Cruise Ship Damaged as It Hits Containership Departing Bremerhaven
The German cruise ship Mein Schiff 3 and one of MSC’s large containerships sustained significant damage as the cruise ship was attempting to depart Bremerhaven late Sunday afternoon bound for the Canary Islands on a three-week cruise. Police reports cite strong winds from a storm, and the authorities have detained the ships as part of an ongoing investigation.
According to the media reports, the Mein Schiff 3 (99,526 gross tons) had 2,428 passengers and 922 crew aboard as it was departing. The cruise ship, registered in Malta and operated by TUI Cruises, is 293 meters (961 feet) in length and was built in 2014.
The ship reportedly held off the pier in Bremerhaven after its departure at 5:10 p.m. before starting its exit from the harbor. Images show tugs alongside and a heavy swell in the harbor.
GERMANY: CRUISE SHIP CRASHES INTO CONTAINER VESSEL TUI Cruises’ 293-metre Mein Schiff 3 slammed into the docked container ship MSC Victorine in Bremerhaven on Sunday evening. Strong winds pushed the liner sideways despite tugboat assistance, reportedly tearing a 10-metre hole in the container ship’s hull. Several lifeboats were damaged. No injuries reported, but passengers’ 20-day voyage is now in chaos.
— Subodh Kumar (@kumarsubodh_) October 26, 2026
Mein Schiff 3 was passing alongside the smaller MSC feeder MSC Anne F (11,800 dwt), and a tug can be seen pushing the cruise ship away from the docked containership. It is unclear if the MSC Anne F was hit, although the police statement references “minor damage” to the 964 TEU vessel. Registered in Portugal, it had arrived in Bremerhaven on October 24 from Tangier.
Next tugs can be seen frantically working as the cruise ship approaches the larger MSC Victorine (203,855 dwt), which had been on dock since October 24. The bridge wing of the cruise ship appears to have made first contact, clipping the container stacks and then the port stern corner of the 366-meter (1,210-foot) containership. The cruise ship continued forward, with reports saying at least four lifeboats/tenders were destroyed. The cruise ship also sustained hull damage.
MSC Victorine is reported to have an approximately 10-meter-long gash in its hull above the waterline. The container guides were also deformed during the allision.
There were no reports of injuries to the passengers or the crew aboard any of the vessels. The police also reported there was no water ingress.
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The cruise ship returned to its dock, and the captain told passengers they would remain aboard overnight, inviting them to enjoy the bars and lounges. Today, TUI Cruises issued a statement reporting that technical teams had inspected Mein Schiff 3 and that the “damage discovered necessitates urgent repairs at a shipyard.” Obviously, the current cruise has been canceled, and the company is saying it will have to determine what happens for the later scheduled trips.
The police, water police department, and the port authority are investigating the circumstances. It is not yet known if the ship had a pilot aboard. Questions are also being raised about the wind strength and whether the port should have been closed.
