Doulos, the world's oldest oceangoing passenger ship, is to be retired. The decision was taken after a recent dry docking revealed that the 95-year-old veteran was in need of major repairs which would have cost more than £10m to carry out.

The 6,800-tonne vessel was built in the USA as a cargo ship, but was converted to a cruise ship in 1949. For the past 32 years she has been operated as a mission ship and floating book fair on behalf of global Christian training and outreach movement, OM International.

During that time she has visited more than 500 ports in over 100 countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and many island nations, and has welcomed aboard more than 20 million visitors.