Tag: cruise ships

An explosive fire in the engine room of MS Nordlys killed two crew members Officials say the Norwegian cruise ship that caught fire last week is no longer in danger of capsizing.Ragnar Norum, a spokesman for the Hurtigruten shipping line, told Norwegian broadcaster TV2 that divers inspected the damage to the hull Sunday and found the ship is no longer taking in water.An explosive fire in the engine room of MS Nordlys killed two crew members and forced the evacuation of 260 other people Thursday. Nine other crew were injured. All the passengers were evacuated safely into lifeboats or when the cruise ship reached the harbor of Aalesund, 230 miles northwest of the capital of Oslo.Norum says Hurtigruten's first priority now is to recover passengers' belongings.Source: AP

A fire broke out in an engine room onboard a Norwegian cruise ship injuring several people

Get the crew to their emergency positions and passengers to their muster stations Ships do sink, as was graphically illustrated in November 2007, when the Gap Adventures' ship Explorer went down in the ice waters of Antarctica, thankfully in calm conditions and with no loss of life.But for captains, the greatest fear is what happened on board a Hurtigruten ship as it was sailing off the coast of Ålesund in Norway earlier today. A fire.It's why during the safety drill held before each cruise - the one people complain about, and talk through - passengers are told never to throw lighted material over the side of the ship and to make sure cigarette butts are extinguished. A smouldering cigarette caused a fire on Star Princess in April 2006 that killed one passenger, injured 11 others and damaged a huge section of the ship.It is too early to know what caused the fire on Nordlys but unconfirmed reports suggest it started in the aft engine room. Tragically two crew have died and eight others have been taken to hospital - four with serious injuries. All other passengers and crew have been evacuated to Ålesund's Rica Parken Hotel.Thankfully incidents like this are ...

All 207 passengers aboard have been safely evacuated Two people have died after an engine room fire on a Norwegian cruise ship and nine have been taken to the hospital, Norwegian police confirmed Thursday.The two killed are believed to be crew members, a spokeswoman for Sunnmore police district told CNN. There were 55 crew on board the ship, MS Nordlys.All 207 passengers aboard have been safely evacuated and taken to a hotel in the town of Alesund, operator Hurtigruten ASA said. They are of various nationalities.The local fire department was working to put out the fire, the operator said.The cruise ship was operating on a popular tourist route from Norway's second city, Bergen, to the small town of Kirkenes in the country's far northeast when the fire broke out, forcing the vessel to stop at Alesund, CNN affiliate TV2 reported.Alesund, a town of some 40,000 people surrounded by fjords, is 226 kilometers (147 miles) north of Bergen.The cause of the fire is under investigation.Hurtigruten staff in Alesund are booking guests on to alternative vessels or making arrangements for them to travel home, the company said.The 400 foot-long Nordlys, built in 1994, has 475 berths for passengers and can carry 45 ...

Gets Europes Leading Cruise Line Award four years in a row Norwegian Cruise Line has been named "Europe's Leading Cruise Line" by the World Travel Awards for the fourth consecutive year and also received Europe's Sustainable Tourism Award for its newest and most innovative ship Norwegian Epic. The 18th annual awards recognize travel companies for delivering an outstanding customer experience and are voted by travel agents and consumers worldwide.Francis Riley, Norwegian Cruise Line's vice president & general manager international, accepted the awards during the gala ceremony held in Antalya, Turkey, on September 2, 2011.Norwegian, which has been honoured with the accolade as Europe's Leading Cruise Line in 2008, 2009 and 2010, will have four Freestyle Cruising vessels which offer an array of magnificent cruise holidays through Europe ranging from seven to twelve-days in the 2012/13 season."We are honoured that travel partners and consumers from around the world have chosen us for this prestigious award four years in a row," said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line's chief executive officer. "Norwegian is dedicated to providing guests with a unique cruise holiday that allows them the convenience and value to experience the rich culture and history of Europe on their own terms."From ancient ...

It will cut the risk of coastal pollution Banning cruise ships carrying heavy fuel oil from the waters around Antarctica will cut the risk of coastal pollution, a new report says.The Federal Parliament treaties committee has recommended Australia ratify an international treaty amendment outlawing the use of heavy fuel oil in Antarctica, in a report released.Committee chairman Kelvin Thomson said increased cruise ship activity in Antarctic waters posed a pollution risk.The extreme weather conditions in Antarctica meant if spills did occur the decomposition of the oil would be slow, he said.Under the treaty, ships involved in rescue work and those owned by governments, such as research vessels, naval vessels and auxiliary vessels would be exempt."While Australian government flagged vessels are exempt from the treaty, it is worth noting that Australia continues to demonstrate its leadership in marine environment protection by ensuring its own vessels, do not use or carry heavy fuel oils," Mr Thomson said.The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) will enforce the new regulations with port inspections, including monitoring of the oil record books.The research vessel chartered by the Australian Antarctic Division, the Aurora Australis, is already compliant.However, the division contracts Russian flagged vessels for supply delivery and waste ...

Agreement with Carnival Corp to construct two 125,000-ton vessels In a huge fillip for Japan's shipbuilding industry Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said that it has reached agreement with global cruise ship giant Carnival Corp to construct two 125,000-ton vessels, becoming the first Asian yard to build cruiseships for more than seven years.The firms will next work on such details as the contract price and technical specifications, targeting an official agreement before the end of the year.The two 3,250-passenger ships will be constructed at Mitsubishi Heavy'sNagasaki shipyard with delivery dates scheduled for March 2015 and March 2016. Mitsubishi Heavy is said to be anticipating the order to total around 80 billion yen, but a strong yen could reduce the figure.The shipbuilding order will be Mitsubishi Heavy's first for a cruiseline since a fire broke out on the Diamond Princess ship during construction in October 2002 .Source: Seatrade Asia

US Coast Guard is investigating the incident The Coast Guard responded to a minor collision between two cruise ships in the Port of Key West Tuesday morning.No injuries, pollution or structural damage occurred during the incident.The Carnival Imagination was moored and the Carnival Fantasy was mooring when the vessels struck stern to stern, causing minor cosmetic damage to both vessels.Alcohol and drug testings have been conducted on personnel in safety-sensitive positions in accordance with Coast Guard policy.Source: USCG

They worry about the impact on the city Several environmental groups are suing in the ongoing dispute overcruise ships calling in Charleston.Michelle Sinkler of theSouth Carolina Coastal Conservation Leaguesays details of the suit are being released at a Monday news conference.TheSouth Carolina State Ports Authorityand Mayor Joe Riley plan a news conference later to respond.The cruise industry has expanded during the past year withCarnivalcruise lines stationing its Carnival Fantasy ship in the city. The Ports Authority is planning a new $25 million cruise terminal.Environmentalists and neighborhood residents worry about the impact on the city.TheNational Trust for Historic Preservationis expected to announce Wednesday whether Charleston will make the list of the nation's 11 most endangered historic places because of the cruise industry.Source: AP

Urge not to sign up an opt out clause The International Chamber of Shipping recommends member states to the International Maritime Organization not to sign up to an opt out clause in the Athens Protocol on passenger insurance liability.ICS chairman Spyros Polemis expressed his warning to cruise and ferry operators at a conference in London yesterday .He illustrated that an opt out clause on limiting passenger compensation to $1m in the case of an incident would see insurers refuse to sign contracts with operators."Source: Safety4Sea