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Cruise on the Seine in Paris

Compagnie des Bateaux Mouches® is the leading provider of cruises on the river Seine. Take some time to explore Paris a little differently and uncover the historic heart of the city of lights whilst slipping down its most beautiful avenue. Commentated tour, lunch in a unique restaurant or romantic dinner, there’s a cruise for everyone...

See Paris by boat

Hopping onto a boat and enjoying a tour down the Seine, for over an hour-long trip, seeing the capital’s iconic monuments is surely top of the list of things to do during a trip to Paris.  Read more

This service includes a meal for one person and a cruise ticket. Four sandwich options are available: Le Bastille (Ham & cheese), Le Châtelet (Pastrami), Le Montmartre (Salmon & Avocado) and Le Champs Elysées (Roasted vegetables / vegetarian).

Champagne cruise in Paris

This package contains a combo ticket including a sightseeing cruise on the Seine river with the Compagnie des Bateaux Mouches and Half a bottle of EPC Champagne for 2 people to be collected from the « Bar » situated on the boarding area, just before the turnstiles.

Brunch with a view in Paris

How about brunch on the Seine right opposite the Eiffel Tower? Every Sunday Compagnie des Bateaux Mouches opens up its restaurant Mademoiselle Mouche, on the Port de la Conférence, right next to the Pont de l’Alma. The chance to brunch in a quirky location...

Boat & Bus Visit

Combine your leisure cruise on the Seine with a double-decker bus tour! Take advantage of OpenTour's open-topped double-decker buses to visit the heart of Paris on your own terms, getting on and off at will.

Lunch on the Seine

Every weekend and public holiday, Bateaux-Mouches® casts off its moorings and sets sail for a friendly, laid-back lunch. A fantastic guinguette atmosphere, reminiscent of the Paris of yesteryear.  Read more

Romantic Dinner Cruise

A romantic dinner cruise lulled by the sound of the piano and violin, bathed in the shimmering reflections of the lights of Paris on the Seine. Two menus, Excellence and Prestige, for an unforgettable evening... An extraordinary moment.   Read more

Dinner show

Combine the enchantment of our dinner cruise with the sassy glamour of the Crazy Horse cabaret, another Paris institution. An evening full of spectacle, from start to finish.  Read more

Dates and special evenings

For a special event such as a marriage proposal, renewal of vows or special dates like New Year, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or 14th July, we offer special evenings. 

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CRUISES TO PARIS (LE HAVRE), FRANCE

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• Paris (Le Havre) Port Guide
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Paris (Le Havre) France Port Guide

Le Havre is a city in the Normandy region of France, located on the northern shore of the country. While Le Havre has a long maritime history, today it is mostly known to travelers for being the gateway port to Paris. When you cruise to Paris, France, you’ll actually be arriving in Le Havre, which is the second largest port in France. In fact, it’s name even means “the port”.  

Visitors to Le Havre on a Paris cruise port of call from a European cruise will find a temperate oceanic climate that is often windy when you’re right by the coast. Luckily, going inland to Paris usually finds more temperate weather, particularly in the months when cruise ships sail to Le Havre and Paris, which is typically in the spring and summer during northern Europe and transatlantic cruise itineraries.

Please Note: While we don't currently sail to Paris, you can still discover the beauty of the country on one of our France cruises . Browse our luxury cruises to France below.

Cruises to France

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Top sights & attractions for cruises to paris (le havre), arc de triomphe.

Take a walk or drive by what may be the world’s most stately looking roundabout thanks to the Arc de Triomphe. Located in the middle of a busy roundabout, the Arc de Triomphe grandly stands at the western end of the Champs-Elysees. Go up to the top of it for an excellent photo op of the famous Champs-Elysees boulevard and to marvel at the organized chaos of the cars zipping around below you.

Mont Saint Michel

Along the coast of Normandy is Mont Saint Michel Abbey, which is an incredible example of Norman architecture. The stunning site is magnificent to behold due to its location atop a rock towering above the ocean. When you visit, take time to walk the cobblestone walkways where you’ll find shops and cafes to tuck into. You’ll also want to see the awe-inspiring interior of the abbey.

D-Day Landing Beaches

Those who are interested in learning more about the history of World War II will want to visit Omaha Beach, where D-Day occurred. While in Normandy you can also visit Pointe du Hoc, where Allied forces strategically climbed the 100-foot promontory to better battle the Axis forces; the American Cemetery of Colleville, where American troops are buried; and Pegasus Bridge, which is the landing location of the British Parachute Brigade.

Famous Churches

In Paris, you can’t miss seeing the curved steeples of Sacré-Cœur, perched on a hill in the Montmartre neighborhood overlooking the city center; or the gothic architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral with its gargoyles seeming to keep a watch over the square below. In Le Havre, you can visit St. Joseph’s Church, which was built after World War II decimated the city and has a modern style designed by renowned architect Auguste Perret.

Learn More About Paris (Le Havre) Shore Excursions

Top things to do in paris (le havre), go to the top of the eiffel tower.

When you cruise to Paris, France, it’s not just enough to see the Eiffel Tower standing proudly over the city. You’ll also want to go to the top for incredible panoramic views of Paris that stretch on for miles.

Tour the Louvre

If you’re into art, you can’t miss a visit to the Louvre, one of the most famous art museums in the world. It houses the Mona Lisa and a vast array of other paintings and sculptures. Even its entrance is artful since you arrive to the museum by going through a glass pyramid.

Sit at a Café

One of the iconic things to do in Paris is sit at a café and write in your journal or people-watch while eating a perfectly baked croissant and sipping a frothy cappuccino, of course. A great way to do this is on your free time during a Paris city tour shore excursion.

Palace of Versailles

Feel like a king or queen when your spend the day touring the opulent Palace of Versailles and its lovely gardens. The Palace of Versailles was built in the 17th century and served as the principal royal residence of the king of France until the French Revolution in 1789. In 1837 it was turned into a museum, and today it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Top Food and Drink Spots Near the Paris (Le Havre) Cruise Port

If you’re curious what shopping in a supermarket is like in France, you can find out during your Paris cruise port of call. Visit the Monoprix department store, which is located in Espace Coty mall and features a supermarket. There is also a small supermarket in Halles Centrales, the central market in Le Havre.

In Paris, you won’t want to miss trying its mouth-wateringly delicious crepes, baguettes with cheese spread, and chocolate croissants – or any one of the many, many other delightful pastries and cuisine you’ll come across. Unique dining experiences abound in Paris, from dining atop the Eiffel Tower to taking in a show with your meal at Moulin Rouge.

If visiting Normandy during your time in port, don’t miss out on some of the region’s delicacies, such as calvados and cider brandy, which you can drink or enjoy as an ingredient in the local cuisine such as pork with calvados and apples.

Culture & History of the Paris (Le Havre) Cruise Port

Le Havre’s history has long been linked to its harbor. The city began to grow substantially in the 18th and 19th centuries thanks to trade from the West Indies and the industrial revolution, respectively. Le Havre has a place in World War II history as the Battle of Normandy touched its center where thousands of lives were lost and property was damaged. Today, the city of Le Havre has been rebuilt and reflects a modernist style.

Though most civilians are aware of Le Havre due to the cruise ships that stop there, the port is also busy in other ways and regularly sees container traffic, oil tankers, and other industrial ships come through its harbor.

As you near Paris, you’ll begin to leave behind the commercial maritime industry and start to feel more of the romance of the country as the elegant culture and exquisite cuisine of Paris invites you into its folds.

French is the official language of Le Havre and Paris (and the rest of France), though you’ll find that many locals speak English.

Paris (Le Havre) Port Facilities & Location

As mentioned earlier, the cruise port for Paris is actually located about 120 miles to the northwest in the city of Le Havre. Located on English Channel and adjacent to the Seine River, Le Havre is in an excellently located spot that makes it easy for ships to call, and just a short distance away for travelers from some of France’s most iconic sites.

The cruise terminal has a long, steep gangway so physically impaired passengers should expect to need assistance. Once you’ve reached the inside of the cruise terminal, you’ll find a welcome center with tourist information and complimentary wifi. Taxis are usually waiting outside the cruise terminal.

