Either the Captain or Pilot is in Trouble !

[DotDun]

According the this article....

The Freeport News - MSC Poesia runs aground; Tourists still receive warm Bahamian welcome

There was a Bahamian Port Pilot on the bridge at the time!

[Astrid]

Am I missing something; how can a vessel which draws 26ft of water dock in water only 14ft deep at low tide? According to the Freeport tide tables, the tide was coming in and was almost at the high tide mark, which would put it at 17ft, and that is 9ft too shallow for a 26ft draft vessel. Navigation must have been off since charts show a harbour channel and basin with 47--32 feet at low water and an off shore anchorage. I am presuming a vessel of 90,000 tons and almost 1000 feet long would have to use the offshore anchorage and ferry passengers ashore? The bottom geology is sand over limestone and coral rock.

[David M]

If this is a cruise port with large cruise ships that visit it periodically then the harbor entrance would have to be well over 14 feet at its shallowest point.

I think this is at the root of the confusion. Is this port used by large cruise ships?

I think the Queen Mary 2 is a nice looking cruise ship, which is an exception to what we normally see.

[Astrid]

The harbour facilities seem to be mostly for container ships with off shore jettys for super tankers, but apparently large cruise ships are accommodated as well.

It would appear even the big boys can dock at Freeport, and that the channel is wide enough and deep enough for them.

http://travel.usatoday.com/alliance/...dated/136458/1