Coast Guard Clears MSC Poesia to Leave Miami After Detention

The U.S. Coast Guard has cleared the cruise ship MSC Poesia to leave the Port of Miami, CBS News reported. The agency said it verified that the vessel corrected the safety and environmental deficiencies that led to its detention earlier this month.

The cruise the ship was preparing to start was canceled after the detention. MSC Cruises, which operates the ship, said passengers received full refunds and were being helped to get home.

What the Coast Guard found

Capt. Frank Florio, commander of the Coast Guard’s Miami sector, said in a statement when the ship was first held that inspectors had “identified deficiencies with systems on board the vessel.” The statement did not spell out which systems were affected.

MSC Cruises described the issue as a “regulatory matter.” No further details were provided by the company or the Coast Guard, according to CBS News.

How a port state detention works

Under what is known as port state control authority, the Coast Guard can inspect foreign-flagged vessels that enter U.S. ports. The goal is to confirm that they comply with domestic laws and international treaties.

When a ship is held for environmental or safety discrepancies, Coast Guard marine inspectors oversee the corrective actions the vessel must complete. The ship is allowed to depart with passengers or crew only after those steps are done. In this case, the Coast Guard said it verified the fixes before giving the clearance.

Why it matters for travelers

A detention at the start of a trip can cancel a sailing outright, as it did here. A source familiar with the matter told CBS News that more than 2,000 people were on board the MSC Poesia when it was detained. MSC Cruises said the ship has a capacity of more than 3,200 passengers and over 1,000 crew members, so a canceled departure affects thousands of people when a ship is near full.

Passengers on this sailing received full refunds, according to MSC Cruises. The company did not say in the reports when the ship would resume its regular schedule.

What it means for Miami cruise plans

Miami is one of the main departure points for cruises in the United States, and the Port of Miami is where the Coast Guard carried out this action. The clearance means the MSC Poesia is free to depart the port. Travelers who plan a Florida trip around a cruise can read about a 10-day Florida road trip through Miami, the Keys, the Gulf Coast and Orlando for a land-based option.

Source: CBS News