Cruise Talk: MSC FANTASIA accident

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»	Cruise Talk » Cruise Ships » MSC FANTASIA accident (Page 1)

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Author

Topic: MSC FANTASIA accident

adriana & norway lover
First Class Passenger
Member # 7184

posted 03-06-2009 11:03 AM

See here http://www.meteo-world.com/news/index-2459.php

Posts: 199 | From: Caen, France | Registered: Aug 2006 | IP: Logged

Pascal
First Class Passenger
Member # 5510

posted 03-06-2009 02:39 PM

At first I thought it was the lines that broke, but actualy this is the bollards which didn't hold.
When a ship is in port, this kind of event is the worst thing which may happen...
I've read that MSC is suing Palma port authority, and IMO this is perfectly legitimate.

Posts: 1371 | From: Aix en Provence | Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged

Ronka
Just Boarded
Member # 21941

posted 03-06-2009 04:46 PM

hmm 110 kmh is 68 MPH..... 74 MPH is Hurricane force....

Posts: 2 | From: Lakeland | Registered: Mar 2009 | IP: Logged

aggablinky
First Class Passenger
Member # 6402

posted 03-06-2009 05:01 PM

Was there any damage to the vessel?

Posts: 55 | From: hobart | Registered: Apr 2006 | IP: Logged

Pascal
First Class Passenger
Member # 5510

posted 03-06-2009 05:58 PM

quote:
Originally posted by aggablinky:
Was there any damage to the vessel?

Probably some scratched paint where the gangway felt and a bump in the hull where the bollard hit the ship at the bow (we can hear the noise on the video). The ships's gangways which felt in the water might be good for scrap... Nothing serious.

Posts: 1371 | From: Aix en Provence | Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged

Carlos Fernandez
First Class Passenger
Member # 6432

posted 03-06-2009 06:33 PM

Saw this on TVE (Spanish Television), they said the bollards were new and were put in last year, and also blamed docking procedures. Three crew members from Fantasia jumped in to the water to save the 80 year old passenger from Egypt who was at the gangway and fell into the water, they were all taken to a local hospital and treated for hypothermia, the passenger was treated for head injuries and one crew member is out of the hospital. Hopefully they all get better soon.

[ 03-06-2009: Message edited by: Carlos Fernandez ]

Posts: 1325 | From: Miami, Florida (Cruise Capital of the World) | Registered: Apr 2006 | IP: Logged

Carlos Fernandez
First Class Passenger
Member # 6432

posted 03-06-2009 06:45 PM

Reminds me of this event of the Brilliance of the Seas in 2007 in Civitavechia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpV2Mxnr3nY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91b1p1Mpq28

Posts: 1325 | From: Miami, Florida (Cruise Capital of the World) | Registered: Apr 2006 | IP: Logged

TC@Sea
First Class Passenger
Member # 20076

posted 03-07-2009 03:01 AM

I'm no authority on this but surely whatever measures the tension on the bow mooring must have been screaming out.

Surely the bow thrusters should have been on. Not sure if this ship has azipods but they should have been on as well to assist with the stern moorings.

I've seen both azipods and bow thrusters left on tickover in a very similar situation. Crew entirely to blame in my opinion.

Posts: 22 | From: UK | Registered: Jan 2009 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 03-07-2009 03:55 AM

quote:
Originally posted by TC@Sea:
Crew entirely to blame in my opinion.

Technically the Master is in charge, but failure of the moorings and wind/sea conditions will be taken into account. I'm no expert but it looks like the structure of the 'bollard' simply failed - hardly MSC's or the crews fault.

[ 03-08-2009: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Pascal
First Class Passenger
Member # 5510

posted 03-07-2009 04:46 AM

quote:
Originally posted by TC@Sea:
Crew entirely to blame in my opinion.

If it is established that the mooring was done appropriately, I see no reason to blame the Master. Bollards are supposed to stand this kind of constraint. If they have just been installed, Palma port authority must sue the contractor who did the job or blame theirselves to have choosen an inappropriate equipment.

Posts: 1371 | From: Aix en Provence | Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged

Tim in Fort Lauderdale
First Class Passenger
Member # 953

posted 03-07-2009 08:21 AM

quote:
Originally posted by TC@Sea:
I'm no authority on this but surely whatever measures the tension on the bow mooring must have been screaming out.
Surely the bow thrusters should have been on. Not sure if this ship has azipods but they should have been on as well to assist with the stern moorings.
I've seen both azipods and bow thrusters left on tickover in a very similar situation. Crew entirely to blame in my opinion.

A Lesson in "think before you speak"....

The authorities in Palma have officially stated that this incident was beyond the control of MSC and have cited the crew for exemplary action.

It's obvious the bollards were not anchored properly.

Tim

Posts: 1468 | From: Fort Lauderdale, FL | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

Willem
First Class Passenger
Member # 3005

posted 03-07-2009 08:44 AM

quote:
Originally posted by adriana & norway lover:
See here http://www.meteo-world.com/news/index-2459.php

This reminds me to the incident with the s.s. Rotterdam in Lisbon in April 1960.

We also pulled the bollards from the quay.

Willem

[ 03-07-2009: Message edited by: Willem ]

Posts: 1469 | From: In the namesake city of Cape Hoorn. | Registered: Apr 2002 | IP: Logged

mike sa
First Class Passenger
Member # 5957

posted 03-07-2009 09:23 AM

Definately not MSC's fault. They responded well though and very quickly.

Not quite the same thing but Star Princess 1 during her first season in Alaska departed Skagway without dropping the mooring lines and pulled half the dock into the water ! Captain eventually became Commodore !

