Empress of the North in Trouble

CNN reports that she's sinking, but that may just be media hype -

Read here

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18654864/

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/05/14/alaska.ship.ap/index.html

Carmen

Off Yahoo News...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070514/ap_on_re_us/cruise_ship_aground

That'll hurt sales...

And some more

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,272033,00.html

http://www.wesh.com/news/13312950/detail.html

And read cruisecritic.com

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=102

According to the post there the Empress of the Seas is already sinking :-).

Carmen

One more

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/14/national/main2796815.shtml

Carmen

And here´s the original AP story

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CRUISE_SHIP_AGROUND?SITE=VACUL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Carmen

Just watched a video interview on MSNBC, a telephone interview with a Coast Guard officier at the scene. According to the Coast Guard the abandon ship order has been given and passengers and crew are in the process of being evacuated. The boat IS taking on water and the list has increased to what was reported as 8 degrees.

Doesn't sound too good...

On this board, we have a wealth of expertise the on Mississippi River system and navigation here, etc. Does anyone on this board know anything about the waters of Alaska and the Columbia? This is not the first grounding of one of these vessels. Are the channels well marked in these waters? I know first-class pilotage is no longer required, but do they have posted pilots there, as they do (or should) in the Mississippi System waters? Do the channels shift out there? Are they using autopilot? Whilethe boats can and sometimes do run aground on the Miss. System, it seems it is usually with less damage and consequence. Please enlighten us, if anyone knows!

Bay area news reported, "In the process of sinking" and mentioned first priority is taking care of the passengers, then mitigating any enviromental damage the sinking might cause. Majestic was mentioned as the owner too!
Hmm, maybe having your name plastered on your boats isn't a good idea? This was at 6:31 am.
S'
David D.

Steamboating colleagues:
Just got wind of the EMPRESS OF THE NORTH 'situation' off Juneau in Alaska. Thanks to Carmen for the 'links' provided here. I'm no 'expert' in any way, shape or fashion but have spent 30 days on various passenger ships in Alaskan waters in past years. Yes, Bob, the ships do have extra pilots brought in for navigation of the channels and sounds in those waters. Instruments are used with crew posted on bows, stern to observe over the side, ahead and astern. In the glacial fjords even the local authorities along with the U.S. National Park Service post people to observe the ships, give presentations to passengers and survey for possible environmental issues. Lots of rocks, bars etc., but don't know about the 'shifting' conditions as we experience on our rivers here. It was interesting watching/listening to the local pilots pacing from one side of the ship's bridge to the other watching and singing out compas settings to the quarter master at the helm. The ships turn and maneuver constantly in the narrower channels.

My concern, though, is for the high rise and fall of the tides in those regions. Extreme reaches of the northern/southern hemispheres are subject to high tides similar to the Bay of Fundy--expecially where the channels and inlets shallow out or narrow at the head. The maritime climate there is subject to much rain, mist and fog. The Gulf of Alaska is one of the roughest stretches of water to steam on and I've been down more than once with mal de mere.

I will watch the news closely and wish the EMPRESS all the best in my prayers.

Cheers,
R. Dale Flick

Brisbane Times Passengers on Alaskan ship evacuated

Since it is clear that no one is in peril, I want to present something for you to think about, how would this be possible?

The ship was listing at about 8 degrees after hitting a rock but Dan Miller, a spokesman for owner Majestic America, told Fox News it was not in danger of sinking.

"It is stable and is under its own power and as soon as all the guests and crew are transferred off, she will make her way under her own power over to Juneau where we will assess the damage," Miller said.

BBC World News just reported that the EMPRESS obviously is no longer taking on water and will be able to go to Juneau on her own power.

CNN is now reporting that 33 of its 75 crew members stayed on board for the trip.

So they didn't remove all 75. I couldn't figure out how the boat would move under its own power with all 75 gone.

Bob: I can't tell you anything about the current requirements for pilots, etc., but I'll pass on what happened to us about 15 years ago. We were taking the "Alaska Marine Highway" (big ferries - ships, not boats) from Ketchikan to Juneau. At one of the stops we made (I think it was Wrangell) we arrived around 10 or 11 at night. (Still somewhat daylight). Instead of being there for just long enough to unload/load, they told us that we would stay there for 2 or 3 hours, because of the changing tide. The channel we had to leave through was too treacherous with the strong currents and shallows. After that 2 or 3 hours, the current wouldn't be as strong, so it would be safe to go. So, yes, things can get pretty nasty there, and whoever is running things, be it the Capt. or the pilot, really has to know what he is doing.

