Spirit of Discovery Propulsion Failure: Lessons Learned from Bay of Biscay Incident

A recent investigation by the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has revealed critical safety issues surrounding a 2023 incident aboard the cruise ship Spirit of Discovery. The vessel experienced a loss of propulsion during a severe storm in the Bay of Biscay, resulting in over 100 passenger injuries and, tragically, one fatality. The MAIB report outlines steps taken to address these issues and proposes recommendations for the cruise industry to prevent similar occurrences.

Incident Overview

On November 4, 2023, shortly after 12:30 PM, the Spirit of Discovery lost propulsion while crossing the Bay of Biscay in challenging weather conditions [1]. The ship, operated by Saga Cruises, was on a two-week cruise to the Canary Islands from the UK, carrying 943 passengers, all aged 50 or older, with an average age of nearly 79 [2].

Sequence of Events

The captain and shore team were aware of impending heavy weather as early as October 29, 2023, and initially planned to cancel a port call in A Coruña, Spain, and proceed there before heading to Portsmouth, UK. However, the closure of the Spanish port led to a decision to proceed directly to the UK, placing the ship directly in the path of the storm [2].

As the ship entered the Bay of Biscay around 8:00 AM on November 4, it encountered storm force 10 winds and incredibly rough seas. By midday, winds were between force 8 and 9, with the ship making approximately 16 knots. At 12:30 PM, alarms sounded indicating water leakage and propeller overspeed in the port propulsion pod, leading to its automatic shutdown and rotation 90 degrees inboard, severely limiting maneuverability. Shortly after, at 12:36 PM, the starboard pod experienced the same issues and shut down [3].

Engineers were able to restart the starboard pod at 12:45 PM, but intermittent overspeed shutdowns continued for both pods throughout the day and into the following morning, requiring repeated restarts. The weather deteriorated further, reaching hurricane force 12 before subsiding early on November 5.

The incident occurred during meal service, and passengers were advised to remain in their cabins. Despite this, 115 passengers were injured. An 85-year-old man suffered serious injuries after falling from his chair and experiencing a delay in receiving appropriate medical care. He later died in a hospital four days after docking in the UK. Seven other passengers were as well hospitalized [4].

Key Safety Issues Identified

The MAIB investigation identified several contributing factors to the incident:

• Propulsion System Failure: The vessel lost propulsion due to violent motion causing propeller exposure, overspeed, and automatic shutdown [3].
• Unexpected Pod Parking: The unexpected parking of both propulsion pods at 90 degrees to the vessel’s heading exacerbated the loss of control.
• Decision-Making Concerns: The decision to cross the Bay of Biscay was not effectively challenged by the crew or operational teams ashore [4].
• Mass Casualty Plan Shortcomings: The lack of implementation of the mass casualty incident plan overstretched the medical team.
• Delayed Medical Care: A delay in identifying a passenger’s spinal injury led to suboptimal treatment.

Recommendations and Actions Taken

The MAIB has made several recommendations, including:

• Proposals to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Norwegian authority to require electronic inclinometers on international carriage vessels.
• Recommendations to vessel classification societies to improve the quality of instruction manuals [3].
• A customer advice note from the propulsion manufacturer to owners of vessels with similar pod systems.

Saga Cruises has taken swift action to enhance policies and procedures, while Meyer Werft has created additional seakeeping and maneuvering decision information. Lloyd’s Register has also placed limits on the ship’s class certificates until the overspeed and water leakage issues are resolved [2].

“While cruising remains safe and accidents rare, Spirit of Discovery’s violent motion in heavy weather caused injury to over 100 passengers and, very sadly, one passenger lost their life as a result of injuries sustained,” said Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Rob Loder [1].