Getting to the city center of Le Havre from where cruise ships dock in the harbor takes about 25 minutes to walk. Sometimes there are free shuttles to the center of town, and you can also find taxis and a train station that takes you into town fairly affordably. However, most passengers leave behind Le Havre for the wonders of Paris or Normandy.

Transportation in Paris (Le Havre)

The easiest and most stress-free way to get to Paris from Le Havre is on a shore excursion that conveniently takes you there from your ship on a comfortable bus with a knowledgeable guide. You can do a city transfer shore excursion that gives you free time on your own for the day before catching the transfer back to the ship. There is also a train that runs between Paris and Le Havre that takes about two hours.

If you want to stay in Le Havre for the day, a shuttle is available between the cruise terminal and city center, and you’ll likely be dropped near City Hall or the Espace Coty. Car rentals are also available by the Paris cruise terminal of Le Havre. In addition, you’ll find a tram system within walking distance of the ship that will take you to the beach or other areas of the city and beyond.

Shopping Near the Paris (Le Havre) Cruise Port

In Paris, the Champs-Elysees is the famous shopping boulevard to head to, and is flanked by the Arc de Triomphe at one end. The Champs-Elysees has high street and luxury fashion houses lining it and lots of cafes mixed in as well, which are perfect for a break from your shopping spree.

In Le Havre, you’ll find several malls and a central market called Halles Centrales. The malls to head to are Espace Coty in the city center or the new Docks Vauban by the train station.

Local Currency & Tipping Customs

France accepts the Euro and you’ll find ATMs dispensing Euro notes all around Paris. Tipping in France can be confusing since a service charge is required by law to be added to the bill in cafes and restaurants, typically in the amount of 15%. However, this amount doesn’t necessarily go to your server, so leaving a small additional tip in change or euro notes is appreciated. It’s common for people to round up the bill to the nearest euro for exceptional service or leave around 5% of the total bill.

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Seine River Cruises

You’ve seen it in the movies; you’ve read about the icons; ­but nothing compares to actually exploring France for yourself, and it's best experienced on a river cruise along the Seine. Start in Paris and head towards Normandy or beyond, and enjoy this multi-day adventure where you're sure to make memories to last a lifetime.

242 Seine river cruises with 123 reviews

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I was kept informed & on promptly basis. A very professional approach by your staff

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Paris & Normandy (2024) (Paris to Paris, 2024)

Paris to Normandy 2024

It was a very comfortable and enjoyable cruise. The service staff were very friendly and attentive. The fellow passengers were very friendly and sociable which makes the whole cruise line one big happy family.

The finest and most picturesque ports of call in the Seine valley (port-to-port cruise)

Bus tour seemed a little rushed at times but overall was an excellent vacation

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I was kept informed & on promptly basis. A very professional approach by your staff

It was a very nice experience, the staff were very friendly and the food was excellent

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Cruise to Paris (Le Havre), France

Paris (le havre) shore excursions, amazing experiences coming soon., sorry, there are no excursions for this port at this moment., things to do in paris (le havre).

Astounding Architecture

Famous gargoyles overlooking the city of the Paris, France

Climb the steps of the heaven-scratching Eiffel Tower for panoramic views of Paris. Then, head to the gargoyle-clad Notre Dame, perhaps the most famous cathedral in the world. And don't miss the Romano-Byzantine influences of the unique Sacre Coeur Basilica.

Home of the Arts

View of The Louvre museum in Paris, France

Paris is home to perhaps the most famous museum on Earth, the Louvre. It houses the equally well-known "Mona Lisa." But Paris is also home to Musee d'Orsay, an impressionist art hub, as well as the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, focused on the decorative arts.

Hang With the Locals

Escape the beaten paths and discover a side of Paris few tourists get to see. Cruise to Paris and head to Canal St. Martin to find hip boutiques and cafes with verandas overlooking the water. Then, head to the less-crowded top decks of Montparnasse Tower or the Arc de Triomphe for Paris vistas.

Local Cuisine

You'll find Paris' Michelin-starred restaurants in the neighborhoods lining either side of the Seine. Head there at the noon hour for lower-priced lunch menus. Feeling adventurous? Try French classics like escargot and bone marrow on toast. If you have a sweet tooth, don't miss le Paris-Brest , a circular cake filled with praline cream during your Paris cruise.

The Champ Elysees may be the most famous shopping avenue in Paris, with designer boutiques and global chain stores But it's in lesser-known neighborhoods — like North Marais and Rue du Chateau d'Eau — where you can find one-of-a-kind and handcrafted jewelry and goods, as well as the city's funkier fashion options.

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• A cruise in Paris? 5 experiences on the River Seine
• Inspiration
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The cruise, a mythical, if not obligatory, experience when you embark on a visit to Paris . To get to know the city better, it is necessary to delve into its past. Or rather, to navigate it. Along the Seine , the most famous monuments pass before your eyes. You can see that the river is much more than a river. It is the founding element of Paris. It’s impossible not to take your visit a step further. The number of boats on the Seine reflects the diversity of the cruises available . Cultural tour, thematic cruise, lunch or dinner cruise… Make your choice and prepare for immediate boarding.

1. The Batobus: getting around Paris differently

Get out of the tunnels and sail! While the metro is the transport par excellence for Parisians, there is a nicer alternative for getting around the city: boats.

The Batobus cruises connect Paris from east to west (and vice versa). Their fleet consists of six trimarans whose modern design does not go unnoticed on the Seine. The deck of each boat is fully covered and offers a panoramic view of the river, its banks and the monuments along its course. The crew will be sure to share information about historical features encountered along the way, such as Swan Island and its famous replica of the Statue of Liberty.

The network is made up of nine stations , located at the foot of the capital’s most famous monuments : the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d’Orsay, the Champs-Élysées, the Louvre Museum, the Town Hall, Notre-Dame de Paris, Beaugrenelle, the Cité de la Mode and Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Hop on, hop off: The ticket is valid for one day or two consecutive days and allows you to get on and off as many times as you like. And to continue your visit while avoiding the crowded corridors of the metro, you can even board with your bikes.

2. Les Bateaux Parisiens, an enriching culinary cruise

A cultural walk or a culinary one? With Bateaux Parisiens , the choice is yours. If you’re in the mood to wander, hop on one of the eight ships for a one-hour visit along the banks of the Seine. An individual audioguide adds to the experience by explaining the monuments you pass: the Grand Palais, the Place de la Concorde, the Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame de Paris… Do you have children with you? Try the special family cruise “The Seine and its secrets”. The classic tour is complemented by a 36 question and answer quiz from Les Incollables®.

If you’re a gourmet, Bateaux Parisiens offer lunch and dinner cruises . On the menu, traditional, refined French cuisine . The chef and his team focus on simplicity to bring out the flavour of carefully selected products. Meals are prepared on board.

Not much of a sea farer? Bateaux Parisiens also have a bistro in their fleet. Located at the foot of the Eiffel Tower , it remains docked to welcome visitors on board all day and evening. Lunch, dinner or brunch, it’s up to you!

3. Les Bateaux-Mouches: the legendary Parisian cruise

They are no longer presented. The Bateaux-Mouches de Paris are, like the river on which they sail, emblematic figures of our capital. A mandatory experience when visiting the City of Light.

In 1949, the first Bateaux-Mouches began their parade on the Seine. Since that day, more than 150 million visitors have taken to the water to discover the Parisian monuments scattered along the river: the Conciergerie, Notre-Dame de Paris, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and more.

At the beginning, Bateaux Mouches only offered guided cruises, but today the offers are more diverse. Long for a romantic dinner? Come aboard one of the company’s restaurant boats for a musical ride. For lunch, the ships look like guinguettes, similar to taverns of that type that once lined the Seine and the Marne.

4. Les Vedettes de Paris, a new look at the monuments of Paris

Meet at the foot of the Eiffel Tower for immediate boarding. On the programme, a one-hour guided cruise on the most beautiful river in France. In the wake of the Vedettes de Paris , you will pass Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Alexandre III Bridge, the Musée d’Orsay and the Arab World Institute.

