Luxury Cruise Ship Seabourn Encoure Crashes into another Ship!!!

A  brand new Luxury  cruise ship broke its moorings and collided with another vessel on Sunday afternoon.

PrimePort chief executive Phil Melhopt confirmed on Sunday evening it was investigating the incident involving the Seabourn Encore and had contacted Maritime New Zealand and the Harbourmaster’s Office.

The ship was unable to leave Timaru as scheduled on Sunday evening. A Maritime NZ spokesman said it had been detained by the Harbourmaster, “under his jurisdiction”.

Investigators would be talking to the captains of both ships. A surveyor would be travelling to Timaru to examine the cement ship Milburn Carrier II, which the Seabourn Encore collided with.

People watching it unfold including some passengers returning to the ship, lined up along the port to watch as the ship drifted and collided with the cement carrier.

A witnes said it sounded like gunshots when the moorings “snapped”.

Passengers returning from a day ashore in South Canterbury were taken by bus to an unknown location as the emergency unfolded.

The incident occurred at about 3.15pm when the southerly wind gusted up to 45 knots, causing the stern moorings to fail on the cruise ship.

The ship then swung around and collided with the Milburn Carrier II, causing damage to the hull of the cement carrier.

There was damage to the stern of the cruise ship as it came up against the number two wharf, he said.

No one was injured in the incident.

MetService meteorologist Sarah Sparks said the wind speed in Timaru got up to 76kmh during the afternoon following a southerly change, but would ease off on Sunday night.

“It won’t be allowed to sail until it’s cleared by Maritime New Zealand,”

The Seabourn Encore, launched in January, arrived in Timaru early on Sunday morning.