A cargo crane was hit and damaged by the vessel, and one of the lifeboats on the port side of the ship separated and fell into the water. The accident and damage to the pier and the vessel are being investigated by the port authorities.

A statement was issued by Costa Cruises stating that there was no structural damage to the hull of the ship and that the lifeboat was recovered immediately after the crash.

The weather conditions were fine, according to the authorities, and the coast guard excluded this as the cause of the accident. Fortunately, on board the ship and on the dock, no one was killed.

"Costa Cruises confirms that the Costa Smeralda hit a land crane in zone 16 of the port of Savona while calling for the quay this morning. Although there was no structural damage to the ship's hull, the contact caused a lifeboat to fall into the sea (due to a winch failure) and resultant damage to the lifeboat. The lifeboat was recovered immediately, and initial checks revealed no further damage to the ship's structure," company announced.

Maritime Business World