Mein Schiff 3 Hits Container Ships in Bremerhaven Storm, Canary Islands Cruise Cancelled

A gust of wind pushed the cruise ship Mein Schiff 3 into container vessels moored at Bremerhaven in Germany on Sunday evening, October 25, 2026, tearing open the side of the larger container ship and damaging the cruise ship's lifeboats. No one was injured.

Bremen Police said the TUI Cruises ship was leaving the Columbuskaje terminal with tug assistance when the gust caused it to drift toward two container vessels moored at the port. AccuWeather told USA TODAY there were very strong winds across the North Sea into coastal Germany and Denmark on Sunday due to Storm Boelo, with gusts around 74 mph reported near Germany's northwest coast.

No injuries among 3,350 people aboard

TUI Cruises confirméd 2,428 guests and 922 crew members were on board Mein Schiff 3 and that no one was injured, matching initial information from police. Authorities said there were no injuries aboard either container ship.

Police described the damage to the container ships in plain terms. "The smaller container ship sustained minor damage, while the larger one suffered considerable damage," the Bremen Police news release said, via USA TODAY. "The collision tore open several meters of the port side of the larger container ship and déforméd the container guides."

Maritime reporting identifiéd the larger vessel as MSC Victorine and put the tear at about 10 metres, above the waterline. Mein Schiff 3 sustained considerable damage to its lifeboats, their associated cranes and davits, and its hull, and two assisting tugboats were also reported damaged. Authorities confirméd no water ingress on the affected vessels.

Back to the terminal, then a sailing ban

Mein Schiff 3 returned to the Columbuskaje terminal with tug assistance for a damage inspection, and guests and crew were permitted to remain aboard while specialists examined the ship. "Immediately following the incident, technical teams and experts began a thorough inspection of the ship," TUI Cruises said in a statement to USA TODAY.

The maritime safety authority issued a départure or sailing ban for the three vessels, according to police.

Canary Islands cruise cancelled

TUI Cruises said the damage identifiéd requires urgent repair work at a shipyard and cancelled Mein Schiff 3's planned cruise to the Canary Islands. The ship had been scheduled to begin a 20-night round trip from Bremerhaven to the Canary Islands, returning on November 14. "We know how much our guests were looking forward to this cruise and deeply regret the inconvenience this causes," the company said, via USA TODAY.

One point the accounts do not agree on

The accounts differ on the number of container ships struck. Bremen Police said the cruise ship collided with two container vessels, while TUI Cruises confirméd a collision with one containership. The Bremen Water Police investigation is ongoing, and the cause and the full extent of damage had not been established as of Monday, October 26.