MSC Opera accident in Venice

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Mervyn and Trish
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MSC Opera accident in Venice

#1

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Just appeared on Facebook


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GillD46
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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

#2

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Oh dear! Hopefully no-one injured, but I guess somebody’s head will roll.
Gill

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

#3

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

First reports say 4 injured. Suggestion is either the ship or a tug suffered a power loss.

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Kenmo1
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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

#4

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Frightening. A bit like watching that Sandra Bullock film Speed 2 Cruise Control.

Maureen

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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

#5

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Yes very scary but could have been much worse. They're now saying Opera lost power and/or control and tugs couldn't stop her. She now appears to be moving with tugs towards the dock. Despite early reports saying the canal was closed another MSC ship is approaching on the same route.
Last edited by Mervyn and Trish on 02 Jun 2019, 12:46, edited 2 times in total.


daib GC
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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

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Mervyn and Trish wrote: 02 Jun 2019, 12:44
Yes very scary but could have been much worse. They're now saying Opera lost power and/or control and tugs couldn't stop her. She now appears to be moving with tugs towards the dock. Despite early reports saying the canal was closed another MSC ship is approaching on the same route.
I think this will have major consequences for all the cruise industry in Venice.

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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

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daib GC wrote: 02 Jun 2019, 13:36
I think this will have major consequences for all the cruise industry in Venice.
Yes, dai, I think this incident has given the objectors to the cruise ships some serious ammunition for their cause.

Maureen.

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

#8

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

I think you're both right. The scenic route into Venice will likely become history very soon. What that does for the overall cruise business there I don't know. I certainly wouldn't want to moor further afield and be bussed in.

I'm appalled at the moment by the comments on Facebook with quite a lot condemning the Pilot and/or Captain. Preliminary reports suggest there's nothing either of them could have done but before anyone starts insulting their seamanship we need the facts.

The media as usual are displaying their crass ignorance of the cruise industry and geography in a number of their reports!

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Stephen
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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

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I see there are the usual idiots that can't follow simple instructions and still carry on walking towards the out of control ship.

You wouldn't have seen my ar*e for dust seeing that great big hunk of metal coming towards me.

If indeed it was a loss of power and/or computers then you have to feel for the crew who must have felt so helpless.

Rightly so Merv, the full facts need to be known before any finger pointing.
Last edited by Stephen on 02 Jun 2019, 15:31, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

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Post by Stephen »

From a different view

Huge cruise ship crashes into Venice harbour https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48489523

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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

#11

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Crikey, now this

https://maritimebulletin.net/2019/06/02 ... r5HfFa5Ma8

I think I'll go to Skegness next year!

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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

#12

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They won't have you.

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allatc
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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

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Post by allatc »

I think you're both right. The scenic route into Venice will likely become history very soon.

They were talking about this over ten years ago and it still hasn't happened.

Venice is now overcrowded with cruise day trippers, as are many other cruise ports.

A couple of years ago friends of ours were on a ship that called into Santorini along with six other ships including two of the really big RCI ones.

15000 people milling around in a massive people gridlock. It can't go on.

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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

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Post by towny44 »

allatc wrote: 03 Jun 2019, 09:08
I think you're both right. The scenic route into Venice will likely become history very soon.

15000 people milling around in a massive people gridlock. It can't go on.
It probably will, especially as the cruise lines are still building far more capacity than that being scrapped. So we just have to get used to busier cruise ports, and maybe more staggered arrival times to at least fit in with coach availability for shore excursions and shuttle services.
John

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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

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Post by david63 »

allatc wrote: 03 Jun 2019, 09:08
It can't go on.
If it was perceived as being a problem then why are so many cruise ports building new cruise ship facilities? It seems that everyone wants the income that cruise ships bring to the local economy without actually having the passengers - it is very much a "be careful what you wish for" situation.

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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

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Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Venice could solve the problem by placing a limit on the number of cruise ships that are allowed each day. As could other ports. Their choice.

The daft thing is that Opera isn't a "big" cruise ship. She's comfortably below the tonnage they set as a limit, that was then scrapped.

The other odd thing is that another MSC ship that was following her in was on a turn round in Venice. As well as the cruise ship that means a lot of road traffic too and from the airport as well.

So if they want to reduce congestion why not close Venice completely as a turn round port? Could it be the money? Cake and eat it?

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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

#17

Post by towny44 »

Spot on Merv, I feel no guilt at all about adding to tourist pollution, I go wherever the ship goes. But if a cruise port wants to limit numbers I will be only too happy to take my money somewhere else, the answer is definitely in their hands.
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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

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Mervyn and Trish wrote: 03 Jun 2019, 13:45
Venice could solve the problem by placing a limit on the number of cruise ships that are allowed each day. As could other ports. Their choice.

The daft thing is that Opera isn't a "big" cruise ship. She's comfortably below the tonnage they set as a limit, that was then scrapped.

The other odd thing is that another MSC ship that was following her in was on a turn round in Venice. As well as the cruise ship that means a lot of road traffic too and from the airport as well.

So if they want to reduce congestion why not close Venice completely as a turn round port? Could it be the money? Cake and eat it?
The road to the airport is not a problem, but the number of tourists in the city certainly are and most of them are not from cruise ships. I can only see that this will hasten the opening of the southerly route via the Vittorio Emanuele or the Malamocco channel.

"For this to happen, the Vittorio Emanuele III will need to be dredged from its existing depth of six metres to nine metres, while the Malamocco-Marghera channel will have to be widened to accommodate the 1000 or so extra sailings, because industrial and cruise traffic will be competing for space."

My sympathies are with those who would have had their holidays ruined, particularly on the river cruise boat.

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Re: MSC Opera accident in Venice

#19

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

The road may not be a problem itself but 3000 passengers off loaded is at least 60 nasty motorcoachs belching fumes into their atmosphere. Whichever way you cut it it's cake and eat it. If they don't want tourists they need to just say so and find another source of income.

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