Coast Guard Detains MSC Poesia at Port of Miami for Inspection
Entered service in April 2008, MSC Poesia can accommodate up to 3,223 passengers; MSC Cruises lists more than 1,000 crew members, though the number aboard was unclear.
MSC Poesia remained detained with passengers aboard at the Port of Miami on Monday, November 2, 2026, while the U.S. Coast Guard inspected the vessel. The agency’s Miami sector detained the ship on Sunday, putting its departure and itinerary on hold.
The 92,627-gross-ton ship, which entered service in April 2008, can accommodate up to 3,223 passengers. MSC Cruises also lists more than 1,000 crew members, although the actual number of passengers and crew aboard the delayed sailing was unclear.
In a statement to CBS News, the Coast Guard said its teams “are verifying the cruise ship’s compliance with international standards and U.S. regulations.” The statement did not identify specific deficiencies.
MSC confirmed the inspection. “We are fully cooperating with authorities as they complete their inspection,” the company said in its statement to CBS News. It declined to provide further details while the process was ongoing.
The operator said it was updating guests about the anticipated departure, but did not provide a revised sailing time. Neither MSC nor the Coast Guard said how the delay would affect subsequent port calls.
The Coast Guard said passenger, crew, vessel and environmental safety were the Captain of the Port’s priorities. Neither organization named an official or executive in its statement.
How Coast Guard detentions work
The Coast Guard’s port-state-control program examines foreign-flagged vessels operating in U.S. waters for compliance with international maritime conventions and U.S. requirements. Those examinations can extend beyond documentation to the condition of equipment, onboard procedures and crew compliance.
Inspectors may review lifesaving appliances, firefighting arrangements, navigation equipment and machinery, as well as pollution-prevention systems and vessel security. The Coast Guard has not specified which of those areas are involved in the inspection aboard MSC Poesia.
Under the program, serious deficiencies can trigger corrective-action requirements and operational restrictions, including detention until a vessel meets the applicable standards. The agency’s statement about this ship did not describe any required repairs or other corrective measures.
The Coast Guard uses risk-based targeting to select vessels for examination, considering factors that include previous deficiencies, detention records and ship-management history. Its statement did not identify what prompted this inspection.
The agency’s 2025 port-state-control annual report recorded 8,999 SOLAS safety examinations and 78 detentions, with a reported detention ratio of 0.86%.
