Costa Smeralda Suffers Minor Fire Damage at Meyer Turku

Cruise ship Costa Smeralda, currently under construction at Meyer Turku Shipyard, suffered a fire on March 18.

The incident occurred at around 16:45 Finnish time on the ship’s deck 15 when stored equipment caught on fire during welding inside the unit.

Meyer Turku said that its fire brigade was the first one on the site and started firefighting measures. Local fire brigades arrived shortly after.

The ship, under construction for Carnival-owned Costa Cruises, was evacuated. Work continued in the vessel at around 18:15, the shipbuilder informed.

Costa Smeralda sustained minor material damages. There is no effect to the building schedule of the ship, which is still expected to join its owner in October 2019.

The shipbuilder added that ten people have slightly inhaled smoke and two have had their slight injuries checked.

Costa Smeralda, the first LNG-powered ship in the Costa Cruises fleet, was floated out at the shipyard just last week.

Once it begins operation, the 180,000 gross ton cruise ship will undertake its first cruise from Hamburg sailing via Rotterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona and Marseilles to Savona, Italy, where a naming ceremony will be held.