MS Discovery Princess broke free from her mooring lines at San Francisco's Pier 27 due to unexpectedly strong side winds, with gusts reaching 34 mph.
This caused three stern cables to snap, leading the vessel to drift toward Pier 23.
In response, the crew released a thicker stern line to reduce the ship's angle against the wind and activated the engines to maneuver it back to the berth. Eyewitnesses reported hearing shouting as the crew worked to regain control.
Fortunately, all passengers and crew remained safe, with no reported injuries.
A similar incident occurred the previous day involving the HAL's ship MS Koningsdam, docked at the port. According to an onboard announcement from Koningsdam's captain, a pier bollard failed completely after securing the bow lines, causing the vessel to drift and a gangway to detach. Crew members acted swiftly, utilizing thrusters and dropping anchor to stabilize the ship and prevent a potential collision with another pier. A passenger on Koningsdam noted that, given the strong winds, the decision was made to run thrusters to hold the ship firmly against the dock. They observed that this decision was validated when the nearby Discovery Princess snapped her rear lines and began drifting.
These incidents highlight the challenges posed by strong winds during docking operations. The prompt actions of the crews and port officials were instrumental in preventing damage or injuries. Both vessels have since been secured, and port operations have returned to normal.
For more Discovery Princess incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.