Cruise Ship Detained in NYC for Cracked Hull, Safety Violations

It was déjà vu in New York Harbor last week, when a ship operated by Japan-based Peace Boat was detained by the U.S. Coast Guard for hull damage and safety violations.

Las t week, the Oceanic was found to have a small crack in its hull when it entered New York Harbor. The ship’s passengers disembarked and were placed in hotels.

Almost exactly one year ago, the Coast Guard detained the Clipper Pacific for hull damage and 66 other violations. At the time, the ship was under charter with Peace Boat, a nonprofit that promotes peace, human rights and responsible travel.

The 782-foot Oceanic was carrying 848 passengers and crew on its way from Reykjavik, Iceland, to Venezuela. The ship sailed for Pullmantur until March of this year, when it was sold to Peace Boat.

The Coast Guard said the Oceanic sustained damage prior to arrival in New York. The small crack, discovered during a routine inspection, is leaking approximately one gallon of water per hour into the vessel. A further investigation found there were 16 other violations on the ship, including lifesaving, firefighting and safety deficiencies.