Carnival Elation spilled "gray water" (from the ship's plumbing and shower systems) while docked at homeport Port Canaveral FL on Thursday, January 2, because of a valve problem, the company reported.
In a statement, Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen said that while Carnival Elation had been discharging water from her ballast systems, a graywater valve had failed and "unintentionally discharged graywater from non-sewage wastewater systems." No sewage had been discharged and the problem "was quickly addressed and resolved by shipboard personnel, and all appropriate authorities were notified."
According to Port Canaveral's director of communications and public affairs, Steve Linden, the spill had been reported just before 9:00 a.m. Carnival Cruise Line reported the issue to the Coast Guard Response Center, according to the protocol.
Linden said it was "gray water, and no human waste or anything biological" had been involved. The majority of the discharge was just water, and "not a threat to the environment or wildlife."
According to Gulliksen, the discharged wastewater had been from showers, sinks and laundry systems. The Coast Guard, Canaveral Fire Rescue, and the environmental team of the port responded to the accident.
Carnival Elation left the port's Cruise Terminal 5 on Thursday afternoon for her scheduled 4-day cruise to the Bahamas.
For other Carnival Elation accidents and incidents see at the ship's CruiseMinus page.