To enjoy the cruise in any weather, the deck of the boats is glassed in and heated. When the weather is good, the open terrace on the upper deck offers a panoramic view of the entire Seine. For those who are a bit chilly, blankets are available during the winter period.

The Vedettes de Paris are equipped with a bar . Sweet and savoury snacks are available to satisfy your cravings during the cruise. To celebrate this special moment, you can also treat yourself to a glass of champagne.

Visiting Paris with your family ? Vedettes de Paris offers cruises adapted to children from 6 to 12 years old. Led by a specialized guide, the visit becomes a fun, educational walk, where young and old alike dive into the history of Paris, its monuments and its culture.

5. Vedettes du Pont Neuf, a breathtaking view of the banks of the Seine

Since 1959, many visitors have embarked on the Vedettes du Pont Neuf to visit Paris along the Seine as it meanders. And for good reason! The view of the city’s various monuments is particularly beautiful: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Musée d’Orsay , among others. During the cruise, all the great classics are on offer. Les Vedettes du Pont Neuf offers different formats : a snapshot cruise to discover the highlights of Paris in one hour, a dinner cruise for a romantic moment on the water, or a family cruise to explore the banks of the Seine, classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO .

Is the weather acting up? Don’t worry, all six boats in the fleet are fully glass enclosed. Enjoy the scenery under cover or take advantage of the open deck when the weather is more summery.

Do you want to mark Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or 14 July? Les Vedettes organises special cruises to turn these events into unique, unforgettable moments.

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Bateaux Parisiens

Sightseeing Cruise in Paris on the Seine

Discover Paris in a unique way with the Commented Cruises of Bateaux Parisiens. Embark on an adventure along the Seine, uncovering the history and beauty of the City of Lights. Our commented cruises provide an immersive experience, highlighting the famous Parisian landmarks with informative and engaging commentary. Onboard our fully glassed boats, enjoy an exceptional panoramic view of Paris’ iconic sites. Whether you’re a tourist seeking discoveries or a local wanting to rediscover your city, our commented cruises are designed to offer you a unique perspective on Paris. Book your river journey now and dive into the fascinating history of the French capital with Les Bateaux Parisiens.

E-tickets / Fast-track tickets valid at the time of your choice for greater flexibility

Only e-tickets guarantee boarding

• Useful information

The guided cruise aboard the Bateaux Parisiens is available every day of the week (7 days a week) at the following times:

* Your e-tickets give you direct access to the boats without having to wait at the ticket desks. The times and address are shown above.

Weekday Departures (Monday to Thursday):  10:30 am, 11:15 am, 12:00 pm, 1:15 pm, 2:00 pm, 2:45 PM, 3:30 pm, 4:15 pm, 5:00 pm, 5:40 pm, 6:20 pm, 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:40 pm, 9:20 pm

Friday Departures:  10:30 am, 11:15 am, 12:00 pm, 1:15 pm, 2:00 pm, 2:45 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:15 pm, 5:00 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:00 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:00 pm, 9:30 pm

Saturday Departures:  10:30 am, 11:15 am, 12:00 pm, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:00 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:00 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:00 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:00 pm, 9:30 pm, 10:00 pm

Sunday Departures:  10:30 am, 11:15 am, 12:00 pm, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:00 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:00 pm, 5:40 pm, 6:20 pm, 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:40 pm, 9:20 pm

Duration of the cruise: 1h00

In the event of unforeseen circumstances, your e-tickets are automatically valid for 12 months at the date and time of your choice.

Your E-tickets :

• Are sent instantly by e-mail
• Are queue-cutting and allow you to board without waiting at the ticket office
• Are automatically valid for 12 months

Get ready for an unforgettable cruise with Bateaux Parisiens by buying your e-tickets in advance. Avoid long queues , especially during busy periods such as weekends, bank holidays, school holidays and summer.

Accessibility for people with reduced mobility (PRM): Yes

Explore our options for dinner cruises and lunch cruises to enhance your experience with Bateaux Parisiens.

The Bateaux Parisiens depart from the Port de la Bourdonnais 75007 Paris.

Nearest Parking : Port de la Bourdonnais – 75007 Paris

Are you a group of more than 14 people? Contact us for a personalised quote. Paris en un Clic guarantees you the best tickets at the best prices!

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Welcome to Les Bateaux Parisiens, your must-visit destination for memorable experiences along the Seine! Whether you’re seeking a peaceful river cruise or a delightful taste of French cuisine, this exceptional fleet invites you to explore Paris in a truly unique way.

The diverse offering, including restaurant boats and scenic cruise boats, provides an immersive experience with fully glazed walls. Enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of Paris’s most beautiful landmarks unfolding to the rhythm of the water. Whether it’s a romantic getaway, a special celebration like Valentine’s Day, Christmas, New Year’s, or any other significant event, treat yourself to the magic of the Seine from one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the City of Light.

Immerse yourself in the enchanting atmosphere of Paris while savoring carefully prepared French cuisine on board. Our services are designed to offer you an unforgettable evening, combining the elegance of our fleet with the delicacy of our dishes.

Booking on our site is simple and fast, allowing you to plan your Parisian experience with just a few clicks. Discover the magic and enchantment of the Seine with Les Bateaux Parisiens. Book now and get ready to experience unique moments in the heart of the City of Light!

Included in your cruise

Commented Cruises:

• 1-hour cruise on the Seine departing from the Eiffel Tower – Port de la Bourdonnais (return to the same location)
• Panoramic view of the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and other iconic sites in Paris
• Individual audioguides available in 14 languages
• Open seating: access to 2 levels (covered and glazed below – open sky above)

Lunch Cruises:

• 2-hour cruise
• Lunch Star service: Central location on the boat + Aperitif + Starters + Main courses + Desserts + Drinks (1/4 bottle of wine + mineral water) + Coffee
• Lunch Privilege service: Bay window location + Aperitif + Starters + Main courses + Cheese + Desserts + Drinks (1/4 bottle of wine + mineral water) + Coffee
• Lunch Premier service: VIP location at the front of the boat + Aperitif + Starters + Main courses + Cheeses + Desserts + Drinks (1/4 bottle of wine + mineral water + Glass of champagne) + Coffee + Mignardises

Dinner Cruises:

• 2h30 for the 8.30pm departure or 1h15 for the 1st round at 6.15pm
• Dinner Star service: Central location on the boat + Aperitif + Starters + Main courses + Desserts + Drinks (1/4 bottle of wine + mineral water) + Coffee
• Discovery Dinner service : Location with panoramic view + Aperitif + Starters + Main courses + Cheeses + Desserts + Drinks (1/4 bottle of wine + mineral water) + Coffee
• Privilege Dinner service: Bay window location + Aperitif + Starters + Main courses + Cheeses + Desserts + Drinks (1/4 bottle of wine + mineral water) + Coffee
• Premier Dinner service: VIP location at the front of the boat + Aperitif + Starters + Main courses + Cheeses + Desserts + Drinks (1/4 bottle of wine + mineral water + Glass of champagne) + Coffee + Mignardises

Adult Rate (12 years and older): 16 euros (instead of 18€ on-site)

Reduced Rate for children (4 to 11 years): 7.50 euros (instead of 9€ on-site)

Free for babies and children under 4 years old

Lunch Star formula

Adult Rate (12 years and older): 75 euros

Reduced Rate for children (up to 11 years): 39 euros

Lunch Privilege formula

Adult Rate (12 years and older): 95 euros

Lunch Premier formula

Adult Rate (12 years and older): 115 euros

Dinner Star formula – 06:15 pm

Reduced Rate for children (4 to 11 years): 39 euros

Dinner Star formula – 08:30 pm

Discovery Dinner formula

Unique Rate for Adults and Children: 139 euros

Privilege Dinner formula – 06:15 pm

Unique Rate for Adults and Children: 125 euros

Privilege Dinner formula – 08:30 pm

Unique Rate for Adults and Children: 185 euros

Premier Dinner formula – 06:15 pm

Unique Rate for Adults and Children: 149 euros

Premier Dinner formula – 08:30 pm

Unique Rate for Adults and Children: 215 euros

Scenic Cruises:

Weekday departures (Monday to Thursday): 10:30 am, 11:15 am, 12:00 pm, 1:15 pm, 2:00 pm, 2:45 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:15 pm, 5:00 pm, 5:40 pm, 6:20 pm, 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:40 pm, 9:20 pm

Friday departures: 10:30 am, 11:15 am, 12:00 pm, 1:15 pm, 2:00 pm, 2:45 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:15 pm, 5:00 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:00 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:00 pm, 9:30 pm

Saturday departures: 10:30 am, 11:15 am, 12:00 pm, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:00 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:00 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:00 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:00 pm, 9:30 pm, 10:00 pm

Sunday departures: 10:30 am, 11:15 am, 12:00 pm, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:00 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:00 pm, 5:40 pm, 6:20 pm, 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:40 pm, 9:20 pm.

