SS Nomadic ( 1911 ) SS " Nomadic " is a steamship of the White Star Line , launched on 25 April 1911 in Belfast . Built as a tender to RMS " Olympic " and RMS " Titanic " , she is now the last surviving White Star Line vessel . Background . " Nomadic " was commissioned by the White Star Line in 1910 , to tender for their new ocean liners RMS " Olympic " and RMS " Titanic " , which were too large to dock in Cherbourg harbour . She ferried passengers , their baggage , mail and ship ' s supplies to and from large ocean liners moored off - shore . " Nomadic " was commissioned to transfer 1st and 2nd class passengers while her sister ship SS " Traffic " was similarly commissioned to transfer 3rd class passengers . The keel of " Nomadic " was laid down in the Harland and Wolff shipyards , Belfast in 1910 ( yard number 422 ) . She was built on slipway No1 alongside RMS " Olympic " and RMS " Titanic " , which were constructed on slipways 2 & 3 respectively . She was launched on 25 April 1911 and delivered to the White Star Line on the 27 May , following sea trials . Construction . The ship is 230 ft ( 67 metres ) long overall and 37 ft ( 11 . 3 metres ) wide , with a gross registered tonnage of 1 , 273 tons . She had two single ended coal fired boilers and two compound steam engine s , each driving two three - bladed screws of 7 ft ( 2 . 13m ) diameter , which could propel her to a maximum speed of 12 knots . " Nomadic " is of steel construction , with steel frames , beams , bulkheads and riveted hull plating . She had four working decks with various hold spaces beneath . She could carry up to 1 , 000 passengers when fully loaded . Passenger accommodation consisted of lower and upper deck passenger lounges and open deck areas on the bridge and flying bridge decks . The vessel was divided into first and second class passenger areas , with first class passengers enjoying the fore areas of the ship . A small area in the aft end of the lower deck was assigned for overspill of third - class passengers from SS " Traffic " . Internally , " Nomadic " was fitted out to a similar standard as the liners she was built to serve - " Olympic " and " Titanic " . As such , she had more luxuries than most tenders of her day , with cushioned benches , tables , porcelain water fountains , gender - specific bathrooms and a buffet bar . She contained ornate decorative joinery and plasterwork , particularly in the first class lounges of the ship . She was built in the United Kingdom but as she was operated in French coastal waters by a French crew , she had a number of peculiarities , such as imperial and metric draft marks on opposing sides of the hull . Service history . Nomadic arrived in Cherbourg on 3 June 1911 to begin her tendering duties for the White Star Line . On 10 April 1912 she transported 274 passengers to RMS " Titanic " on her maiden voyage , including Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon and his wife , couturière Lucy ( Lady Duff - Gordon ) , Denver millionairess Margaret Brown and industrialist Benjamin Guggenheim . During World War I and until 1919 , " Nomadic " was requisitioned by the French government and she saw service as an auxiliary minesweeper and patrol ship , also ferrying American troops to and from the harbour in Brest ( France ) . After the war , she returned to her tendering duties , but in 1927 she was sold and continued to tender under the ownership of the Compagnie Cherbourgeoise de Transbordement . Following the 1934 merger of White Star and Cunard Lines and the opening of the enlarged port at Cherbourg , " Nomadic " ceased her tendering duties . She was sold to the Société Cherbourgeoise de Sauvetage et de Remorquage ( SCSR or Cherbourg Tow & Rescue Society ) and re - named " Ingenieur Minard " . During World War II , " Nomadic " again saw service ; on 18 June 1940 she took part in the evacuation of Cherbourg . She was subsequently requisitioned by the Royal Navy and based in Portsmouth harbour , she operated as a troop ship , coastal patrol vessel and minelayer for the remainder of the war . During the war , Cherbourg port was heavily damaged , so large ocean liners could no longer dock there . " Nomadic " was saved from scrap and again returned to tendering duties for the SCSR from Cherbourg . She served the great ocean liners of the day , such as Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth . She finally retired from these duties on 4 November 1968 . " Nomadic " lay idle for 5 years but was subsequently bought by a private individual , Yvon Vincent , saving her from scrap once again . She was extensively converted into a floating restaurant and function vessel , and in October 1974 was relocated to the Seine in Paris . By 1999 , the business was in financial difficulties and " Nomadic " was seized by the Paris harbour authorities in 2002 . The authorities removed some of " Nomadic ' s " superstructure in order to tow her below the Seine ' s bridges . On 1 April 2003 she was towed out of Paris to Le Havre . Following Vincent ’ s death in March 2005 , the authorities sought to dispose of the vessel and attempted to find a buyer for " Nomadic " , if no buyer was found , she risked being sold for scrap value . On learning of her fate , heritage and maritime enthusiasts ( including the French Titanic Society , Belfast Industrial Heritage , Belfast Titanic Society and the Save Nomadic appeal ) began campaigns to raise funds to buy the vessel . These campaigns were well supported by the public , particularly in Northern Ireland , but were unable to raise sufficient funds to meet " Nomadic ' s " reserve price . The campaigns however gained political and governmental