An MSC containership sustained a roughly 10-metre hull tear after being struck by a TUI Cruises vessel during a departure manoeuvre at Germany’s Bremerhaven port on Sunday evening, October 25, amid stormy weather conditions.
The 16,520 TEU MSC Victorine, a 2023-built, Liberian-flagged containership, was berthed at the container terminal when the 99,526 GT Mein Schiff 3 collided with its stern at around 5.30 pm. The cruise ship had departed the Columbuskaje terminal with tug assistance as strong winds associated with Storm Manja affected Germany’s North Sea coast.
German media reports said the impact tore a section of approximately 10 metres in the MSC vessel’s hull above the waterline. Damage was also reported to containers and deck structures. Bremen port authorities confirmed that there had been no water ingress.
The collision also damaged several lifeboats and their launching equipment aboard Mein Schiff 3. Two assisting tugs were reportedly damaged during the manoeuvre.
Conflicting Accounts on Vessels Involved
Bremen police said the cruise ship had struck two containerships, while TUI Cruises maintained that only one vessel was involved. The smaller MSC Anne F was berthed nearby, but its involvement in the incident remains unclear.
Following the collision, MSC Victorine, which had been scheduled to proceed to Hamburg, remained in Bremerhaven for further assessment.
Mein Schiff 3, carrying 2,428 passengers and 922 crew members, returned to the Columbuskaje terminal with tug assistance for damage inspections. No injuries were reported.
Cruise Departure in Doubt
The incident has raised uncertainty over the start of Mein Schiff 3’s scheduled 20-night cruise to the Canary Islands and Morocco. TUI Cruises has yet to confirm whether the voyage will proceed as planned.
Bremen’s water police have launched an investigation into the collision. The precise circumstances of the incident and the full extent of the damage to the vessels have yet to be established.