Bermuda Assesses Heritage Wharf Damage After Cruise Ship Strike
Independence of the Seas, a Freedom-class vessel that entered service in 2008, carries 3,858 passengers at double occupancy and can exceed 4,500.
An investigation and structural assessment are under way at Bermuda’s Heritage Wharf after Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas struck the berth on September 14. The ship made contact while arriving in Dockyard.
A section of the wharf may have shifted by a few inches during the incident, which also damaged a pipe beneath the surface. Bermuda’s Ministry of Public Works is assessing the berth to establish the extent of the damage.
“Currently, there is no impact to shipping operations and vessel movements continue as normal,” a spokeswoman for the ministry said.
Independence of the Seas is a frequent visitor to Bermuda. The 339-metre, 154,407-gross-ton Freedom-class vessel entered service in 2008 and accommodates 3,858 passengers at double occupancy, with maximum capacity exceeding 4,500.
Heritage Wharf has undergone pier modifications to accommodate vessels approximately 1,100 feet long. The berth has also handled ships with capacity for about 5,000 passengers and 1,700 crew, including Norwegian Escape.
