Joao Franjao

This site and the vessel Orion is dedicated to Joao Franjao, who tragically died while working on the "Orion of Aberdeen".

Joao was a truly genuine person, a good person, a true friend who helped me through the extremely difficult times and challenges associated with the rebuild of "Orion".  Joao was a master welder, renowned and highly respected within the ship building industry in Spain and Portugal. He was aware of the personal cost to myself (loss of life savings) and being forced out of retirement to pay for the renovation of the proclaimed "Worldwide Expedition Vessel".   Joao was Portuguese and his ancestral family are based in Lisbon.