Which Norwegian Cruise Ship Ran Aground?

By Robert Palmer

On March 25, 2020, the Norwegian Cruise Line’s cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen, ran aground off the coast of Norway. The accident occurred during a routine navigation test and was believed to have been caused by a combination of strong winds and shallow waters. No one was injured in the incident and the ship was able to make it back to port safely.

The Roald Amundsen is a hybrid-powered cruise ship that runs on electric motors as well as traditional diesel engines. It is operated by the Norwegian Cruise Line and is one of their largest ships with a total capacity of about 2,400 passengers. The cruise line operates several other ships including the MS Kong Harald, MS Fridtjof Nansen and MS Vesteraalen.

The incident occurred around 7:30 pm local time when strong winds pushed the Roald Amundsen towards shallow waters near Sandnessjoen in Norway’s Helgeland region. The ship had just left its dock at Sandnessjoen for a routine navigational exercise but was unable to turn away from the shallow waters due to its momentum.

The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) launched an investigation into the incident and found that strong winds were likely responsible for pushing the ship towards shallow waters. The NMA also noted that poor navigational practices may have contributed to the incident.

The NMA has since implemented new safety protocols for all Norwegian Cruise Lines vessels. These protocols include increased safety training for all crew members, improved navigation systems and increased vigilance during routine navigation tests.

Conclusion: The Norwegian Cruise Line’s MS Roald Amundsen ran aground off the coast of Norway on March 25th, 2020 while undertaking a routine navigational test. The accident was believed to have been caused by strong winds combined with shallow waters and no one was injured in the incident. Following an investigation by the Norwegian Maritime Authority, new safety protocols have been put in place for all Norwegian Cruise Lines vessels in order to prevent similar incidents from occurring again in future.