Monday, April 1, 2019
One of the world's largest cruise ships was today involved in a major accident at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.
Tribune sources and social media videos said the 6,300 passenger Oasis of the Seas was in Dry Dock No. 2 when the incident, which collapsed cranes on to the vessel and tilted the cruise ship towards its starboard side, occurred.
According to police, there were several injuries – none of them thought to be life-threatening.
While the Shipyard has yet to formally release details on the accident and its causes, one social media posting described the situation as "a big accident at the Shipyard".
The short video, filmed by a Shipyard worker, said: "Working on the big Oasis, the ship collapsed, the dock collapsed, the crane collapsed. A couple of people might, don't know, be missing. I was right there on the dock, working, and just missed it by the grace of God.
"Big accident, big accident. Something the Shipyard will never survive from this one. Dock two is gone, dock two is finished. All the cranes collapsed. Big, big, big disaster. Big, big, big disaster. Disaster, disaster, disaster. I've never seen anything like this in my lifetime."
"All hell is breaking loose because of this," one contact, speaking on condition of anonymity, said of the accident. "The Oasis of the Seas was in dry dock, and was too heavy or large for the dry dock. As they were lifting it the dry dock collapsed, along with the cranes and the ship."
Ships are not usually lifted by cranes when they go into in dry dock for repairs and refitting. The normal procedure is that they enter, and the water is then pumped out. The social media postings of the Oasis of Sea clearly show water is still present.
The Oasis of the Sea is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, which has partnered with Mexican developer, ITM, to acquire the Grand Lucayan and transform Freeport into a destination tourism product in a deal announced just last week.
The 1,200 foot cruise ship, built in 2009, is scheduled to spend the summer cruising in Europe before returning to Miami which will be its home port for fall and winter 2019.
Royal Caribbean issued the following statement on Monday afternoon: “As of 1:45 pm EDT, we are accounting for the whereabouts of all site personnel and working with local authorities to determine if there have been any injuries. We are aware of damage to the dock structure and to construction cranes. We are assessing damage to the ship.”
Comments
Kalikgold says...
Ooops
Posted 1 April 2019, 4:16 p.m. Suggest removal
bogart says...
Ghost of Daniel K. Ludwig ....
Posted 1 April 2019, 4:58 p.m. Suggest removal
Sickened says...
I assume an engineer is getting fired for signing off and confirming that the dock could support the weight of the ship.
Posted 1 April 2019, 4:20 p.m. Suggest removal
Well_mudda_take_sic says...
Nothing made in Red China works as it should, lasts as long as it should, or is as reliable as it should be. You're lucky today if a kitchen or laundry appliance made in Red China lasts more than 5 years tops....so why should it be any different for a Red China made dock and cranes? Thankfully no one was seriously injured according to preliminary reports.
Posted 1 April 2019, 4:26 p.m. Suggest removal
paul_vincent_zecchino says...
Spot on. Chicom junk is just that, junk. They poisoned sheetrock and pet foods several years ago.
The washing machine in our home we purchased in 2002. The repairman who periodically fixes the chicom junk refrigerator said of the washer, 'don't ever get rid of that washer, I can always fix it. The new stuff made in China is all junk."
The chicom government's official policy is still to 'Use capitalism to build communism to destroy the West."
Posted 1 April 2019, 10:28 p.m. Suggest removal
proudloudandfnm says...
DD 2 was built in the US. But it is old, very old....
Posted 2 April 2019, 12:29 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
Perhaps Caribbean Cruise line should redevelop the Ship Yard. and not seek to
redevelop the Freeport Harbor and the Port Lucaya.
How strange is all this. Just after the FNM savior appeared.
Posted 1 April 2019, 4:54 p.m. Suggest removal
FreeportFreddy says...
You suck!
How can you be party based on something like this???
Posted 1 April 2019, 5:46 p.m. Suggest removal
rawbahamian says...
This is such an immature, childish juvenile statement to connect the government to this accident but then again, only a bitter PLP worshipper would make such a stupid utterance !!!
Posted 1 April 2019, 6:32 p.m. Suggest removal
paul_vincent_zecchino says...
One would expect nothing else from a PLP worshipper.
Posted 1 April 2019, 10:29 p.m. Suggest removal
Bobsyeruncle says...
