Australian Cruise Ship Detained in Papua New Guinea Following Reef Grounding

The Australian-flagged cruise ship Coral Adventurer remains aground off the coast of Papua New Guinea after running into a reef early Saturday morning, with Australian authorities detaining the vessel over seaworthiness concerns and safety management failures.

The 93.4-meter passenger vessel grounded on a reef near Dregerhafen Point, approximately 90 kilometers from Lae, PNG, at around 0525 local time. The ship was carrying 123 people—80 passengers and 43 crew—when the incident occurred.

No injuries have been reported among those aboard, and initial reports indicated no water ingress. However, the extent of damage to the vessel remains unclear as refloating efforts continue.

“All passengers and crew are safe,” a Coral Expeditions spokesperson said in a statement. “An initial inspection indicates no damage to the vessel.”

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation into the grounding. Initial efforts to refloat the ship using its own engines proved unsuccessful, prompting the operator to engage a towage provider. The grounded vessel was reported heeled over approximately 6 degrees to port.

On Monday, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) took the step of detaining the Coral Adventurer under the Navigation Act 2012. The detention was based on “reasonable suspicion that it is not seaworthy due to potential damage sustained during the grounding, and that it is sub-standard as a result of failures in the implementation of its Safety Management System under the International Safety Management Code,” according to AMSA’s statement.

AMSA said it is working closely with the vessel’s operator, its classification society, and the National Maritime Safety Authority of Papua New Guinea.

The ATSB has quarantined data from the ship’s voyage data recorder and is collecting additional evidence, including ship tracking data, weather information, and crew and maintenance records. The bureau plans to attend the vessel for interviews and evidence collection once appropriate, and expects to release a preliminary report in approximately two months.

Papua New Guinea’s national broadcaster NBC reported that local police confirmed the vessel encountered strong sea currents while en route to Madang Province and the Sepik River. Authorities are also inspecting the area for potential damage to coral reefs at Dregerhafen Point.

The incident comes just two months after the Coral Adventurer became the subject of an AMSA investigation following the death of 80-year-old tourist on the Great Barrier Reef’s Lizard Island in October. That investigation is examining why the passenger may not have been accounted for during boarding.

The Coral Adventurer is one of three vessels operated by Coral Expeditions, which is owned by NRMA. The ship, completed in 2019, is registered in Cairns.

AMSA confirmed it did not receive a distress call from the vessel but said it is monitoring the situation and ready to support PNG authorities if requested.

Subscribe for Daily Maritime Insights

Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update

— trusted by our 107,694 members