NCL Dream - Collision with barge off Montevideo - no casualties reported

**Ally** · 12-11-2007, 06:15 AM

MONTEVIDEO - A luxury cruise ship and a barge collided in Uruguay's main port, sending several cars and containers off the barge and shutting the port down, the navy said.

The Norwegian Dream cruise ship, owned by Miami-based NCL Corp., was leaving Montevideo when it collided with a barge being pulled by a tug, a navy spokesman said.

Navy divers were searching for the cars that fell of the barge.

"The collision caused five containers and several cars to fall in the water. ... The cruise ship received damages above the water line which do not appear serious," said Alejandro Anon, head of naval public relations.

According to Norwegian Cruise Line's website, the Norwegian Dream left Buenos Aires on Sunday and after Montevideo was planning to travel to southern Argentina and Chile.

**Ally** · 12-11-2007, 06:48 AM

Dream has hit a containership in the past...late 1990's (I think) in the English Channel, she had a full nose job and they stretched her at the same time, IIRC.

**Ally** · 12-11-2007, 07:00 AM

Quote:

The passenger ship, which recently left Buenos Aires to begin a 14-day cruise toward the southern tip of South America, was leaving port when it collided with the barge which was "adrift in the entrance channel," Norwegian Cruise Line spokeswoman Susan Robison said in a statement from Miami.

"The overall safety of the vessel has not been compromised," Robison said.

She said the Norwegian Dream was anchored off Montevideo, Uruguay's capital, and is expected to return to the dock overnight where it will remain while repairs are conducted prior to resuming its voyage.

The statement said the ship would miss two ports of call before repairs are complete, and passengers were being offered alternate shore excursions before it resumes sailing to Ushuaia, Argentina's southernmost city.

FOXNews.com - Cruise, Cargo Ships Collide Off Uruguay - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News

**Ally** · 12-11-2007, 05:17 PM

Looking at the level of crush damage done to the containers on the barge...its a case of what does NCL Dream look like?

**Ally** · 12-11-2007, 05:19 PM

**Update

Quote:

The Norwegian Dream, a Bahamas-flagged cruise ship which was leaving Montevideo for the South Atlantic, received damages described as "not serious" above its waterline.

The Paraguayan flagged barge also suffered unspecified damages and several containers and some vehicles tumbled into the shallow River Plate estuary, reported Uruguayan naval authorities. The ship remained afloat.

The cruise ship, which recently left Buenos Aires to begin a 14-day cruise toward the southern tip of South America, was leaving port when it collided with the barge which was "adrift in the entrance channel," Norwegian Cruise Line spokeswoman Susan Robison said in a statement from Miami.

"The overall safety of the vessel has not been compromised," Robison said.

She said the Norwegian Dream was anchored off Montevideo, Uruguay's capital, and is expected to return to the dock where it will remain while repairs are conducted prior to resuming its voyage. Repairs are estimated to take between “two and three days”.

The statement said the ship would miss two ports of call before repairs are completed, and passengers were being offered alternate shore excursions before it resumes sailing to Ushuaia, Argentina's southernmost city.

Meantime Uruguayan navy frogmen and tug boats helped to lift from the Rive Plate waters some of the floating containers, but it’s not clear how many vehicles were lost and a survey was being conducted by naval vessels to determine their location.

Given the strong winds and rough sea on Monday, naval experts believe the sunken vehicles are not necessarily where the collision took place and since the access channel to the port of Montevideo is relatively shallow only limited draught vessels were allowed to resume operations on Tuesday.

Meantime a second cruise vessel, the Infinity remains “trapped” in Montevideo and a third one, Marco Polo was waiting together with another estimated fifteen ships to enter the port.

Mercopress

**Ally** · 12-12-2007, 02:24 AM

NCL have given every passenger $150 OBC. Puerto Madryn & Port Stanley have been dropped from the itinerary and once the bow and forward ballast tank have been repaired in Montevideo, Dream will be going non-stop to Ushuaia.

Infinity was able to leave port once the sea channel was assured to be safe from wreckage, Marco Polo cancelled her planned call and has continued onto her next port.

**Ally** · 12-13-2007, 03:57 AM

**Update

Quote:

About 1700 passengers, including Australians, from the cruise ship Norwegian Dream are stranded in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, days after the accident-prone boat collided with a barge.

Norwegian Dream sustained damage to its bow and forward ballast tank when it collided with the barge on Monday, sending five shipping containers and as many as 10 cars into the water.

With a two-metre wide hole above the water line and a crack along the upper deck, the ship's passengers were stuck on the ship while the Uruguayan navy attempted to clear the channel.

It then limped back to port where it is expected to remain for at least another 12 hours.

An Australian passenger who contacted smh.com.au, Sue Cassell, said passengers were concerned about the ship's ability to continue with the cruise.

"The passengers have expressed grave concerns about continuing the cruise and have received no reassurance from Norwegian Cruise Liners about the integrity of the ship to continue an arduous journey," Ms Cassell said.

"The ship is due to sail around Cape Horn through similar waters to that of the recent capsizing of the MV Explorer."

Cruise ship holed - passengers stranded - Travel - smh.com.au

**Ally** · 12-13-2007, 03:07 PM

**Update

Repairs have now been completed on NCL Dream and she is due to leave Montevideo this evening (local time). She will miss Puerto Madryn, Port Stanley and Puerto Chacabuco in order to stay on schedule for her next cruise. NCL were going to cut out Cape Horn and go via Magellen Strait, but passengers disagreed so Puerto Chacabuco was cut instead.

All passengers have received a 50% refund on the cost of the cruise, $150 OBC and a 15% certificate towards another cruise should they book a future one with NCL...anyone wishing to get off and go home before she departs will have $150 OBC and 50% refund on the cruise. Complimentary shorex have also been organised for passengers whilst the ship was repaired.

**Ally** · 12-14-2007, 04:49 AM

Dream's bow is quite badly scratched...the dent is over on the other side, out of view in this shot....

**Ally** · 12-15-2007, 07:20 AM

Amazing shots of the collision as it happened...

Galería de imágenes - EL CHOQUE DEL CRUCERO EN IMÁGENES - Montevideo Portal