Freewinds


The Freewinds is a Scientology owned ship where the highest training levels in Scientology are delivered. During an internal rebuild in 2008, the ship's owners failed to inform contractors about the presence of blue asbestos, exposing Polish workers from Nordica Engineering to the dangerous carcinogen, and triggering threats of lawsuits. Ship inspectors from the DNV noted some balancing and fire protection violations after the internal rebuild; the violations now appear to have been corrected. The danger from the asbestos has allegedly been properly abated, but Scientologists who worked as volunteers on previous rebuilds should seek medical attention, especially if they could be observed hacking and chewing into a blue porous material.

The History of Freewinds


Built in 1968, the ship (formerly the MS Bohéme) was originally intended to act as a car ferry between Bremerhaven, Germany and Harwich, UK. The ferry service was largely unprofitable, so the ship was sold to Commodore Cruise Line and altered to become a cruise ship.


Between 1970-1986, the ship regularly sailed from Miami to Cape Hatien. There were many issues with an inadequite air conditioning system at the time and the ship was eventually sent back to Europe to be fitted with a new air conditioner. Later, the company who owned the ship was bought by a Panamanian corporation and completely re-staffed.


In September 1986, the boat was sold to San Donato Properties Corporation, Panama (Majestic Cruise Line) for $10 million. They renamed this ship Freewinds and Majestic Cruise Lines operated it for the Church of Scientology. The Flag Ship Service Organization is a unique church of Scientology which is located aboard the Motor Vessel Freewinds, with the home port of Curaçao. The ship was acquired shortly before the release of the highest advanced auditing level currently available, New OT VIII. The plans for the ship were ambitious: They wanted to convert a restaurant space into course rooms for the delivery of OT VIII and to convert a lounge area into a restaurant. All of the cabins were to be upgraded and in some cases two or more cabins brought together to make suites. Some cabins were converted into offices for the IAS (International Association of Scientologists). In short, every space of the ship was to be converted or remodelled in some way. http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/boheme_1968_ex.htm


The ownership and management of the vessel was organized through a complicated web of Scientology-run corporations and entities, most of which are owned by the Flag Ship Trust. It is owned by San Donate Properties, a Panamanian corporation of which Flag Ship Trust is the sole shareholder. Another Flag Ship Trust-owned Panamanian corporation, Transcorp Services, owns the mortgage on the Freewinds. Flag Ship Service Organization was a Netherlands Antilles corporation responsible for paying certain taxes on the vessel to the Netherlands Antilles authorities. Scientology courses are delivered aboard the vessel by the Flag Ship Service Organization, in effect a floating branch of the Church of Scientology. Majestic Cruise Lines is a Panamanian corporation which operates the Freewinds, receiving payment from FSSO for the use of the ship. MCL Services is a Netherlands Antilles corporation which provides shore support and liaison services for Majestic Cruise Lines and Flag Ship Service Organization from the Freewinds' home port, Curaçao.


Following the Church of Scientology's controversial tax exemption agreement with the United States Internal Revenue Service in 1993, these arrangements were simplified. Majestic Cruise Lines' responsibilities were to be transferred to Flag Ship Service Organization, with Majestic itself being dissolved, and Flag Ship Service Organization was dissolved as it was no longer required for Netherlands Antilles tax reporting purposes. However, Majestic remains in existence and is still actively billing visitors to the Freewinds.

Life aboard the Freewinds


The ship acts as a training ground for OT VIII, lower-level classes, and auditing services. She is also used as a recreational vessel for Scientologists, including celebrities such as Tom Cruise. The ship hosts a "Freewinds Maiden Voyage" each July as an "OT Summit" for high-ranking Scientologists at which Scientology accomplishments and plans for the future are publicly celebrated. The ship also hosts events for local non-Scientologist visitors.


A significant portion of the ship is given over to its use as a religious retreat for Scientologists. As well as various course rooms and a library of Hubbard books, the Freewinds has areas dedicated to the Religious Technology Center, Sea Org, and International Association of Scientologists. As is common practice in other Scientology organizations, the ship also has an "LRH Office" symbolically set aside for Hubbard's use.

