[1] The Bleichen has midships and stern superstructures, a deck design that went out of fashion as early as the 1950s, but guaranteed a high level of comfort in the center bridge, as it was less affected by engine vibrations and noise.

The ship's diesel engine from Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz has remained unchanged, as have the steering gear, the lifeboats and the propeller.

The Bleichen was therefore built with a high ice class in order to be able to navigate the Baltic Sea all year round.

The ship was used from 1994 to December 2006 under the name Old Lady for transporting bulk cargo in the Black Sea.

The Bleichen had relatively small hatches and tween decks, making loading and unloading inefficient by today's standards.

On February 6, 2007, a works association "Friends of the General Cargo Freighter MS Bleichen" was founded for restoration and operation.