Cruise Ship Splendor Towed to Port of San Diego Marine Terminal

Thursday, 18 November 2010
Contact: Ronald W. Powell (619) 400-4789, (619) 665-2815; John Gilmore (619) 341-5684

The Carnival Cruise Ship Splendor is now docked for repairs at the Port of San Diego's Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. It was towed from the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal on Thursday, Nov. 18.

The ship was moved roughly 2.5 miles south through San Diego Bay by four tug boats beginning at around 10 a.m. Two higher-horse powered tugs were dispatched from Los Angeles, accompanied by two local tug boats.

The 14 lines securing the ship at B Street were untied by longshoremen. The four tugs then tied up to the vessel and maneuvered the 113,000-ton ship toward the middle of the bay.

Capt. Phil Ryan, a pilot from the San Diego Pilots Association, took command of the ship. Because of their familiarity with the channel, pilots, rather than a ship's captain, are in charge of bringing a ship to a berth.

Once the ship was secure at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal berth, the port pilot turned the ship back to the Splendor's Captain.

The entire process took about two-and-a-half hours.

Port and Carnival officials said the ship is being relocated because it will require major repairs that are better accommodated in a water-side industrial facility rather than at a passenger cruise ship terminal.

"The industrial shipyard resources, equipment and shipyard staff are more accessible from the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, which is part of the working waterfront area of the port," said Joel Valenzuela, the Port's Director Maritime Operations, who oversees the Port's two cargo terminals at Tenth Avenue and National City and the cruise ship terminals.

The Splendor's height also made it impossible for the vessel to access the shipyards.

"The ship is 215 feet in height and the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge is 200 feet. All of the major shipyards are south of the bridge, so that is why it is here at the Terminal," Valenzuela said.

The Splendor is expected to be at the terminal for several weeks while repairs are underway. Carnival has canceled cruises on the ship through mid January.

"It's really a testament of how San Diego came together – including the Port of San Diego to assist an important customer, Carnival Cruise Lines, – for our region," Valenzuela said.

The terminal is primary a cargo terminal, so the Port is working with its customer base to coordinate shipments of goods and space allocation for imports while the Splendor is under repair.