An estimate of the damage caused to the Queen Victoria and to the quay at Pinto Wharf will be known some time next week, The Times has learnt.
Industry sources said the investigations being conducted by Viset, the operators of the Valletta Waterfront, and Cunard, the shipping line which owns the Queen Victoria, are expected to be concluded next week. It is only after these surveys are completed that the extent of damage can be established and estimate of the costs drawn up.
The ship was manoeuvring to berth at Pinto Wharft on Wednesday morning when it accidentally hit the quay, damaging its stern.
The massive cruise liner sailed out of Grand Harbour at 6.30 a.m. yesterday after shipyard employees applied a mixture of cement and rapid hardener on the damaged part of the ship in order to make sure that no water seeps in until she arrives in Southampton. The ship left Malta for Gibraltar and is expected to arrive there tomorrow. She was originally meant to sail out on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Contacted yesterday, Viset general manager Chris Paris said that, luckily, the Queen Victoria hit the strongest part of the quay so the damage to it was limited.
Mr Paris said Wednesday's incident was an unfortunate one that coincided with the ship's maiden visit to Malta. Referring to yesterday's report on The Times in which he said that the ship's captain was ultimately responsible for what happened, Mr Paris clarified that, according to international maritime practice, the pilots assist the master of a vessel into harbour but the responsibility of the vessel still remains that of the captain.
The incident was blamed on a mechanical failure: A malfunction of the throttle. Maritime industry sources described this, in layman's terms, like reversing a car which continues to move back even when the driver would have shifted to first gear.
The ship is carrying 1,884 passengers and 1,024 crew. Wednesday's was the first of six visits planned for this year.
She should be back at Grand Harbour on August 30 during a cruise departing from Barcelona in Spain and ending in Rome on September 6.