An MSC boxship ‘s hull was seriously damaged with a 10-metre crack after being hit by a TUI Cruises vessel during departure manoeuvres in the German port of Bremerhaven. The incident occurred in very bad weather conditions, with strong winds.
The MSC Victorine, a 16,520 TEU vessel, was moored at the container terminal when, on the evening of Sunday 25th October, the Mein Schiff 3, a cruise ship with a 99,526 tonne gross tonnage hit its stern.
The collision occurred at around 5.30 pm, shortly after the cruise ship had left Columbuskaje terminal assisted by tugs. At that time, the German North Sea coast was buffeted by strong gusts of wind associated with the Manja Storm.
The Mein Schiff 3 sustained damage to a number of its lifeboats and their launching systems. According to initial reports, two tugboats assisting with the manoeuvre were also damaged.
Bremen Maritime Police has launched an investigation to establish exactly how the incident occurred.
Translation by Giles Foster
