Crewman Dies in Explosion aboard Emerald Princess

Princess Cruises A crewmember has died in an explosion aboard the cruise ship Emerald Princess in the early morning hours on February 9 while the vessel was alongside at Port Chalmers in New Zealand. The operator of the cruise ship, Sydney-based Princess Cruises, said that the first reports indicate that the incident happened during technical work on the hydraulic launching system on a tender vessel. We are working closely with local police and other authorities in assisting in their response and inquiries, a representative from Princess Cruises said. There were no further reports of injuries following the explosion. The company informed that the 2007-built Emerald Princess is currently on a 12-night round trip cruise from Sydney to destinations in New Zealand. AIS data provided by MarineTraffic shows that the 288-meter-long cruise ship is still moored at New Zealands Port Chalmers. World Maritime News Staff