In the early hours of Friday, April 5, the cruise ship Ambience, operated by the UK-based Ambassador Cruise Line, was involved in a collision with the Grey Fox cargo carrier during docking maneuvers at Cape Town Harbor (South Africa). The incident unfolded amidst challenging weather conditions characterized by gale-force winds, posing complexities to the berthing process.
As Ambassador Ambience sought to berth at the designated time in Cape Town, it made contact with the Grey Fox cargo carrier (2011-built/IMO 9594470), which was already moored at berth B.
Despite the assistance of two tugboats and a pilot, the Ambience struggled against the formidable winds, leading to the collision with the cargo ship.
Fortunately, both vessels sustained minor damages, and there were no reports of water ingress or pollution ensuing from the collision. Shortly after the occurrence, Ambience managed to safely dock near the cruise terminal.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew on either vessel, and proper safety protocols were upheld throughout the incident.
Post-collision, the Ambience received clearance for docking, and guests were allowed to disembark by 08:45 local time. The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), under acting port manager Ophelia Shabane, confirmed the incident and initiated an investigation into its cause. Ongoing assessments are being conducted to evaluate the extent of the damages. Importantly, the TNPA affirmed that port operations remain unaffected and are proceeding as usual, with vigilant oversight from the authorities.
The Bahamas-flagged cruise ship is scheduled to depart as planned later on the day of the incident, at 23:00. Ambassador Cruise Line and the TNPA are collaborating closely to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident's root cause and to implement preventive measures, particularly concerning adverse weather conditions, to avert similar occurrences in the future.
For more Ambience incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.