Knut Utstein Kloster (Left) and Tage Wandborg with GAIASHIP model


Knut Utstein Kloster

Shipowner Knut Utstein Kloster led Klosters Rederi A/S for many years. In 1966 the company established Norwegian Caribbean Lines in Miami and pioneered the modern cruise industry. GAIASHIP is Kloster's latest visionary concept and he now wishes to continue to follow the development of the project.

Tage Wandborg

Widely recognized as one of the world's leading naval architects and the pioneer of the modern cruise ship concept, Tage Wandborg designed the first modern cruise liner in 1966. Since then more than 30 cruise liners have been constructed to his ever-innovative designs. He has collaborated closely with Knut Utstein Kloster for very many years. It was Tage Wandborg who, together with Kloster, saw the potential of the retired passenger liner SS France and converted her brilliantly into the SS Norway. She is the longest passenger vessel in the world.
 

SS Norway
Length: 1,035 feet
Width: 110 feet
Draft: 34 feet

 

 


Sir Arthur C. Clarke
 

Sir Arthur is a very strong supporter of the GAIASHIP project, and is following developments  closely. We are very pleased to have his strong endorsement and involvement in the project. GAIASHIP will be honored to host the Sir Arthur C. Clarke Future Studies Center.

 

 
 


Roar Bjerknes

A professional journalist for many years, Roar Bjerknes worked first for a provincial newspaper in Norway and later reported for the Norwegian media on the Vietnam War. He also lived and worked for several years in Singapore and Australia, which gave him a particular interest in cross-cultural communication. In addition, Bjerknes served as Information Manager for the high-tech Norwegian companies GECO (geophysical exploration) and Oceanor (marine environment monitoring technology).



Richard Slater

A highly experienced international marketing and communications consultant, Richard Slater has worked together with Roar Bjerknes for more than 20 years, including his time at GECO and Oceanor. GAIASHIP is the latest in a large number of projects on which they have collaborated successfully.


Gaia and James Lovelock

Dr James Lovelock is the English scientist who first proposed the Gaia Theory, which states that the whole of the earth's biosphere plus the air, oceans and surface rocks comprise a single living entity, which he named Gaia after the Earth Goddess of classical Greece. He developed the theory while working for NASA on the problem of designing an instrumentation package that could detect life on Mars, when the first problem was to define 'life'. Lovelock postulates that Gaia is a self-regulating entity that unconsciously maintains an environment fit for life, in the same way that the human body automatically uses mechanisms such as sweating and shivering to maintain a safe body temperature. If he is right, humankind need not worry too much about the planet; Gaia is well able to take care of herself. It is ourselves we need to worry about. Learn more about the Gaia Theory here.

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