Rogue Wave Strikes Cruise Ship, Killing One and Injuring 4 Others The New York Times

Table Of Content

• What is the relationship between a cruise ship's speed and its ability to handle waves?
• Design features that help cruise ships handle big waves
• What factors contribute to a cruise ship's ability to handle waves?
• At what point do waves become too big for cruise ships?
• Wave height and its impact on cruise ship stability
• Site Information Navigation

Operators of cruise ships take a number of precautions to avoid waves that are too big. First, they monitor weather conditions and steer the ship away from areas where large waves are expected. Second, they use onboard radar to identify areas of high wave activity and avoid them. Finally, they keep a watchful eye on the ship's position relative to nearby waves and take evasive action if necessary.

What is the relationship between a cruise ship's speed and its ability to handle waves?

The vessel carrying 266 passengers and 131 crew suffered shattered windows on its bridge when it encountered a powerful storm in the North Sea late Thursday, Danish authorities said. Large waves, the direction they are coming from can have a major impact on the ship. If the waves are coming from the side, they can cause the ship to tip over.

Design features that help cruise ships handle big waves

By considering these factors, cruise ship operators can make informed decisions to ensure the safety and stability of their vessels. Modern technologies and advanced navigation systems enable them to navigate through various conditions while prioritizing passenger safety. Of course, just because a ship can handle a particular size wave doesn't mean that it will be a pleasant experience for passengers. That's why most cruise ships avoid sailing in waves that are taller than about 10 feet (3 meters). When waves are that big, they can cause the ship to rock and roll, which can make passengers feel seasick.

What factors contribute to a cruise ship's ability to handle waves?

Watch: Massive rogue wave batters cruise ship in North Sea - Fox Weather

Watch: Massive rogue wave batters cruise ship in North Sea.

Posted: Sun, 24 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. We make sure cruisers are fully prepared for their cruise vacation with tips on ships and ports.Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world. For most storms, the command center will try to move the ship to a better weather location. Yet, there are situations where the cruise ship may not have a choice other than going through the rough weather, such as when it’s crossing the North Atlantic during the fall. In these instances, the ship will attempt to find a calm patch of sea.

This usually happens in circumstances where there is not a deep-water dock and guests need to board a smaller tender ship to arrive on shore. Reuters reported that the ship was being towed to Bremerhafen in Germany after the power outage. A spokesperson for the Danish Joint Rescue Coordination Centre told the news agency that a ship from civil rescue firm Esvagt had managed to connect a tow line to the MS Maud. Things were crashing all around us and the carpet on my side of the bed was soaked (because) water came in thru our balcony door,” passenger Goodwin Sherbert wrote on Facebook. Several passengers, including Brenda Goodwin Sherbert, posted on social media about broken glass on the ship.

Rogue Wave Strikes Cruise Ship, Killing a Passenger and Injuring 4 Others

See the Harrowing Footage of a Massive Wave Slamming into a Cruise Ship - 24/7 Wall St.

See the Harrowing Footage of a Massive Wave Slamming into a Cruise Ship.

Posted: Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Most modern cruise ships are designed to withstand waves up to 25 feet (7.6 m) high. These ships usually have double hulls and watertight compartments that help to stabilize the ship and limit the amount of water that can enter if the hull is breached. Is a cruise ship's speed the primary determinant of its ability to handle waves, or is its size and weight the primary determinant? While a ship's speed is certainly important, its size and weight are also important factors. A Norwegian cruise ship with more than 250 passengers on board lost power on Thursday, Dec. 21, after the vessel encountered a rogue wave during a storm, the cruise company HX said.

Through meticulous design, advanced technology, and rigorous safety protocols, cruise ships are built to maintain stability and ensure passenger safety in a wide range of sea conditions. Factors such as hull design, stabilizer systems, and weight distribution all contribute to a ship’s ability to handle big waves and provide a comfortable journey for passengers. While cruise ships are designed to handle big waves, there have been instances where vessels have encountered exceptionally rough sea conditions. These case studies highlight the resilience of modern cruise ships and the measures taken to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. Although cruise ships are designed to handle a wide range of wave heights, there are limits to what they can safely endure.

Wave height and its impact on cruise ship stability

Through this process, the wind creates a chaotic situation where waves of different dimensions and directions coexist. Wind prompts ocean waves to grow progressively higher, longer and faster. When waves go faster than wind, they stop being accelerated by it and reach a “mature” stage of full development.

None of the 266 passengers or 131 crew members were seriously injured, HX said. He said he's not going to let the frightening experience stop him from going on more cruises in the future. "Myself being in emergency services and retired, I knew nobody was going to come and rescue us with winds over 40 knots," Overcash said.

But the ocean is dynamic, so conditions are rarely consistent for long – making it less likely for rogue waves to occur. The overlap of waves may be minimal or non-existent even during prolonged and intense storms. Advanced weather stations provide excellent communication to each cruise ship in a fleet so they know what to expect. They will also help the captain and crew successfully navigate away from potentially bad weather using a variety of methods. When there is a full capacity of passengers, plus the crew, the weight will allow it to easily roll with the high seas and high winds. Often, when there are rough seas or storms ahead, the captain charts another course around the weather so that they avoid the rough water altogether.

-- A storm with 40-foot waves battered the cruise ship Carnival Sunshine late Friday night, breaking glass, causing water to pour into the ship and terrifying passengers. “Following ongoing safety checks and technical assessments, given the weather conditions, we decided to amend the planned sailing route. Across the fleet, there are thorough operational protocols in place and we always prioritize the safety of those onboard,” HX said. The rogue wave shattered windows on the ship's bridge, which caused water to enter the vessel and resulted in a power outage, Reuters reported. Passengers aboard the Carnival Sunshine described shattered glass, water pouring into rooms and hallways, the ship pitching about and a lack of communication from cruise staff.

Waveheight is measured from the trough (the lowest point between two waves) to the crest (the highest point of a wave). The WSL is typically between 15 and 25 feet (4.6 to 7.6 meters) for most ships, although some vessels are designed to handle larger waves. Our recent observations show that unique sea conditions with rogue waves can arise during the “young” stage – when waves are particularly responsive to the wind. This testing included putting scale models of the cruise ship through storm simulations to see how it holds up. These ships are designed to handle all types of storms, even hurricanes.

On Thursday, high winds also grounded flights in parts of the U.K., suspended train services and stopped Scottish ferries. "An Esvagt ship is towing it slowly towards Bremerhafen in Germany at around 8-9 knots," the spokesperson told Reuters. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. Passenger William B. Blackburn, aboard for his first cruise with his wife and other family members, told CNN they stayed in their cabin and prayed they would be OK. She has previously written for outlets including PIX11 News, The New York Daily News, Inside Edition and DNAinfo.

It’s not uncommon for a cruise ship to routinely travel through areas with waves of 10, or 15 feet, and large, modern cruise ships handle waves like this without incident. On the other hand, it could be argued that a cruise ship's size and weight are the primary determinants of its ability to handle waves. After all, the bigger and heavier a ship is, the more likely it is to be able to withstand the force of a wave.

If the wave field possesses an extreme amount of energy – when waves are steep and most of them have a similar amplitude, length and direction – another mechanism can trigger the formation of rogue waves. During typhoon and hurricane seasons (from June to November), Van Fleet is at Royal Caribbean’s Miami headquarters monitoring their 25-foot weather wall screens. He shares information with its 26 cruise ships plus the executive team.