The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard:
(SAN DIEGO) — The cruise ship Carnival Splendor is scheduled to depart San Diego under its own power and head for dry dock in San Francisco Jan 19th, 2011.
Carnival Splendor has been undergoing repairs for a fire that broke out in the engine room during the south bound leg of a Mexican cruise on Nov. 9, 2010. Repairs to the damaged components in the engine room have been ongoing since early November under the close supervision and direction of representatives of the cruise ship’s flag state of Panama, and Carnival’s own technical staff. Coast Guard inspectors from San Diego and San Francisco have been overseeing this process.
“The level of diligence and cooperation that Carnival exhibited during this repair period, and the degree to which ship’s crew engaged with the Coast Guard at every step of the process were exemplary; they’ve clearly shown that safety has been their number one objective,†said Lt. Ken Morton, Sector San Diego Chief of Inspections.
The Splendor will be accompanied by two tugs during its multi-day voyage north.
The Captain of the Port, Coast Guard Capt. Tom Farris, has granted permission for the cruise ship to get underway, and has stipulated that the vessel’s movement takes place in the San Diego Channel during daylight hours.
“Splendor’s departure marks an end to what was an extraordinarily cooperative effort by the Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Port of San Diego, and various other port partners,” Farris said. “Events such as this are rare, and all parties involved are working intensely to ensure they capitalize on every opportunity to make them even more so.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
