The Bahamas Maritime Authority reports of the near-miss grounding of a Bahamas-flagged passenger vessel off Reykjavík.
What happened
On 26 May 2023 at 21:50 UTC, the passenger vessel Norwegian Prima departed Reykjavík, Iceland. With a tug’s assistance, the vessel maneuvered off the berth and out of the harbor astern, to turn outside the breakwater. When the turn was almost complete the wind speed increased significantly. With wind over 50 knots on the port beam, the vessel could not regain its planned track – it drifted outside the navigable channel, overran a buoy, and came within 10 meters of rocks with a charted depth of 0.4 m. After then passing within 25m of a shoal with a drying height, the vessel managed to regain the planned track and depart the harbour without further incident.
There were no injuries or pollution. Norwegian Prima suffered no damage as a result of overrunning the buoy but the tug suffered minor damage due to prolonged pushing whilst it helped the vessel avoid grounding
Actions taken
Faxaflóahafnir sf (Associated Icelandic Ports)
- Updated its working procedures and reduced windspeed limits when passenger vessels are leaving or entering the harbour to 27 knots.
- Committed to send its pilots for simulator training to enable manoeuvring exercises using podded vessel for the Old Harbour and Skarfabakki.
- Committed to transmit to all interested parties an updated Port Information Guide.
- Revisions will include information about sewage disposal and details of the port’s weather stations.
- Started a pilot mentoring and evaluation scheme.
Recommendations
The Cruise Lines is recommended to:
Holistically review the information made available to bridge teams to enable an effective assessment of risk for manoeuvring in ports.
Faxaflóahafnir sf. (the Associated Icelandic Ports) is recommended to:
Update its working procedures so that communication between pilots and captains of pilot boats and tugboats are in English when piloting foreign vessels into, out of or in the harbour areas.
The Ministry of Infrastructure is recommended to:
Strengthen port regulations where piloting is required to ensure the pilot’s authority to halt entering or departure of a ships to port if weather condition or other circumstances are such that the safety of a ship, its crew, passengers, or environment may be threatened.
The Ministry of Infrastructure is recommended to:
Ensure that a risk assessment is carried out for ports where cruise ships make port of call to ensure safety.
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Source: Bahamas Maritime Authority