Official statement by MAL

http://www.majesticamericaline.com/cms/Files/UPDATED%20Statement%20-%205%2014%2007_3.pdf

Carmen

It doesn't look as if investors like what they see either. The high for Ambassadors International stock today was above $35.00 and now it's slightly above $33.00.

Thanks, Dale, Jim & Bruce. I understand about tides and tidal currents, and also the need for timing when navigating those reaches; we deal with the same thing along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Probably none of us here an speculate whether that was or was not the cause of this latest incident. Is this in International Waters? Are shoals/rocks/bars marked with buoys? Are the boats going to places that would not normally be considered "navigable"? (and just because a place is not in the regular channel does not mean it cannot be navigated).

As we have discussed here before, every situation has its own hazards and tricks, and what one person can do in one place does not mean he/she can transfer that skill to another situation in another place without special knowledge and/or training. Just trying to understand the situation.

My Mate just returned from Alaskan waters, and he says the Inside Passage is considered "Inland" for sake of licensing. Those waters are well-buoyed with sufficient navigational aids like we are used to down here on the Lower 48. The tides, though, run 15-18 feet through some of those waters, depending upon where you're at, of course.

Thankfully no one was injured and the boat looks like it's been saved. The designer of the EoN also designed our's, and much of what is good on the "G-2" is evident in the design of the EMPRESS.

I was just on the Empress for the repositioning cruise up to Alaska and it was a wonderful trip. I am so sad to hear of this morning's troubles. I hope that everyone will be sending their positive thoughts and prayers to the Empress, especially to the crew, today. I know that I am. Good steamboat friends like Toots Maloy, Norman Bergan, Eric Hadley and Phil Westbrook were aboard, along with many crew members that I got to know well this last week...all of them some of the nicest crew I have ever encountered on the boats. The most important thing is that no one was hurt. For that I am so thankful.

Let's all send those good vibes for a quick recovery for the Empress, a beautiful riverboat with a terrific crew!

Sincerely,
Laura Sable

Latest News

Here are some more news coverages

http://www.kcbs.com/topic/ap_news.php?story=AP/APTV/National/a/a/CruiseShipAground-Opt_a_a_----- (first passenger account)

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/05/14/alaska.ship/ (plus video)

http://test.denverpost.com/lacrosse/ci_5892862

http://www.thenewstribune.com/886/story/61861.html (another passenger account)

http://video.ap.org/v/en-ap/v.htm?g=9191A09A-5264-4908-9B44-7BC8546B1941&t=s60&p=enapus_enapus& (AP video)

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/8883881p-8784093c.html

Carmen

And another one

http://www.modernagent.com/Resources/Editorial.aspx?n=25360

with lots of new information.

Carmen

Thank you, Carmen, for finding all these sites and keeping us posted!

One thing that has struck me as I have had a chance to read these threads and think about this situation is that it points up the value of crew training, drills, and modern construction techniques and good communications, etc. We often get irritated with the USCG for their strict rules, yet this incident shows that with with strict construction and licensing rules in place and drills for all crew, etc., the system works as it's supposed to.

When the DQ was involved in a collision below Upper 9 Mile Point in NOLA harbor in about 1977, I was very impressed (as a crew member) how smoothly things went....from the time of first impact at around 8:00 pm to being landed with 2 lines out, ready to disembark passengers and crew, was about 10 or 12 minutes. The entire crew went to their stations and calmly performed their duties, just as we would always do during drills. It was amazing. I'm sure the same calm efficiency prevailed during this incident.

While no one wants or expects to be involved in an accident, isn't it nice to know things go as intended, and that safety really is paramount?

Notice how quickly this became a non-news event? No sinking, no deaths, ho hum, what else can we dig up?
From reading the reports, it appears the greatest danger to the boat was as she was stuck on the "rocks" causing her to list. Once she floated free, I think most of the danger had passed. To quote one report, "The Coast Guard is trying to assess the damage, but because the ship has a double-hull design, it is in no danger of sinking and the bilge pumps are keeping up."
This same report indicated hull damage and damage to one empty fuel tank. Will be interesting to find out how much damage and how long to repair.
Off to work, two days to go to our DQ trip!!
S'
David D.

Laura, I'm glad to know you're still with the company. Although most of our trips are now on the Delta Queen we so enjoyed your singing when we were on the MQ for a couple of trips.
We were fortunate to sail on the Empress of the North last May and join you in wishing the very best for her and her crew.
Hope to hear your lovely voice again someday.

Ginnie Rhynders