The ship, Ocean Navigator, is operated by American Queen Voyages and was scheduled to begin a 10-day cruise from Portland to Saint John, New Brunswick, according to the company’s website.
U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Frank Kulesa, the chief of response operations, said a fire in the ship’s generator is believed to have sparked the explosion.
“All indications right now is the fire was contained in the engine room itself,” he said.
There is no shore power at the pier. All ships use generators to power the vessel when docked.
The Coast Guard, the Portland Fire Department and the the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the cause of the fire and whether the ship is safe. Officials said the cruise line will be responsible for making sure passengers have food and housing sorted out if they can’t get back onboard.
Gautreau said some of crew members may not be American citizens, so U.S. Customs and Border Protection was on the scene to handle any potential issues.
“If you think about it, this chain-link fence is no different from the wall down in San Antonio,” Gautreau said. “These are the challenges that Customs is dealing with.”
According to Vessel Finder, an online marine tracking system, the ship sails under the flag of the Bahamas.
https://www.pressherald.com/2023/10/18/one-injured-in-explosion-on-cruise-ship-in-portland/