AIDAperla Damaged in Le Havre Wind Incident
Strong winds caused the AIDAperla to break free from its berth in Le Havre, France, on September 8, 2026, striking the quay and cancelling its next port
The cruise ship AIDAperla broke free from its moorings and struck a quay wall in Le Havre, France, on September 8, 2026. The incident, caused by strong winds, led to the cancellation of the ship's scheduled call in Zeebrugge, Belgium.
Around 4:00 p.m. That Tuesday, wind gusts recorded by Weather Underground at around 35 miles per hour parted the ship's forward mooring lines. The 3,286-passenger vessel, operated by Carnival-owned AIDA Cruises, drifted backward from its berth at the Port of Le Havre. Its stern made contact with the quay.
A witness video shared on Facebook captured the moments after the ship broke free. During the incident, both passenger gangways were torn away. Photos from a passenger showed one gangway hanging off the port side of the drifting ship. "Our ship, AIDAperla, had this accident. We are still docked in Le Havre," the witness stated, according to a translation from German.
Response and Re-securing the Ship
Approximately 500 guests who were on shore excursions at the time were temporarily unable to reboard. The port was closed temporarily while crews worked. Tugboats were deployed to assist AIDAperla and return it to its berth. The port authority, HAROPA PORT, stated at 9:22 p.m. That the ship had been secured again and passengers were boarding safely. No injuries were reported on the ship or dock.
The incident also affected another vessel in port. TUI Cruises' Mein Schiff 3 had to be held by tugboats and its departure was delayed by two hours due to the conditions.
Inspection and Itinerary Impact
AIDA Cruises confirmed the contact with the quay and stated the ship is undergoing a thorough inspection by technicians and authorities. German media reports indicate AIDAperla also requires clearance from its classification society before it can depart Le Havre.
The ship's itinerary was immediately altered. It was on a 7-night sailing that had departed Hamburg on September 5, visiting Southampton on September 7 before Le Havre. The scheduled departure from Le Havre at 8:00 p.m. On September 8 was scrapped. The subsequent port call in Zeebrugge on September 9 was cancelled.
As of the latest reports, the next scheduled call in Rotterdam on September 10 remains unchanged. The ship is still scheduled to return to Hamburg on September 12.
Following Cruise Itinerary
The next scheduled voyage for AIDAperla is a 7-night sailing departing Hamburg on September 12. According to the source, its planned ports of call are Bergen, Nordfjordeid, Alesund, and Stavanger, with a return to Hamburg on September 19. The cruise line often offers combined, back-to-back sailings, so some passengers onboard during the incident may have been booked for this subsequent voyage as part of a 14-night trip.