Birdie, you really were a waste of your fathers sperm !
You have never, to my knowledge, ever contributed anything positive to this Board. Just a constant spew of anti-FNM political statements. Even when the PLP were in government, your comments were still directed at the FNM and never about your support of the PLP and why their policies were better for the people and the country.
At least Tal (if you can decipher his anti-FNM gibberish) and others who have a strong political leaning towards either party, attempt to support their political stance with reasoning, sound opinion and sometimes facts.
Try adding some substance and reason to your comments, then maybe others on this board will start to listen, take you seriously and show you some respect. Otherwise you will just continue to lead the sad excuse for a life that most on this board seem to think you currently live.
Posted 1 April 2019, 7:39 p.m. Suggest removal
thegreenbstrd says...
Considering the ship has a displacement of approx. 100,000 tonnes and the dock is rated for 82,500 tonnes it seems to me that this should have been expected.
Posted 1 April 2019, 5:41 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
ODDER
Posted 2 April 2019, 3:48 a.m. Suggest removal
John says...
The docks don’t usually hold all the weight of the ships. The hull is usually resting on solid ground and the cranes used to prop the ship and keep it from tilting. So maybe this was human error and the weight of the hull was not fully released off the cranes and dock
Posted 2 April 2019, 4:06 a.m. Suggest removal
BMW says...
You dont have a clue how the dry dock works! Resting on solid ground, cranes used to prop up boat?? Pretty dumb observation. LMAO
Posted 2 April 2019, 5:41 a.m. Suggest removal
BMW says...
Rests on solid ground? Cranes used to prop the ship? Really an uneducated statement, you have no idea how the dry dock works. LMAO
Posted 2 April 2019, 6:59 a.m. Suggest removal
proudloudandfnm says...
John lol. The cranes are used to load cargo. Lol. Where do you get yout info? Lol....
And yes the DD holds all the weight. They do not rest on solid ground. They float taking the ship out of the water...
Posted 2 April 2019, 12:32 p.m. Suggest removal
proudloudandfnm says...
John. Lol... The cranes are for lifting cargo. Lol. The dry docks do not sit on solid ground they float to to the surface taking the ship out of the water. Lol. Where do you get your theories? Say the cranes hold the ship. Lol....
Posted 2 April 2019, 12:41 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
What a welcome to Grand Bahama for Royal Caribbean, owner of the ship and now intended purchaser of the Lucayan Hotel. Did they also negotiate with Hutcherson Wampoa before the government got involved in the sale? You know conspiracy has to have a theory.
Posted 1 April 2019, 5:54 p.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Chinese revenge!!!!!!!!! ............. Conspiracy??????? ............ Facts!!!!!!!!
Posted 1 April 2019, 5:59 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
ODD. It's not the first time they attempted this right?
Posted 1 April 2019, 6:51 p.m. Suggest removal
paul_vincent_zecchino says...
Chicoms up to their usual tricks.
"Use capitalism to build communism to destroy the West."
- Official China State Policy
Posted 1 April 2019, 10:31 p.m. Suggest removal
realfreethinker says...
Such bullshit. The chinese have nothing to do with the shipyard.
Posted 2 April 2019, 8:35 a.m. Suggest removal
Well_mudda_take_sic says...
Not true!
Posted 2 April 2019, 11:50 a.m. Suggest removal
The_Oracle says...
RC are 40% owners of the ship yard also.
Posted 2 April 2019, 8:54 a.m. Suggest removal
ashley14 says...
Accidents happen. That’s why it’s called a accident, otherwise they would be called purposes.
Posted 2 April 2019, 9:19 a.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
Yeah they do, but this would be odd if @thegreen is correct, they imply that the lift shouldn't have even been attempted. It would then fall into the category of foul up.
Posted 2 April 2019, 9:58 a.m. Suggest removal
ashley14 says...
Could be, some accidents are from negligence. I’m sure it will be investigated even if they never admit fault. Which sets them up for law suits. People start seeing $$$ signs.
Posted 2 April 2019, 10:09 a.m. Suggest removal
Damifiknow says...
Looks like they maintain Equiptment at the ship yard like the generators at Clifton pier
Posted 2 April 2019, 11:40 a.m. Suggest removal
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