painting over the rust, while being filmed by national tv
hows it going mate, I am all ok, working the Jascon 25.
Mike , email me and will see what I still have from the 27
albert.vdrhoek@gmail.com
Hi Albert, Did you get my email message a while ago? Would be very grateful if you have anything on Jascon 27 – stories or images. Am thinking I will start making a film about this barge in the near future. Cheers! Mike
Also hi Stephen, I would be interested to hear about your paint job! – or anything about your connection with Jascon 27? Cheers, Mike
When my memory is right, whe, that is the Netherlands, had one or two of these aswell, in Amsterdam, but they where put to other work aftyer a short while.
hey mike if it helps it used to also be the bibby resolution, it also has a sister ship, but due to moving i am not sure where all the paperwork on this is
ATM
Thanks very much Emma, yeah I’m aware of this. I have discovered a lot of amazing stories about this vessel now in fact!! If you are local to Portland, I am hoping to tell the story of this ship in an art event at the end of Aug or start of Sept 2012, as part of b-side arts festival. Cheers, Mike
I ‘lived’ on it for 4 months back in 85