The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has confirmed a collision at Cape Town Harbour on Friday, involving a cruise liner and a container ship.
The Ambience Cruise Ship, which had just berthed in Cape Town after arriving from Durban, collided with the Grey Fox Cargo Ship and the quay.
The incident took place before 6am on Friday.
It is believed strong winds are the reason for the collision. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during this incident.
“We are relieved to confirm that there have been no injuries because of this incident. Furthermore, there is no risk to the environment, nor to the safety of the vessel or the port. The Ambience sustained minor damages.
“The Port Authority is actively managing the situation, and a SAMSA surveyor is currently on-site conducting a thorough assessment to understand the circumstances surrounding the incident and to evaluate the extent of the damage,” SAMSA said.
The cruise liner is set to depart from Cape Town Harbour and set sail to Rotterdam in the Netherlands with stops in Brazil.
Passengers are expected to start boarding the vessel before midnight.
The Ambience Cruise Ship is 245 metres in length and can carry approximately 1,400 guests.
The ship, which was built in 1991, has 11 decks and nine lifts on board.
IOL