Cape Town - Passengers and crew aboard a cruise liner docking at Cape Town Harbour were alarmed when gale force winds caused it to collide with a cargo vessel.
The UK-registered cruise ship, Ambience, of Ambassador Cruise Lines, and the cargo carrier collided in the early hours of on Friday morning.
The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) confirmed an incident during the docking of a cruise liner that came into contact with a cargo carrier docked at B Berth.
The TNPA said that no injuries were sustained on board the vessels, and the cause of the incident was being investigated. Damage was being assessed.
“Port operations continued as normal and have not been impacted by the incident. TNPA will continue to monitor the situation and provide the necessary updates on the matter,” the TNPA said.
Emma Arthurs, spokesperson for the Ambience, said the incident occurred when the cruise ship tried to dock, despite the assistance of two tugs and a pilot.
“Ambience was unable to maintain its position in strong, gusting winds and made contact with the container ship, which was already alongside. Both ships report only minor damage, and there is no water ingress or pollution,” said Arthurs.
“No injuries have been reported to either guests or crew, and Ambience is now safely alongside, close to the cruise passenger terminal. She was cleared, and the gangway was opened for guests to disembark.”
The SA Maritime Safety Authority said there was no risk to the environment nor to the safety of the vessel or the port, as the Ambience sustained only minor damages.
The cruise liner was set to depart from Cape Town Harbour just before midnight yesterday and for Rotterdam in the Netherlands, with stops in Brazil. The Ambience is 245 metres in length and can carry about 1 400 guests.
Meanwhile, the City has warned residents of an advisory from the South African Weather Service (SAWS) for the potential of high winds and rain over the next few days.
It said depending on the severity of the inclement weather, it could lead to high service request call volumes due to weather-related damage to power infrastructure, and longer outages.
“City teams will continue to attend to service requests in the fastest time possible, if safe to proceed.”
The Western Cape government alerted residents to expected strong winds and torrential downpours from this evening until Tuesday.
Anton Bredell, Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, said the Provincial Disaster Management Centre had been briefed by the SAWS on the development of an intense cut-off low weather system.
“The SAWS informed us that several warnings will be issued for disruptive rain, cold temperatures and strong winds over large part of the Western Cape from Saturday lasting until Tuesday,” he said.
“According to the SAWS, the system is slow moving, thus increasing the potential for flooding and wind damage as it moves over the country.”
The following warnings are issued for the Western Cape specifically:
- A Level 4 warning for strong wind for the entire province from Saturday till Tuesday.
- A Level 6 warning for strong winds for the area between Table Bay and Cape Agulhas from today (Saturday) until Tuesday.
- A Level 4 warning for disruptive rains from Sunday to Tuesday for the West Coast, Cape Winelands, Garden Route, and the Central Karoo.
- A Level 6 warning for disruptive rains of between 100mm and 150mm on Monday for the Overberg, Cape Town, and the Cape Winelands.
“The PDMC is on standby, and the various district disaster centres are ready to be activated if needed, and emergency and rescue services are ready to respond to eventualities.
“Provincial departments are represented at the PDMC and will be ready to provide support if needed,” Bredell said.