AIDAperla Breaks Free of Moorings in Le Havre, Strikes Quay Wall

The cruise ship AIDAperla broke free of its moorings at the Port of Le Havre on September 8, driven by strong wind gusts. Maritime Executive put the peak gusts at 110 km/h. The 300-metre ship drifted through the harbour before its stern struck a concrete quay wall.

Two gangways were damaged in the contact. A small crack appeared in the hull. About 500 passengers who were ashore at the time could not reboard while the ship was adrift. No injuries were reported. Harbour tugs helped re-secure the ship by around 18:30 local time.

AIDA Cruises canceled scheduled calls at Rotterdam and Zeebrugge in the wake of the incident. AIDAperla, at 125,572 gross tons, is among the larger ships the company operates.