The duration of Scenic Cruises is 1 hour.

The selected date during the reservation is a tentative date. Please note that e-tickets are valid for 12 months, allowing you to come on the date and time that suits you.

12:15 pm: Boarding

12:45 pm: Departure

2:45 pm: Return to the dock

Duration of the cruise: 2 hours

8:00 pm: Boarding

8:30 pm: Departure

11:00 pm: Return to the dock

Duration of the cruise: 2 hours and 15 minutes

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Where is the boarding point for Bateaux Parisiens?

All cruises of Bateaux-Mouches take place at Port de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris. Boarding and arrivals occur at the same location.

Is advance booking necessary?

For Commented Cruises, reservation is not mandatory, but due to high demand, it is highly recommended (average waiting time on-site: 1 hour). Opt for our E-tickets for direct access to the boats, eliminating any wait at the ticket counters. For a convenient and hassle-free experience, these electronic tickets are not nominative, providing total flexibility in their use. Additionally, for on-site reservations, please note that a surcharge of €2 per E-ticket applies. E-tickets are valid for any reserved day departure and, in case of unforeseen circumstances, automatically remain valid for 12 months, always on the date and time of your choice. For lunches and dinners, advance booking is mandatory. We recommend a reservation at least 15 days in advance.

When will I receive my E-tickets for the cruise?

Upon confirmation of your purchase, your E-tickets are automatically dispatched via email and are ready for use upon receipt.

How long are my Scenic Cruise E-tickets valid?

Your E-tickets are automatically valid for a period of 12 months and can be used at the date and time of your convenience. The calendar aims to keep you informed of any closures in the coming weeks.

Will I be seated in a bay window?

Regarding Commented Cruises, seating is open on the boats. The boats are fully glazed and also have an open upper deck. For lunch/dinner cruises, bay window seats are guaranteed with the formulas:

• For lunch cruises: Privilege & Premier formulas,
• For dinner cruises: Privilege & Premier formulas.

Are there stops during the Cruises?

All cruises are non-stop with departure and return at Port de la Bourdonnais, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.

Are pets allowed on board?

For hygiene and safety reasons on board the boats, unfortunately, we are not able to accept pets, except for guide dogs.

What is the recommended dress code for visiting Bateaux Parisiens?

No specific attire is required for Commented Cruises. However, for lunches and dinners, decent city attire is appreciated. Please note that sportswear, flip-flops, shorts, and caps are not allowed.

Where can I park when I go to Bateaux Parisiens?

Port de la Conférence offers free parking reserved for our customers, with direct access to the boats for added convenience.

Are Bateaux Parisiens cruises available throughout the year?

Bateaux Parisiens are delighted to welcome you throughout the year, except on January 1st for Lunch Cruises and on the second Monday of January when the site closes at 5 pm, regardless of the service. Please note that these hours may be subject to changes in case of exceptional navigation restrictions imposed by the authorities.

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Paris City (France)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region France Rivers

Local Time 2024-04-01 21:51

Port Paris City cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Paris City, France. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

Paris is a Seine River cruise port (locode FRPAR) and France's capital city, located approx 370 km (230 mi) from the Atlantic Ocean (Biscay Bay). The city's seaport ( Le Havre ) is approx 211 km (131 mi) to the northwest. Paris is popular for its 100+ large museums and some of the world's greatest concentrations of art treasures, including Pompidou Centre, The Louvre, Picasso Museum (housing the artist's largest collection of paintings).

On cruise shore excursions (usually roundtrip bus tours) from Paris City can be visited Versailles (approx 19 km / 12 mi to the west) and its famous Chateau de Versailles/Palace, as well as Bayeux and Caen . Some bus excursions visit the Normandy Beaches sites (facing the English Channel) Colleville-sur-Mer (where is the Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial), also Omaha Beach, Longues-sur-Mer (artillery battery), Courseulles (WW2 museum), Arromanches-les-Bains (where the Mulberry Harbour was installed for the Normandy landings).

The most important older buildings include the cathedral of Notre Dame on Ile de la Cite (1163), nearby 13th-century Gothic Sainte-Chapelle, the Invalides containing Napoleon's tomb, the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre once a royal palace. Other sights include Place d'etoile (today Place Charles de Gaulle), Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, built for Paris World's Fair of 1889 and completed in 1914. Other major buildings include Sacre Coeur Basilica, on Montmartre's summit, Palais Royal, Palais de Chaillot, Palais Bourbon, Palais de Justice, Palais de Elysee, and the Pantheon.

The original site of Paris was on Ile de la Cite and the adjacent south bank of the river. The Romans founded a regional capital here in the 1st century AD. However, Rome's control of Paris was ended by the invading Germanic tribes. Successive Frankish and Capetian kings ruled and made Paris capital of France. The city was rebuilt in the 10th century. Fortified in 15th century for the Hundred Years War with England, in the 17th century Bourbon kings brought peace and classical architecture to the city. Paris led the way in French Revolution in 1789. Under Napoleon, the dominance of the city over the rest of the country increased. In the 19th century, Paris was radically transformed with new parks and new wide boulevards.

Seine River cruises from Paris

River cruises from Paris are among Europe's top -and world's most popular ship travel destinations. Longer cruisetours from Paris are offered as packages combining travel in Normandy with Saone and Rhone river cruising in Provence and Burgundy (wine regions in Southwest France). Seine is not the only river travel option as this inland waterway is navigable also by ocean-going vessels as far as Rouen (located approx 120 km / 75 mi away from the ocean). Over 60% of river's length (as far as Burgundy) is passable by commercial vessels, including barges and riverboats.

The 776 km (480 mi) long River Seine is among France's most important commercial waterways, and one of the best known European rivers. Paris Basin starts at Source-Seine (Langres plateau / northwest of Dijon ). The river flows through Paris City into the English Channel at Le Havre ( contairnership and cruise port for Paris City), as well as at Honfleur (river's left bank).

• River Seine is only 24 m (79 ft) above sea level (446 km / 277 mi from its mouth), which makes it very slow flowing and easily navigable.
• River's average depth in Paris is 9,5 m (31 ft) and is nearly 100% available for recreational (leisure) boating.
• Until the 1930s, the towing system (using a chain on the river's bed) facilitated barges moving upstream.
• Dredging in the 1960s eliminated tidal bores on lower Seine.
• Paris has 37 bridges, which are among the best river cruising attractions here. Outside Paris, Pont de Normandie is currently one of world's longest cable-stayed bridges. It links Le Havre to Honfleur.

A curious fact is that tourists are often confused about the "right bank" and "left bank" of the river and spend hours trying to figure out which side of the river they're standing on. However, it is a very simple system, devised because Seine's curvy nature often makes orientation quite difficult. The trick is to remember that when you face downriver, the left riverbank is on your left, the right is on your right. Here are some interesting facts about the "Paris river":

Popular leisure cruising options are the city's cruise dinner and 1-night (party) deals, offered mostly by local tour boat operators. However, all major cruise lines on Seine River offer the night cruising experience on their ships leaving from Paris. This is a scenic evening voyage (usually at the end of the Normandy Beaches itinerary) when city lights and water merge to create a unique feeling of romance and tranquillity.

Next map shows a Paris river cruise itinerary combined with Provence and Burgundy (Southern France).

