A man from Liverpool spent 12 years transforming a ship he bought for £1.
Dan Cross bought the SS Daniel Adamson in 2004. He paid just £1 for the vessel, which first set sail in 1903, as it was 48 hours away from being scrapped.
The iconic 173tn SS Daniel Adamson previously transported cargo, passengers and royalty across the North West and was also armed for battle in the First World War. Historical figures such as Prince George of Denmark and Donald Bradman, the great Australian cricketer, are also known to have boarded the ship.
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However, it was left decaying on display in a museum for over 20 years and last carried passengers in September 1984. Dan took on the challenge to preserve it and brought together a team of 100 volunteers to restore it to its former glory.
After 12 years of hard work, including successfully securing £3.6m in lottery funding, the SS Daniel Adamson was restored and it now sails around the region. As a result, Dan has been awarded a Merchant Navy Medal for his work.
First awarded in 2016, Merchant Navy Medals are awarded for significant contributions to the maritime industry. Each year, seafarers are nominated by their colleagues, friends and family for the highest medal of honour within the maritime sector.
Robert Courts, Maritime Minister said: “It is a privilege to honour sailors like Dan, who through perseverance was able to rebuild a historic ship. Liverpool is one of the pillars of British maritime, and his work is a credit to the communities he helped and the restoration itself.
“Every single nominee embodies the values of the maritime sector and has gone above and beyond within their field. We’re grateful to all our recipients for their efforts to make the industry better, safer, and more accessible for all.”
Dan has made an effort to support young people by offering careers and a community in the maritime sector. In the years since his ship's restoration, Dan has kept the ship’s maintenance going through a network of volunteers, including young people from all backgrounds, who have all been trained up on core maritime engineering skills by the team of dedicated volunteers.
Captain Dan Cross said: “I am deeply honoured to be awarded this wonderful medal alongside some prestigious recipients over the years. I played a small part in saving and returning the Daniel Adamson back to operational condition for future generations to enjoy and benefit from.
"It is often said the ship runs on two things, steam and volunteers and this reflects what a magnificent team effort the project is.
“Having worked on harbour tugs for nearly thirty years, the work of the harbour tug is often overlooked. As a key part of ensuring goods keep flowing in and out of the ports and harbours in the UK it is great that services to harbour towage is recognised and the work we do can be remembered through vessels like the Daniel Adamson which also offers great training and education opportunities.”
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