support , and on 26 January 2006 , the Northern Ireland government Department for Social Development bought the vessel at auction for €250 , 001 ( the reserve price being €250 , 000 ) . SS " Nomadic " left Le Havre to return to Belfast on 12 July 2006 , and arrived close to where she was built on 18 July 2006 . The vessel was welcomed back by the Department for Social Development Minister , David Hanson MP and the Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Belfast , Councillor Ruth Patterson and a number of well wishers . " Nomadic " arrived " piggy backed " on a marine transportation barge , which had been contracted by the Department . Nomadic Charitable Trust . The Northern Ireland Department for Social Development set up a voluntary charitable trust , the Nomadic Charitable Trust ( NCT ) in December 2006 , to take ownership of the vessel and oversee her conservation and restoration . The NCT has 12 trustees including historians , maritime experts and enthusiasts . The NCT ' s stated aim is : " To restore the SS " Nomadic " and to make her accessible to the public , to ensure she can play a key role in the ongoing celebration of the " Titanic , " ensure a lasting legacy to celebrate our maritime and industrial heritage and as a catalyst for tourism , social and economic development " . Nomadic Preservation Society . The Nomadic Preservation Society ( NPS ) was also founded in 2006 . Its stated aims include collaboration with the NCT and all other parties involved in preserving " Nomadic " , including raising and donating funds , conducting historical research and publicising " Nomadic " as a tourist attraction . SS " Nyanza " . In 2006 the NPS had found and made aware to the NCT of the 1907 - built cargo ship on Lake Victoria in East Africa , , that has boilers and triple - expansion engines of a similar size to those originally installed in SS " Nomadic " . " Nyanza " s owner intended to convert her to diesel power and scrap her steam engines and boilers , so NPS suggested that NCT buy them , ship them to the United Kingdom and install them in SS " Nomadic " . In 2008 the NPS alleged that " Nyanza " s owner had heard nothing from the NCT for 18 months and that " Nyanza " s engines and boilers were in danger of being removed and scrapped . NPS therefore launched an appeal for £200 , 000 to rescue the engines and boilers independently of the NCT . Restoration and conservation . On appointment , the NCS began essential maintenance works , fund raising and preparation for the planned restoration . A study by Belfast City Council estimated the cost of restoring " Nomadic " at £7 million . The NCS has subsequently secured funding in excess of £6 . 5 million ; major benefactors include the UK Heritage Lottery fund , EU Peace III fund , Northern Ireland Tourist Board , Belfast City Council and Ulster Garden Villages . In August 2008 , " Nomadic " was considered by National Historic Ships and was entered into the National Register of Historic Vessels under core collection status . This recognises Nomadic ' s historic significance as the register includes just a small list of vessels , including the World famous " Cutty Sark " , " Mary Rose " and Royal Yacht " Britannia " . In August 2009 " Nomadic " was moved to Hamilton Graving Dock , on Queen ' s Road , Belfast . This dry dock , itself a piece of maritime heritage , was partly refurbished in a joint partnership between the Belfast Harbour Commission and Titanic Quarter Ltd . The dock is believed to be where " Nomadic " was originally fitted out and has now been leased as a permanent location for " Nomadic " . By late 2009 the NCS had sufficient funding to begin major conservation and restoration works . In February 2010 , major works commenced with external blasting and priming of the steel hull , preventing further deterioration of the steelwork . In February 2011 , Harland and Wolff were appointed by the NCS to undertake steelwork restoration and repair , rekindling a 100 - year link with the ship ' s original builders . The value of the contract was £2 million and included re - creation of the missing bridge and flying bridge decks , hull repairs and painting of the vessel in her original White Star Line livery . These works were completed in February 2012 . The final phase of restoration works includes conservation and restoration of the luxurious interior , featuring plaster panelling and ornate joinery . Original SS " Nomadic " timber panelling was purchased from a French museum by the Nomadic Preservation Society , using funds raised during the Save Nomadic appeal . The panelling has since been donated to the NCS for sympathetic restoration and reinstatement back on board the vessel . This phase of works also includes restoration works to the historic Hamilton Graving Dock and pumphouse , converting the dock area and ship into a tourist attraction . These works are forecast to be completed by November 2012 . Lifeboats . " Nomadic " originally had just two lifeboats , believed to have capacity for about 28 people each when fully loaded , to serve up to 1 , 200 passengers and crew in an emergency . They were later supplemented by life - rafts . " Nomadic ' s " lifeboats are believed to have been removed after 1968 and were held in storage by a museum in Cherbourg . By 2007 only the No . 2 Lifeboat remained , making it the last remaining White Star Line lifeboat in the world . In 2007 the NPS bought the lifeboat with funds raised during the Save Nomadic appeal . The boat was in a poor condition and was further damaged in transit back to Northern Ireland . The lifeboat is now fully restored and will soon be available for public display .