MS SERENISSIMA Aground Off Scotland — Updated
Update: May 21, 2013: SERENISSIMA was eventually re-floated at about 1.10am local time and is now anchored in Oban Bay tol undergo a dive inspection. There were no reports of injuries, pollution or of water entering the ship.
1960-built MS SERENISSIMA (ex HARALD JARL, ANDREA) with 112 people on board was reported to have run aground in the waters of Oban Bay on the west coast of Scotland about 6:30 pm local time, May 20, 2013. Stornoway Coastguard relayed that the small ship was on sand and gravel and there were no reports of injuries, pollution or water in the hull. An RNLI spokesman said was grounded on the Corran Ledge.
The Royal National lifeboat from Oban is on standby to assist and the Oban Coastguard Rescue Team were also on scene. An initial attempt to re-float the vessel was unsuccessful due to strong winds. A further try at high tide is expected. In her earlier life as HARALD JARL the ship spent many years cruising the Norwegian coast as a Hurtigruten ship.
She was sold in 2002 and following a substantial refit in Sweden, she began her new life as ANDREA on worldwide cruising around Britain, Greenland, Norway, the Baltic, Mediterranean and even Antarctica. During the refit in Sweden, the then owners commissioned Swedish designers to create a Gustavian interior style. Elegant Cruises & Tours promoted voyages on the ANDREA until they ceased operations in April of 2009. The ship was seized and laid up at Split, Croatia.
From Serenissima Cruises website; “this bright Swedish 18th century influenced, country house style works particularly well on a vessel of this vintage, providing intimacy and classic nautical sensibility often lacking in larger vessels.”
Serenissima Cruises bought the vessel in spring 2012 for cruising the waters of the United Kingdom, Greenland and Norway where the ship is equipped with Zodiac craft allowing passengers to visit remote loactions where normal tender arrangements are not possible.
The SERENISSIMA has a gross tonnage of 2,632 tons. The principal dimensions are 268.8 feet in length, 43.6 feet in beam with a 22.0 foot draft.
Special thanks to Shawn Dake, Neven Jerkovic