Asbestos Aboard the Freewinds


In April 2008, the Freewinds was shut down after cancer-causing blue asbestos was discovered during maintenance by the Curacao Drydock Company. Blue asbestos is the most dangerous form of asbestos, and the ship is reported to be "extensively contaminated". According to InsuranceNewsNet, "Decontamination, if it is even possible, is likely to cost tens of millions of dollars and would result in the ship being in dry dock for many months." The discovery confirmed a 2001 allegation by former Scientologist Lawrence Woodcraft, who had overseen the original renovation of the Freewinds in 1987. The Captain also admitted that during previous maintenance performed by his personnel, asbestos was released into the ventilation system but not reported.


The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses, including malignant mesothelioma (a type of cancer) and asbestosis. Since the mid 1980s, the use of asbestos has been banned in many countries. Blue asbestos, like all other forms of industrial asbestos, has produced tumors in animals. Mesotheliomas have been observed in people who were occupationally exposed to blue asbestos (crocidolite), family members of the occupationally exposed, and residents who lived close to asbestos factories and mines. Blue asbestos is commonly thought of as the most dangerous type of asbestos because it is especially likely to cause cancer.


Asbestos exposure becomes a health concern when high concentrations of asbestos fibers are inhaled over a long time period. People who become ill from asbestos are almost always those who are exposed on a day-to-day basis in a job where they work directly with the material. Family members of people exposed to asbestos at work also have an increased risk of developing disease because asbestos fibers can be carried home on the clothes of the workers. As a person's exposure to fibers increases, either by breathing more fibers or by breathing fibers for a longer time, that person's risk of disease also increases. Freewinds staff who were exposed at an early age, for a long period of time, and at higher levels are particularly likely to develop cancer. Unfortunately, the risk of mesothelioma does not drop with time after exposure to asbestos. The risk appears to be lifelong and undiminished.


Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer that starts in cells in the linings of certain parts of the body, especially the chest or abdomen.


Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma (mesothelioma of the chest) can include: chest pain, shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, trouble swallowing, weakness, and swelling in the face and arms. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma (mesothelioma of the abdomen) can include: abdominal (belly) pain, nausea and vomiting. To detect a mesothelioma, doctors use tests such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRI. However, invasive biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis; long hollow needles are inserted into the lung or abdomen to remove part of the cancer for analysis.


Unfortunately, it is difficult to detect malignant mesothelioma early in the stages of the cancer - many patients don't know there is anything wrong until they have symptoms. By that time, the cancer may be very advanced. Regardless of the extent of the cancer, it can be very hard to treat. On average, people with mesothelioma only live between 4 and 18 months. Only about 10% of people with mesothelioma live at least 5 years after being diagnosed.


Surgery to try to cure Mesothelioma in the chest involves a major operation (Extrapleural Pneumonectomy) that attempts to remove all or most of the cancer and some surrounding tissues as well. Major complications occur in as many as 1 in 4 people who have this operation. Radiation therapy or chemotherapy is sometimes used. Side effects of radiation therapy may include fatigue and mild skin changes that resemble sunburn. Chest radiation therapy may cause lung damage and lead to trouble breathing and shortness of breath. Abdominal radiation therapy may cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Chemotherapy can cause hair loss, mouth sores, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, increased chance of infections (due to low white blood cell counts), easy bruising or bleeding (due to low blood platelet counts), and fatigue (due to low red blood cell counts). Combining radiation therapy chemotherapy may make the side effects worse.


An unknown number of Scientologists have been exposed to the blue asbestos aboard the Freewinds and may be at severe risk of cancer. The Church of Scientology has not informed their members that they are at risk.


Other asbestos-related diseases:


Where is it now?


According to internal Scientology mailings, the Freewinds is currently docked in the port of Cartagena, Colombia. It has been removed from DryDock and had allegedly been safeguarded from asbestos exposure. Scientology has not released any information publically or privately about the safety hazards to date.

The future of the Freewinds


The future of the MV Freewinds is a costly one. It stands to reason that rather than remove the asbestos, it was simply sealed off to await the next exposure given the cost of removal. This is pure conjecture however, given the silence of Scientology officials on the matter.

The ship's operators may also be liable for putting at risk earlier work crews made up of non-Scientologists, and especially Scientologists who were made to believe that the asbestos was not really hazardous - only because L. Ron Hubbard had not written about its dangers. The already stretched resources of the Scientology organization are now being used to bring the ship to working and class compliant condition, but it remains to be seen if liabilities from neglected asbestos concerns might lead to even more costly compensation payments.