Paris City cruise terminal

Paris City's river cruise port is named Bassin de l'Arsenal (aka Port de l'Arsenal). This is a basin (boat marina) linking Canal Saint-Martin to Seine River and a component of the city's canal network. The basin is bordered by Blvd Bourdon (on the 4th side) and Blvd de la Bastille (on the 12th side). Port de l'Arsenal was excavated after the destruction of the Bastille fortress in 1789. During the 19th and 20th centuries,

Port de l'Arsenal was used as a commercial port for shipping trade of goods (to and from Paris). It is separated from Seine River by the Morland lock. The port was converted into a river cruise port ("port de plaisance") in 1983. Currently, it is administered by the "Association for the Leisure Port of Paris-Arsenal".

Bassin de l'Arsenal is also part of France's navigable waterways system (VNF). Since 1983, the port is a marina for berthing approx 180 river cruise boats and ships.

Alternatively, for short stay berthings (of river cruise ships and yachts) is also used Port de Grenelle - a dock located relatively close to the Eiffel Tower (opposite to Ile aux Cygnes / Swan Island and close to Bir-Hakeim / commercial district). Port de Grenelle is used as an extension of Port de l'Arsenal, which, especially in the summer is often congested. Port de Grenelle is fitted with a 20-car parking, wastewater collection, toilet block (with WCs, showers, washbasins, bathroom), drinking water point, power supply outlets.

Among the most popular river cruisetours from Paris are the Normandy Beaches (aka "D-Day Beaches").

Normandy Beaches

D-Day Beaches are located in Normandy, France. These are the historic site of the Allied invasion of western Europe during WWII, Operation Overlord.

Normandy features a 'maritime' climate with warm summers and mild winters. However, rain is a part of the climate year-round but it is not enough to spoil a cruise vacation. And it does have a benefit: Normandy Beaches' nature is incredibly green and lush.

Normandy is easy to reach from Paris, either by train (2 h from Paris Saint Lazare station to Caen central station) or by car (2-3 h drive). Alternatively, the ferry across the channel takes 6 h from Portsmouth to Ouistreham-Caen , with a good starting point the easternmost D-day target.

Local tourist information offices provide leaflets (in English) that list key visitor attractions. Details of 7 route itineraries are offered, signposted on the road network.

The Normandy coast is lined with beautiful seaside towns and lovely beaches. Behind the coast, one may find a farming landscape of grain fields, pastures and cattle, farmhouses and hedges. But the memories of D-Day and war are engrained in the landscape. There are the remains of gun emplacements and bunkers along the 50-mile invasion coast. War memorials and monuments mark the site where the allied forces landed.

Pegasus Bridge (target of the British 6th Airborne) was the site of the earliest Normandy landings. In 1994, the bridge was replaced by one similar in appearance. The original is housed on the grounds of nearby museum complex.

Parts of Mulberry harbour are visible at Omaha Beach. A memorial to honour the American National Guard was built at the location of former German strongpoint. The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is in nearby Colleville-sur-Mer.

Paris City tours, shore excursions, hotels

City tours and shore excursions.

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Paris City - user reviews and comments

CRUISE ON THE SEINE

The ultimate guide to seine river cruises in paris.

Cruises on the Seine » Plan your visit » Where do river cruise ships dock in Paris? The complete guide!

Where do river cruise ships dock in Paris? The complete guide!

A very common question regarding Paris Seine River Cruise, is: "Where do river cruise ships dock in paris?" Well, in this guide you will find all the details about the docking locations and some more tips and insights.

• By: Matthew Turner

Where do river cruise ships dock in Paris? Here is most popular ones!

Although there are quite a few ports on the Seine River in Paris, only 2 ports are the most popular and mosts of the big and known providers are using it. Those ports are: Port de Grenelle which is locate near the Eiffel Tower and Port de Javel Bas which is locate near Parc André Citroën.

Here are some of the most Popular Seine Cruise providers in Paris:

Here are all the ports on the seine river in paris.

Port de Grenelle, situated in the southwestern part of Paris serves as a primary docking point for river cruise ships. Its close proximity to the iconic Eiffel Tower provides passengers with an excellent opportunity to capture stunning photographs and enjoy breathtaking views of the Seine and cityscape. Moreover.

This picturesque setting creates a delightful ambiance for passengers embarking or disembarking their cruises. Port de la Bourdonnais, just a short distance away from Port de Grenelle is another popular docking point for river cruises. Not only does this location offer easy access to many of Pariss’ famous attractions including the Louvre Museum, Musée d’Orsay and Champs-Élysées but passengers docking here have the chance to immerse themselves in the citys’ artistic heritage and explore its cultural treasures.

If you’re seeking a unique experience as a river cruise enthusiast. Look no further than Port de l’Arsenal. Situated in the eastern part of Paris within the Canal Saint Martin this historical port provides a more intimate and charming atmosphere.

It serves as an ideal starting point for exploring vibrant neighborhoods such as Le Marais and Bastille known for their lively cafes, trendy boutiques, and picturesque streets. Situated in the 15th arrondissement of Paris is Port de Javel Bas – another noteworthy docking point for river cruise ships. Notably close to Parc André Citroën – a beautiful park offering green spaces, gardens, and even hot air balloon rides – passengers docking here can indulge in a leisurely stroll or visit nearby attractions such as the Palais de Tokyo and Musée de la Sculpture en Plein Air.

For those looking to gain a unique perspective of Paris from their river cruise ship docked on its eastern outskirts should consider Port de Bercy. This particular docking point offers an unparalleled view that showcases the citys charm and character from a different angle. Positioned near Bercy Village—a former wine market that has undergone a trendy transformation into a sought after shopping area—one can discover an exciting medley of stores, restaurants, and entertainment hubs.

Post river voyage visitors have the delightful opportunity to enjoy a leisurely stroll or partake in a charming riverside picnic at Parc de Bercy—a serene haven beckoning relaxation. 

Port de la Conférence: Located in the charming suburb of Saint Germain en Laye with its picturesque surroundings just northwest of central Paris; Port de la Conférence provides an ideal launching pad for tranquil river cruises. Here passengers embark on elusive journeys along the Seine River—meandering through stunning landscapes and alluring towns—that promise to captivate travelers seeking peace and tranquility on their cruising expeditions.

More useful information about Seine River Cruise in Paris

• Come check all the Best Seine River Dinner Cruise in Paris!
•  Going to Paris with kids? here are the best Seine River Cruises with Kids !
• Having a Low-Budget? Here are some Cheap Seine River Cruises with deals and discounts!
• Paris hop-on hop-off river cruise – The best way to travel in Paris!
• What is Seine Cruise Tickets Prices ?– The best Guide!

Cruise On the Seine - Who we are?

We are a group of travelers who love to explore and write about Paris. Over the years, we have gained extensive experience with cruising on the Seine River in Paris. Here, you could find all the essential information you need to know about Seine River cruises, including the different types of cruise, prices, tickets, operating hours, departure points, and many more. Bon voyage!

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Cruise Maven

Cruising the World One Port at a Time

When a Hotel in Paris Just Won’t Do, a CroisiEurope Seine River Cruise is Perfect

By: Sherry Laskin · Updated On: September 23, 2022

If you think it’s too expensive to visit Paris, stay near the Eiffel Tower plus meals, wine and entertainment included, think again. A CroisiEurope Seine Princess river cruise is your floating hotel in Paris.

CroisiEurope River Cruises, a family-owned river cruise line, offers a unique experience, aptly named the “Paris Short Break.”  For three nights, you’ll stay in the heart of Paris . More like a floating hotel than a cruise, the Seine Princess docks a short, scenic 10-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower.

CroisiEurope Seine Princess in Paris! 

During my three days and three nights aboard the Seine Princess , we were treated to two late evening cruises along the peaceful Seine river. Our excursions were perfectly timed to see the glittering gold lights of the Eiffel Tower and the illumination of dozens of Parisian landmark buildings.

Add a complimentary daytime guided motor coach and walking tour to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur and you have the best value in town.

