Wednesday, 14th May 2008 - 11:39CET

Update 4: Liner's departure delayed after harbour incident

The Cunard cruise liner Queen Victoria is to stay in Grand Harbour overnight for repairs after having hit the quay at Valletta Waterfront while berthing this morning.

Informed sources said the 90,000 vessel, which was due to leave this evening, would stay overnight for repairs and leave early tomorrow. A port call at La Goulette, Tunisia has been cancelled and the vessel, which is on its maiden Mediterranean cruise, will proceed to Gibraltar, its next scheduled stop.

The Malta Maritime Authority is conducting an investigation in coordination with the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch of the British maritime authority.

The MMA said the incident happened when the ship developed mechanical failure. The vessel suffered damage to its stern and caused limited damage to the fender system and the quay coping.

The incident happened at around 11.30 a.m. According to initial reports, the ship's throttle suffered a temporary failure.

"The ship was being turned to face the breakwater and hit the Valletta Waterfront quay with its stern. It was a loud, scraping noise, I would not be surprised if the quay also suffered some damage," an eyewitness told timesofmalta.com.

The stern could be seen dented above the waterline.

The Queen Victoria is the second biggest ship in the Cunard line . She will be making six calls at Grand Harbour this year.

Picture: The dented stern of Cunard's Queen Victoria. (Darrin Zammit Lupi)

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Saturday, November 21, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

A.Pullicino (on 15/5/08)

Another brilliant shot by Darren Zammit Lupi.

C.Formosa (on 15/5/08)

Mr.Williamson; I think you will find that the Queen Victoria is closer to 960 feet rather than 600. Nevertheless vessels of this size and larger are handled regularly in Maltese ports without serious incidents. (Such as the collapse of a gangway on the Queen Mary 2 in Saint Nazaire killing 15 people and injuring 32) The pilot you ask about was undoubtedly on the bridge near the master.(at the other extremity of the vessel) On most cruise liners the custom is that the pilot guides the vessel through the tricky harbour walls after which the master takes over for the berthing manouvre.

James Williamson (on 15/5/08)

What did Maggie Thatcher once say? 'The Lady's Not For Turning' Well the Queen Victoria is a very large Lady indeed but on her Maiden World cruise she did a lot of turning, without incident. Bow thrusters and strern pods make her very manouverable indeed. However being over 600 feet long and weighing in at over 90,000 tons she does need a bit of extra room for tight turns. Perhaps, just perhaps the harbour could do with being a bit larger. Where was the pilot?

P Farrell (on 15/5/08)

On Cruise Liners, I was amazed to read recently that we have about 3 times the amount of Cruise Liners visiting Dublin that Malta. So .................. its not being sold properly you have all going for you there especially the sunshine. they are certainly not here for the sunshine. Peadar

Ian Sammut Dacoutros (on 15/5/08)

@ brian muscat

I am not sure if you read the same article that I did, because I fail to understand the connection between your comment and the story described.

Malta is rapidly expanding into this market (cruise liners) and it is a phenomenal one to be in. Are we ready?!?! Are we up to standard?!?! Sir I beg you get your information correct prior to making comments like that.

We live in a spectacularly scenic location for cruise liners and Valletta being just a short distance away, together with our size makes it possible to have the visitors see quite a bit in the short stay. Plus it leaves the appetite wet for more. On a purely economic level these tourists come for a short stay and leave a hefty profit. They consume little and leave lots.

Are we ready?!?! I ask are you ready for the Malta you live in? Are you ready to accept the fact that Malta is not the same as it was 30 years ago when we were scared to offer our services and our qualification as a member of the global attractions. We are no longer the little Malta who is scared to make a mark, we are ready and hungry for more!!!

Karl Farrugia (on 15/5/08)

Mr Brian Muscat is questioning the Harbour's ability to handle such sized ships based on an incident which was attributed to a mechanical failure by the ship itself! Well done!

Mark Galea (on 15/5/08)

@Brian. We are ready for these liners and have been for some time. The Costa Concordia, which has been calling into Malta for some years now, weighs 110,000 tons, and the Voyager of the Seas, which called weekly last year, has a gross tonnage of 138,000. Our harbour has become one of Europe's most sought after for cruise liners, and, leaving politics aside, is a story of success. This was just an unfortunate incident, and doesn't, at least in my (incompetent) opinion, tarnish our reputation. From the report I read, it was a fault in the ship which is to blame.

brian muscat (on 15/5/08)

what a coincidence!!.....a day before the Viset chairman spoke about record breaking cruise liners visits this summer......are we really ready and up to standard for such big vessels ???

Update 4: Liner's departure delayed after harbour incident

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