Posts: 2272 | From: Durban, South Africa | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged

Pascal
First Class Passenger
Member # 5510

posted 03-07-2009 10:38 AM

quote:
Originally posted by mike sa:
Definately not MSC's fault. They responded well though and very quickly.
Not quite the same thing but Star Princess 1 during her first season in Alaska departed Skagway without dropping the mooring lines and pulled half the dock into the water ! Captain eventually became Commodore !

Any picture ? Big mistake of both the master and the pilot.

Posts: 1371 | From: Aix en Provence | Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 03-07-2009 11:43 AM

Mike-if you are speaking of "Lago" he put dents and scrapes on alot over the years!!
Here in Victoria when there are heavy winds, the ships keep the thrusters on to ease the tensions on the lines.
Grant

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Salaison
First Class Passenger
Member # 4722

posted 03-07-2009 12:04 PM

And the blame game begins

Posts: 444 | From: St. Lucia--The Sleeping Leviathan | Registered: May 2004 | IP: Logged

GregSFBayArea
First Class Passenger
Member # 8420

posted 03-07-2009 12:31 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Grant:
Mike-if you are speaking of "Lago" he put dents and scrapes on alot over the years!!
Here in Victoria when there are heavy winds, the ships keep the thrusters on to ease the tensions on the lines.
Grant

Grant were you thinking of Largo mar........

[ 03-07-2009: Message edited by: GregSFBayArea ]

Posts: 40 | From: San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: Jan 2007 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 03-07-2009 12:32 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Grant:
Mike-if you are speaking of "Lago" he put dents and scrapes on alot over the years!!
Here in Victoria when there are heavy winds, the ships keep the thrusters on to ease the tensions on the lines.
Grant

I wonder if the thrusters were on on this ship? It seems like common sense that they should be on in such conditions. These massive slab sided ships act like enormous sails.

In another era the captain(s) of the 1948 Caronia did'nt care for that ship's tall wide funnel as it also acted as a sail. Imagine handling a 1000', 12-deck high ship in windy conditions!

[ 03-07-2009: Message edited by: lasuvidaboy ]

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

Waynaro
First Class Passenger
Member # 3484

posted 03-07-2009 12:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by TC@Sea:
I'm no authority on this but surely whatever measures the tension on the bow mooring must have been screaming out.
Surely the bow thrusters should have been on. Not sure if this ship has azipods but they should have been on as well to assist with the stern moorings.
I've seen both azipods and bow thrusters left on tickover in a very similar situation. Crew entirely to blame in my opinion.

Watching the video, it seems the bow thrusters were operating. As there were really no footages of the stern, I cannot tell whether the pods were on.

From my experience it is really hard to pull bollards off the pier. When I spent 9 weeks onboard the PRIDE OF AMERICA, we had bow thrusters and pods on to counter the strong winds in Maui. The worst that happened to us was one mooring line snapping on us. Yet, we were still on the pier.

Posts: 6108 | From: Vallejo,CA : California Maritime Academy!!! | Registered: Nov 2002 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 03-07-2009 06:50 PM

Does MSC FANTASIA have the auto-tension winches? These are mesmerising to watch, well I found them fascinating anyway and have a short clip of Norwegian Gem's in action online. I chatted to the guy watching over things and he told me they were just pre-set to the required tension for the prevailing conditions and port requirements etc.. [I am not expert so took his explanation for gospel, maybe simplistic

] If the bollards are not up to spec, what happened in Palma is going to, whatever crew do, and those who jumped in with no thought for themselves, but just for the passenger, should be commended.

Just thankful no fool was sitting on the bollard at the time having a photo taken; they would be no more.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

eroller
First Class Passenger
Member # 1649

posted 03-07-2009 07:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by PamM:
Does MSC FANTASIA have the auto-tension winches? These are mesmerising to watch, well I found them fascinating anyway and have a short clip of Norwegian Gem's in action online.

Sounds like a very good reason not to have a cabin anywhere near the bow!

Ernie

Posts: 7046 | From: Miami, Florida USA | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

TC@Sea
First Class Passenger
Member # 20076

posted 03-08-2009 04:26 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Tim in 'Lauderdale:
A Lesson in "think before you speak"....
The authorities in Palma have officially stated that this incident was beyond the control of MSC and have cited the crew for exemplary action.
It's obvious the bollards were not anchored properly.
Tim

Sincere apologies for expressing my humble opinion on a chat forum and "not thinking before I speak". In future I'll just "keep my mouth shut"

I'll just disappear back under the stone where I came from. Thank you for that valuable lesson. Not sure how I would have got through the rest of my life without it.

Posts: 22 | From: UK | Registered: Jan 2009 | IP: Logged

Colin
First Class Passenger
Member # 1676

posted 03-08-2009 09:46 AM

Didn't QM2 also pull a bollatrd from the pier at Southampton. Pre Maiden Voyage, I think.

Colin.

Posts: 283 | From: Inverness, Scotland | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

viking109
First Class Passenger
Member # 6280

posted 03-08-2009 06:59 PM

Imagine a really strong wind blowing on all of EPICS beautiful 19 decks.

Posts: 499 | From: southampton | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

jetwet1
First Class Passenger
Member # 6361

posted 03-08-2009 07:52 PM

quote:
Originally posted by viking109:
Imagine a really strong wind blowing on all of EPICS beautiful 19 decks.

I raised that point in the "Epic looks" thread, she is going to be a beast to handle.

Back to the OP, these things happen, though the bollards giving way is far less common than lines letting go.

Posts: 608 | From: Las VEgas | Registered: Mar 2006 | IP: Logged

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