Seine Princess First Impressions

Built in 2002 and refurbished in 2010, CroisiEurope Seine Princess is similar though on a smaller scale to most of Europe’s river cruise ships. With only two decks, this ship holds a cozy maximum of 138 passengers in only 67 cabins.

The lounge-bar is comfortably furnished with plush sofas and chairs and still has room for a good-sized dance floor. The dining room on the lower deck is flanked by large picture windows. There’s a large sundeck that’s nearly the length of the ship with deck chairs, loungers and a few tables.

Seine Princess Staterooms

Smaller than some ocean cruise staterooms at 140 sq. ft., the Seine Princess has large picture windows nearly as wide as the room. No balconies, but the large picture window offers panoramic views of the river. With the ship docked most of the time and everyone out and about seeing Paris, this is one of those rare cruises where a balcony isn’t needed. I didn’t miss it at all.

Storage space is limited but for three-night cruises it doesn’t matter. The wide ledge underneath the window was perfect for setting and leaving my suitcase open for the duration.

A tiny corner desk is perfect for writing postcards or using a laptop . Wifi is free but as on several river ships from other cruise lines, too, it’s not too good in the staterooms. I found the best wifi connectivity in the lounge.

The bathroom is sufficient with enough room for toiletries in the medicine cabinet and on a couple of hooks. In lieu of bar soap, there’s a wall-mounted pump soap container, used also for shampoo.

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Dining Room

This was a totally different experience for me. I was the only American onboard but there were many English-speaking guests (including a bus tour group from England).

My table for 8 included two older couples from the UK, one retired couple from Canada, a young Japanese travel agent based in Germany and me.

Dining, Parisian-Style

Everything was, of course, French! Breakfast was a typical, lighter European-style buffet. A diverse selection of cheeses, meats and even smoked fish were offered as well as cook-it-yourself boiled eggs.

Though lunch and dinner were multi-course meals, the portions weren’t gargantuan. You were able to enjoy every bite and leave only minimal crumbs.

On my Paris Short Break, lunches and dinners were the same for everyone. No choice of appetizer, entrée or even dessert. I’ve been informed that CroisiEurope has now adapted their menus so that guests have a selection of entrées from which to choose. However…

With advance pre-cruise notice, guests can order vegetarian, gluten -free and low/no sodium meals. I give the Seine Princess two thumbs up for their cuisine. It was excellent.

Service with a Smile

I have to admit, to my surprise, the staff was friendly, helpful and well-informed. I was expecting the stereotypical nonchalant Parisian attitude, but it didn’t happen. Even the Welcome Aboard cocktails and introductions were pretty funny and casual.

I didn’t notice an attitude from anyone anywhere in Paris, for that matter. Considering I was the only American onboard, I never felt like the odd-person out or a nuisance, despite my zillions of questions.

Entertainment

After dinner, just like on all other longer river cruises, we headed to the lounge for the nightly entertainment. Our first night featured a “typical” cabaret-style singer who performed a selection of familiar Euro-French songs, from La Vie en Rose to La Bohème and a number from Cabaret .

The second night was a totally hilarious interactive crew and “unwilling” passenger show. No language barrier issues and a great time was had by all. The Cruise Director quickly rattled off information in French, English and Dutch with brilliance.

Following both nights’ shows, we were treated to late evening cruises on the Seine. Paris at night is a site to remember…especially from the water.

Take a walk into the heart of Paris

During the day, a stroll along the Seine towards the Eiffel Tower was just about as storybook-perfect as I imagined. If you are a walker, it’s only a little further to shopping at St. Honoré and the Musée D’Orsay.

The CroisiEurope Seine Princess is for you if:

• You want to stay in Paris without the pricy hotel rates
• Walking is your favorite way to explore a city
• Enjoy being among non-American passengers
• A somewhat immersive visit to Paris is important
• You’ve wanted to try a river cruise and 3- or 4-nights is just the right starter

This isn’t for you if:

• Physical mobility is a daily challenge ( much  of Europe can be daunting if you are wheel-chair bound). Note: The Seine Princess does not have an elevator.
• You only stay in 5-star hotels by lofty American standards
• A stateroom balcony is imperative
• European dining at 8:30PM gives you indigestion

Based in Strasbourg, France, CroisiEurope River Cruises is new to many North Americans. With a fleet of 44 modern river ships, smaller river barges and more new ships on the horizon, CroisiEurope is extending their marketing reach across the pond.

If you’re looking for a short break in the City of Light, I highly recommend this CroisiEurope Seine Princess Short Paris Break. The Seine Princess isn’t the Ritz, but it’s the most affordable, fun, unique and convenient was to spend a few days in Paris AND on the river. Great service, personable and helpful multilingual staff, basic yet comfortable accommodations and excellent cuisine.

Disclosure:  I was a guest aboard CroisiEurope’s Seine Princess for their Short Paris Break cruise but all opinions are my own.

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About Sherry Laskin

I'm the editor and creator of CruiseMaven.com, a solo traveler cruising the world without flying. I hope my articles and photos entertain, advise and inspire you to travel the world without flying. Take a breath...stop for a local meal and a glass of wine along the way.

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March 2, 2015 at 8:45 pm

Thank you very much. I’m sure you’ll enjoy CroisiEurope’s short cruise and “hotel” on the Seine. Have fun!

March 2, 2015 at 8:44 pm

Thanks, Vicki. CroisiEurope’s Paris Short Break is a great way to be able to stay in Paris without breaking the bank AND have everything included. Keep checking on airfares…you never know! Bon Voyage!

March 2, 2015 at 4:29 pm

After reading a such passionate a blog, can’t wait to have my first river cruise and discover Paris from another point of view.

January 28, 2015 at 3:27 pm

I enjoyed this information tremendously. You talked about each of the points most important to me. We have not yet done a river cruise, but I’ve begun looking into them. This sounds wonderful, exciting without being overwhelming, as we haven’t ventured overseas yet either. Now I wonder what the chances are of finding deals on airfare to France!

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For over twenty-five years, I've been traveling the world without flying, by only river ships, ocean ships, road trips and trains. I hope to inspire you to travel slow, explore new places, experience different cultures and taste new cuisine. Follow my solo travel adventures across the USA, North America and the world!

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• Be amazed with the town of Conflans
• Explore the Rouen Cathedral
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• Visit the Château de La Roche-Guyon
• Walk through the city of Rouen
• Experience Honfleur by foot
• Tour Paris with expert guides

The Meandering Seine

• Discover Fontainebleau's palace
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• See the Astronomical Clock
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• Enjoy Lyon's culinary delights
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• Marvel at the iconic Eiffel Tower
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Viking Unveils 8 New River Ships, Seine Experiences

Sarah Bretz, Contributor

• March 17, 2022

Viking has welcomed eight new river ships to its fleet during a celebration in Paris.

Four of the vessels —  Viking Fjorgyn, Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid,  and  Viking Skaga  are built specifically to navigate the Seine River and bring passengers to the heart of Paris with an exclusive docking location at Port de Grenelle, just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower.

The four additional ships,  Viking Egdir, VIking Gersemi, Viking Gymir,  and Viking Hervor  will sail Viking’s popular itineraries on the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers.

The naming of the new river ships comes as Viking continues its 25th anniversary. In January, the company launched its first expedition ship,  Viking Octantis. By the end of the year, the line plans to launch a second identical expedition ship, as well as two new identical ocean ships, new purpose-built vessels for the Nile and Mekong rivers, and new Mississippi River sailings .

