Storm Gust Pushes Cruise Ship Into Two Container Vessels in Germany

A cruise ship drifted into two container vessels in the northern German port of Bremerhaven on Oct. 25 after a gust of wind during stormy weather, according to authorities cited by USA Today. No one was reported injured, but the ship's next cruise to the Canary Islands has been canceled.

TUI Cruises confirmed that the ship involved was Mein Schiff 3. The company said the damage requires urgent repair work at a shipyard.

What happened in Bremerhaven

Authorities said a gust of wind caused the cruise ship to move toward the two container vessels while it was in port. AccuWeather told USA Today that very strong winds swept across the North Sea into coastal Germany and Denmark on Sunday as Storm Boelo passed near the Shetland Islands. The forecaster cited reports of gusts around 74 mph near Germany's northwest coast.

Bremen Police described the damage in a news release, which USA Today translated. The smaller container ship sustained minor damage. The larger one was considerably damaged: the collision tore open several meters of its port side and deformed the guides that hold containers in place. Police said the damage was several meters above the waterline.

The cruise ship also suffered considerable damage, police said, to its lifeboats, the cranes that handle them and its hull.

Injuries and the departure ban

TUI Cruises said no guests or crew members were hurt. Authorities said there were no injuries aboard either container ship.

Police said the maritime safety authority issued a departure ban covering all three vessels. That means none of them may leave port for now. Investigations into the collision are ongoing, USA Today reported.

What TUI says about the inspection

The company told USA Today that technical teams and experts began a thorough inspection of the ship immediately after the incident. It said the damage found requires urgent repairs at a shipyard. TUI did not disclose how long the repairs may take or when the ship might return to service.

Why it matters for passengers

The most direct effect falls on travelers booked on Mein Schiff 3. TUI canceled the vessel's planned cruise to the Canary Islands. The company acknowledged that guests had been looking forward to the trip and said it regretted the inconvenience. It called the cancellation the only responsible decision for maintaining its safety standards.

The incident also shows how weather can disrupt a cruise even while a ship is docked. Passengers were not at sea, yet the damage was serious enough to take a ship out of service and keep it in port under an official ban. Details on compensation or rebooking for affected guests were not provided in the reports.

What remains unclear

The sources describe the cause as a wind gust pushing the ship toward the container vessels, and authorities have not announced further findings. The investigations are continuing, and the departure ban remains in place for the three vessels, according to police. Neither the length of the repairs nor the timeline for lifting the ban was disclosed.

Around Prague, based on reporting by USA Today