AIDAperla Stays in Le Havre After Winds Snap Moorings
About five hundred passengers returning from shore excursions waited aboard buses after gangways fell into the harbor and tugs worked to secure the vessel.
Updated September 23, 2026
AIDA Cruises’ AIDAperla required hull repairs after strong winds pushed the ship from its moorings and into a pier in Le Havre on Sept. 8. AIDA said the repairs were ongoing and would require an extended stay at the French port, superseding plans for the ship to depart Thursday evening.
No injuries were reported.
The incident temporarily suspended passenger vessel movements at the port and disrupted the plans of about 500 AIDAperla passengers returning from shore excursions. They were unable to reboard and waited aboard buses while tugs secured the vessel and crews recovered gangways that had fallen into the harbor.
The 125,572-gross-ton AIDAperla entered service in 2017 and measures 300 meters long. AIDA Cruises is a Carnival Corporation brand. The ship carries 3,286 passengers at double occupancy and more than 4,300 at maximum capacity, with a crew of about 900. The number of passengers aboard the affected sailing was not available.
Strong winds pushed ship away from pier
AIDAperla docked in Le Havre on Tuesday morning, and passengers departed on excursions to Paris and other destinations. AIDA said “an unexpected storm front with strong winds struck” while the ship was docked during the afternoon.
Winds increased around 1 p.m. and continued through the afternoon. Sustained speeds ranged between 16 and 40 mph, with a maximum gust of about 60 mph, according to AccuWeather.
At about 4 p.m. local time, the wind pushed the ship away from the pier and its mooring lines snapped. The vessel drifted across the harbor before its stern contacted a concrete quay wall. Video recorded from TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 3 showed AIDAperla moving backward toward the berth.
Several tugs brought the ship back alongside and secured it by about 6:30 p.m. TUI Cruises also brought in additional tugs to keep Mein Schiff 3 secure during the high winds.
Itinerary adjusted for repairs
AIDAperla had departed Hamburg on Sept. 5 for a seven-night sailing. The planned circuit included Southampton, Le Havre, Zeebrugge and Rotterdam before returning to Hamburg.
Passengers were initially advised that the Zeebrugge and Rotterdam calls had been canceled and that the ship would sail directly to Hamburg after leaving Le Havre. The discovery of hull damage prevented the expected Thursday departure.