The Naming Ceremony

In keeping with maritime tradition, Viking invited eight cultural partners and important members of the company’s extended family to serve as ceremonial godmothers of the new ships. They include:

• Alma Deutscher ,  Godmother of  Viking Gymir  – A musical phenomenon, Alma captivates the classical world with her talents as a violinist, pianist, composer and conductor, and at just 17 years old was hailed as the “new Mozart” at an early age. She recently appeared on an episode of Viking’s award-winning enrichment channel, Viking.TV, where she discussed her upcoming concert series, which will be exclusive for Viking guests on select river voyages visiting Vienna.
• Helen Deutscher ,  Godmother of  Viking Egdir –   A violinist, pianist and vocalist, Helen is an accomplished musician who honed her musical and performance skills at the Music Gymnasium in Vienna and as a member of the Vienna State Opera’s children’s chorus; she has also performed in several productions of her sister Miss Alma Deutscher’s opera, Cinderella. Helen and Alma recently appeared together on an episode of Viking.TV, where they discussed their remarkable lives and many musical milestones.
• Dr. Janie Deutscher ,  Godmother of  Viking Radgrid  –  An author and educator, Dr. Deutscher is also an accomplished musician and earned an organ scholarship to Oxford University where she later taught medieval literature; in recent years, she has concentrated on homeschooling and supporting the musical ambitions of her two daughters, Alma and Helen, godmothers of  Viking Gymir  and  Viking Egdir , respectfully.
• Brenda Hunsberger ,  Godmother of  Viking Hervor  –   For more than four decades, Ms. Hunsberger, Senior Vice President of Travel Services with AAA Club Alliance, has worked in the industry as an accomplished travel agent; she believes in the power of travel to transform perspectives and change lives.
• Karryn Christopher, Godmother of  Viking Gersemi  –  Ms. Christopher is Executive Vice President of Preferred Partnerships & Marketing for Signature Travel Network, a member-owned travel cooperative established in 1956, where she has led the transformation of the company’s sales and marketing division.
• Ghislaine Wood ,  Godmother of  Viking Fjorgyn  –  As the Deputy Director of the University of East Anglia’s Sainsbury Centre, one of the most important public university art galleries in Great Britain, Ms. Wood carefully curates exhibitions, including the upcoming “Visions of Ancient Egypt,” which was developed in partnership with Viking; opening in September 2022, the exhibit will honor the 100 th anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Ms. Wood discussed her work at the Sainsbury Centre in a recent episode of Viking.TV, including the origins of their Alaska collection which examines how indigenous Alaskan communities developed technologies and tools to adapt to their environment .
• Muriel Wilson ,  Godmother of  Viking Skaga  –  As the Director of Event Strategy & Sponsorships for Virtuoso, Ltd., Ms. Wilson has been a distinguished staff member of the global network of agencies for more than 40 years and leverages her deep knowledge of the industry to develop quality hospitality and travel experiences for Virtuoso’s travel advisors and preferred partners.
• Kari Garmann ,  Godmother of  Viking Kari  –  Former member of The Parliament of Norway and Oslo City Council, Ms. Garmann has made valuable contributions to Norway in the areas of government, business and banking throughout her career.

The event was executed by connecting the new ships via satellite across two European cities: Paris and Amsterdam.

Viking Fjorgyn, Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid,  and  Viking Skaga  were docked in Paris at the Port de Grenelle, where they were named by their godmothers. The other four ships –  Viking Egdir, Viking Gersemi, Viking Gymir, and Viking Hervor   –  were docked in Amsterdam and named by their godmothers, who also joined the celebration in Paris

In keeping with another maritime tradition, a bottle of Gammel Opland aquavit was broken on the bow of each vessel.

Gammel Opland hails from the same county in Norway where Chairman Torstein Hagen’s mother, Ragnhild, was born. It was her favorite brand of aquavit.

MORE: Viking Reveals Images of First Expedition Ship [PHOTOS]

New Seine Offerings

Building on Viking’s offerings in Paris and the four new longships sailing the Seine River, the company has announced a new post-trip extension called  Paris: A Culinary Experience  that will explore the cuisine of the French capital.

Available beginning in 2023 for guests sailing on the eight-night Paris & the Heart of Normandy itinerary, the new extension allows guests to immerse themselves in the culinary history of Paris and taste the gastronomic delights of the city.

Guests on the three-night extension will disembark their ship in Paris and explore the city with a culinary guide, visiting the “Belly of Paris” and the Rue Montorgueil, home to the city’s first pâtisserie, before checking into their hotel.

The following day, travelers will visit a Parisian cooking school to attend a croissant baking workshop with a local chef and learn about the pastry’s origins before enjoying a wine and cheese tasting at a private wine cellar.

On the final day, visitors will journey to the Jacquemart-André Museum for a tour of the 19 th century mansion and its private art collection, followed by a special workshop delving into the art of table etiquette.

Each day allows plenty of free time for guests to explore iconic Parisian landmarks from their centrally-located hotel.

Viking has also announced a new holiday sailing, the eight-night Christmas on the Seine sailing roundtrip from Paris. Available during the holiday season starting in 2022, guests will sail through Normandy’s snow-covered countryside while enjoying the Christmas markets.

Passengers can choose from holiday-centric shore excursions such as baking homemade gingerbread at the 850-year-old Abbaye du Valasse or attending a Christmas ornament-making workshop in Rouen.

From now through March 31, 2022, Viking is offering special savings, plus airfare starting at $599 on all 2022 and 2023 departures of Paris & the Heart of Normandy.

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Baltimore bridge collapse wasn't first major accident for giant container ship Dali

Propulsion failed on the cargo ship that struck the Francis Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday as it was leaving port, causing it to collapse into the frigid Patapsco River. Its crew warned Maryland officials of a possible collision because they had lost control.

“The vessel notified MD Department of Transportation (MDOT) that they had lost control of the vessel” and a collision with the bridge “was possible,” according to an unclassified Department of Homeland Security report. “The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse.”

An official speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed to USA TODAY that the DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is working with federal, state, and local officials “to understand the potential impacts of this morning’s collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.”

Clay Diamond, executive director, American Pilots’ Association, told USA TODAY power issues are not unusual on cargo ships, which are so large they cannot easily course correct.

“It’s likely that virtually every pilot in the country has experienced a power loss of some kind (but) it generally is momentary,” Diamond said. “This was a complete blackout of all the power on the ship, so that’s unusual. Of course this happened at the worst possible location.” 

The ship in Tuesday's crash, Dali, was involved in at least one prior accident when it collided with a shipping pier in Belgium.

That 2016 incident occurred as the Dali was leaving port in Antwerp and struck a loading pier made of stone, causing damage to the ship’s stern, according to VesselFinder.com, a site that tracks ships across the world. An investigation determined a mistake made by the ship’s master and pilot was to blame.

No one was injured in that crash, although the ship required repair and a full inspection before being returned to service. The pier – or berth – was also seriously damaged and had to be closed.

VesselFinder reports that the Dali was chartered by Maersk, the same company chartering it during the Baltimore harbor incident.

The 9-year-old container ship had passed previous inspections during its time at sea, but during one such inspection in June at the Port of San Antonio in Chile, officials discovered a deficiency with its "propulsion and auxiliary machinery (gauges, thermometers, etc)," according to the Tokyo MOU, an intergovernmental maritime authority in the Asia-Pacific region.

The report provided no other information about the deficiency except to note that it was not serious enough to remove the ship from service.

Follow here for live updates: Baltimore's Key Bridge collapses after ship strike; construction crew missing: Live Updates

Why did Dali crash into the Baltimore bridge?

Officials said Tuesday they’re investigating the collision, including whether systems on board lost electricity early Tuesday morning, which could be related to mechanical failure, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Accidents at sea, known as marine casualties, are not uncommon, the source told USA TODAY. However, “allisions,” in which a moving object strikes a stationary one with catastrophic results, are far less common. The investigation of the power loss aboard the Dali, a Singapore-flagged vessel, will be a high priority.

In a video posted to social media, lights on the Dali shut off, then turned back on, then shut off again before the ship struck a support pier on the bridge.

Numerous cargo and cruise ships have lost power over the years.

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea requires all international vessels to have two independent sources of electricity, both of which should be able to maintain the ship's seaworthiness on their own, according to a safety study about power failures on ships , citing the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.

The Dali's emergency generator was likely responsible for the lights coming back on after the initial blackout, Diamond said.

“There was still some steerage left when they initially lost power,” he said. “We’ve been told the ship never recovered propulsion. The emergency generator is a diesel itself – so if you light off the generator, that’s also going to put off a puff of exhaust.”

Under maritime law, all foreign flagged vessels must be piloted into state ports by a state licensed pilot so the Dali's pilot is licensed by Association of Maryland Pilots .

