Norwegian cruise ship loses ability to navigate after rogue wave hits

cruise ship waves

The WSL is the largest wave that a ship can encounter without being in danger of capsizing or losing structural integrity. Recent experiments suggest wind can make extreme events like rogue waves more common. While self-amplification manifests as whitecaps – frothy, aerated crests of choppy waves – until now there has been no evidence it can make rogue waves more likely in the ocean. Numerical and laboratory studies suggest strong winds also contribute to the development of rogue waves, because they push harder on some already tall waveforms.

A rogue wave caused a cruise ship tragedy. They occur more often than you think.

The combination of advanced technology, crew training, and meticulous planning helps to mitigate risks and ensure a safe and enjoyable voyage, even in challenging sea conditions. Overall, cruise ship stability is carefully considered during the design and construction process. As technology and engineering innovation continue to evolve, cruise ships are becoming even more equipped to handle rough seas. Cruise lines are constantly improving their safety protocols and investing in the latest advancements to enhance passenger comfort and safety.

How Big Of Waves Can A Cruise Ship Handle

cruise ship waves

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They also have experience in dealing with rough seas and can take quick action if necessary. When a cruise ship is out at sea, it is constantly moving up and down as it rides the waves. The size and weight of the ship help it to stay stable in the water, and the hull is designed to cut through waves rather than be pushed around by them. The engines are also powerful enough to keep the ship moving forward even in rough seas.

The crew works with third-party meteorologists and always monitors the weather forecasting equipment. Streets around harbors flooded overnight in some Dutch North Sea towns including Scheveningen, the seaside suburb of The Hague. The storm also brought down trees and prompting warnings of flooding on the North Sea coast. A woman in Belgium was fatally injured by a falling Christmas tree, while another tree killed a person in the Netherlands. "Our team are working to arrange onward travel back home for guests onboard," the statement added. Because of a lack of navigational abilities, the ship had to be steered manually from the engine room, per the news agency.

Wave height and its impact on cruise ship stability

Generally speaking, however, if a 70-foot wave toppled a cruise liner, the majority of its passengers and crew would perish. While most people have never heard of it, there is a limit to the size of waves that cruises ships can safely navigate. This limit is called the Wave Severity Limit (WSL), and it is a function of the ship’s dimensions, draft, and trim.

Cruise ships are a popular choice for vacationers who crave the excitement of exploring the open seas while enjoying the comfort and luxury of a floating resort. These massive vessels offer an array of amenities, from world-class dining options to breathtaking entertainment and relaxation options. Large ships can ride quite well in high waves as long as the ship is headed directly into the waves. A bigger issue is something called "long swells" which are somewhat different from waves and have a bigger impact on large vessels. The consequences of a cruise ship encountering waves that are too big can be catastrophic. If the waves are big enough, they can cause the ship to tip over or even sink.

It is rare for a captain to advise all guests to remain in their cabin, but this can happen. Ships will choose to dock using an alternate port, change the port’s order, or find a sunny location at sea. The bridge holds a wide range of storm satellite images, weather maps, and computer models.

Norwegian cruise ship loses ability to navigate after rogue wave hits - NBC News

Norwegian cruise ship loses ability to navigate after rogue wave hits.

Posted: Fri, 22 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Some repairs to crew quarters also delayed its departure over the weekend to return to the Bahamas. Some passengers complained to CNN and CBS News about a lack of communication from cruise staff as the ship was pitching about. “The ship took a hit from a wave that sounded like the ship split in two,” passenger Sharon Tutrone, a professor at Coastal Carolina University, said in a Twitter post. Video posted to Twitter under the handle @CrewCenter showed water running up and down a hallway and said the crew on one deck had to be evacuated to another part of the ship.

This is why it is important for the captain to know which direction the waves are coming from and to adjust the ship's course accordingly. Therefore, it is important for the captain and crew to be aware of the wave conditions when sailing, and to take them into account when planning the ship's route. This rocking motion can be amplified in a storm, when the waves are larger and more frequent.

When a cruise ship is sailing, it is constantly bombarded by waves from all directions. The direction of the waves has a significant impact on the ship's ability to handle them. Of course, no matter how big and stable a cruise ship is, there are always some risks involved when sailing in rough seas. This is why it is important to have a good safety plan in place and to make sure that everyone on board knows what to do in an emergency.

Carnival Sunshine, which was headed from the Bahamas to South Carolina, arrived in Charleston behind schedule, according to the spokesman. Some crew cabins needed to be temporarily taken out of service because of water damage. The ship's next voyage, on which it has since embarked, was also delayed. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines has decided to equip one of its LR1 product tankers with a combination system that both captures a portion of the CO2 emissions from the exhaust as well as acts as a SOx scrubber. "Our team are working to arrange onward travel back home for guests onboard," a spokesperson for the company said.

HX said after following ongoing safety checks and technical assessments, the company amended the ship's planned route to sail to Bremerhaven, Germany, for disembarkation. Listen to the daily captain’s report from the bridge, as it will contain a description of the conditions on the sea and help you decide what you need to prepare for the day. This might mean the ship takes longer to reach port or that there is a delay in the schedule. In Hamburg, the Elbe River flooded streets around the city's fish market, with water waist-high in places. German authorities warned of a storm surge of up to three meters (nearly 10 feet) or more above mean high tide on parts of the North Sea coast on Friday. Danish Search and Rescue said the vessel could "maneuver via emergency systems, and it has two civilian support vessels close by."

A possible rogue wave sent headlines around the world last week after it broke windows on a cruise ship off the coast of Argentina, killing a woman and injuring four others. One passenger posted a video on Facebook showing the view from her room's window Thursday with the cruise ship bobbing up and down and creaking in the throes of high waves. The MS Maud lost power after the wave hit as the ship was sailing toward Tilbury, England, from Florø, Norway, HX, a unit of Norway’s Hurtigruten Group, said in a statement. A storm off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina, battered a Carnival cruise ship for hours late Friday night before it docked, leaving passengers terrified. A passenger died and four others were injured after a large, unexpected wave hit a cruise ship traveling toward a popular launching point for expeditions to Antarctica, Viking Cruises said.

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