Diamond described the incident based on information from the Maryland agency that licensed the pilot aboard the ship. His organization represents that group and all other state piloting agencies in the US.

“The pilot was directing navigation of the ship as it happened,” he said. “He asked the captain to get the engines back online. They weren’t able to do that, so the pilot took all the action he could. He tried to steer, to keep the ship in the channel. He also dropped the ship’s anchor to slow the ship and guide the direction.

“Neither one was enough. The ship never did regain its engine power.”

How big is the Dali ship?

The Dali is a 984-foot container vessel built in 2015 by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea. With a cruising speed of about 22 knots – roughly 25 mph. It has traveled the world carrying goods from port to port.

The ship, constructed of high-strength steel, has one engine and one propeller, according to MarineTraffic.com.

The Dali arrived in Baltimore on Sunday from the Port of Norfolk in Virginia. Before that, it had been in New York and came through the Panama Canal.

It remains at the scene of the collapse as authorities investigate.

Who owns and operates the Dali?

It is owned by the Singapore-based Grace Ocean Pte Ltd but managed by Synergy Marine Group, also based in Singapore. It was carrying Maersk customers’ cargo, according to a statement from the shipping company.

“We are deeply concerned by this incident and are closely monitoring the situation,” Maersk said in the statement. 

Synergy, which describes itself as a leading ship manager with more than 600 vessels under its guidance, issued a statement on its website acknowledging the incident and reporting no injuries among its crew and no pollution in the water. There were two pilots on board and 22 crew members in all, according to Synergy, all of them from India.

USA TODAY reached out to Synergy on Tuesday, but the company did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Contributing: Josh Susong

Bulgarian cruise ship crashes into wall on Danube in Austria, injuring 11

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Who owns the ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore?

By Megan Cerullo

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

Updated on: March 26, 2024 / 5:05 PM EDT / CBS News

The collapse of  Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday after being struck by a cargo ship has raised questions about who owns and manages the ship, as well as on the potential impact on one the busiest ports in the U.S.

Called the Dali, the 948-foot vessel that hit the bridge is managed by Synergy Marine Group, a Singapore-based company with over 660 ships under management worldwide, according to its website . The group said the ship was operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group and chartered by Danish shipping giant Maersk at the time of the incident, which sent vehicles and people tumbling into the Patapsco River.

"We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected," Maersk said in a statement to CBS News on Tuesday, in which it also confirmed the ship was carrying cargo for Maersk customers. The company had no crew or personnel aboard the ship.

The Dali, which can carry up to 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, was carrying nearly 4,700 containers at the time of the collision. It was operated by a 22-person, Indian crew. It was not immediately clear what kind of cargo the ship was carrying. 

Who owns and manages the Dali?

The Dali is owned by Grace Ocean Private, a Singapore-based company that provides water transportation services. The ship was chartered by Danish container shipping company Maersk at the time of the collision.

Synergy Marine, founded in 2006, provides a range of ship management services, including managing ships' technical components and their crews and overseeing safety, according to S&P Capital IQ. Its parent company, Unity Group Holdings International, an investment holding company, was founded in 2008 and is based in Hong Kong.

Where was the ship headed?

The outbound ship had left Baltimore and was headed for Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, Synergy Marine Group said in a  press release . 

How busy is the Port of Baltimore?

In 2023, the Port of Baltimore handled a record 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo, worth $80 billion, according  to the office of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. The port is also a significant provider of local jobs. 

The top port in the U.S. for sugar and gypsum imports, it is the ninth busiest U.S. port by the total volume and value of foreign cargo handled. All vessel traffic into and out of the facility is currently suspended, although the port remains open and trucks continue to be processed within its terminals, according to a statement released by Port of Baltimore officials. 

What is the potential local economic impact?

Directly, the port supports 15,300 jobs, while another 140,000 in the area are related to port activities. The jobs provide a combined $3.3 billion in personal income, according to a CBS News report . The Port of Baltimore said Tuesday that it is unclear how long ship traffic will be suspended.

The disaster also caused chaos for local drivers. The Maryland Transportation Authority said all lanes were closed in both directions on I-695, with traffic being detoured to I-95 and I-895.

How could the bridge collapse affect consumers and businesses?

Experts say the bridge collapse could cause significant supply chain disruptions.

"While Baltimore is not one of the largest U.S. East Coast ports, it still imports and exports more than 1 million containers each year, so there is the potential for this to cause significant disruption to supply chains," Emily Stausbøll, a market analyst at Xeneta, an ocean and air freight analytics platform, said in a statement. 

She added that freight services from Asia to the East Coast in the U.S. have already been hampered by drought in the Panama Canal, as well as risks related to conflict in the Red Sea. Nearby ports, including those in New York, New Jersey and Virginia, will be relied on to handle more shipments if Baltimore remains inaccessible. 

Whether ocean freight shipping rates will rise dramatically, potentially affecting consumers as retailers pass along higher costs, will depend on how much extra capacity the alternate ports can handle, Stausbøll said. "However, there is only so much port capacity available and this will leave supply chains vulnerable to any further pressure."

Marty Durbin, senior vice president of policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said that the bridge is a critical connector of "people, businesses, and communities."

"Unfortunately, its prolonged closure will likely disrupt commercial activities and supply chains that rely on the bridge and Port of Baltimore each day," he said in a statement.

What other industries could be affected?

Trucking companies could be severely affected by the disaster. 

"Aside from the obvious tragedy, this incident will have significant and long-lasting impacts on the region," American Trucking Associations spokesperson Jessica Gail said, calling Key Bridge and Baltimore's port "critical components'' of the nation's infrastructure.

Gail noted that 1.3 million trucks cross the bridge every year — 3,600 a day. Trucks that carry hazardous materials will now have to make 30 miles of detours around Baltimore because they are prohibited from using the city's tunnels, she said, adding to delays and increasing fuel costs.

"Time-wise, it's going to hurt us a lot," added Russell Brehm, the terminal manager in Baltimore for Lee Transport, which trucks hazardous materials such as petroleum products and chemicals. The loss of the bridge will double to two hours the time it takes Lee to get loads from its terminal in Baltimore's Curtis Bay to the BJ's gasoline station in the waterfront neighborhood of Canton, he estimated.

Cruise operators are also being affected. A Carnival cruise ship that set off Sunday for the Bahamas had been scheduled to return to Baltimore on March 31. Carnival said Tuesday that it is "currently evaluating options for Carnival Legend's scheduled return on Sunday." The company also has cruises scheduled to set sail from Baltimore through the summer. 

Norwegian Cruise Line last year introduced new routes departing from the Port of Baltimore. Its sailings are scheduled for late this year. The company said the Key Bridge collapse doesn't immediately require it to reroute any ships.

Who will pay to rebuild the bridge?

President Biden said Tuesday that the federal government, with congressional support, would pay to rebuild the bridge.

"We're going to work with our partners in Congress to make sure the state gets the support it needs. It's my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge," Biden said in comments from the White House. "And I expect the Congress to support my effort. This is going to take some time. The people of Baltimore can count on us though, to stick with them, at every step of the way, till the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt."

—The Associated Press contributed to this report.

• Francis Scott Key Bridge
• Bridge Collapse
• Patapsco River

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News Streaming to discuss her reporting.

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Part of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday morning after a nearly 1,000-foot-long container ship, the Dali , crashed into it, sending people into the water in what authorities are calling a "developing mass casualty event." Here's what we're following:

• Officials say eight construction workers were repairing potholes on the bridge at the time of the collapse. Two people have been rescued, one of them seriously injured.
• The Dali, which was traveling from Baltimore to Sri Lanka, had issued a "mayday" warning before the collision, which helped authorities reduce traffic on the bridge.
• The 1.6-mile Key Bridge is a vital transit route for both Maryland commuters and drivers traversing the East Coast. It also has a rich and patriotic history .
• Ship traffic is suspended in the Port of Baltimore , one of the largest shipping hubs in the country. At least six high-capacity commercial vessels are essentially trapped inside the harbor.
• Authorities say the search and rescue mission is their sole focus and will continue until divers determine they have reached the "non-survivability point."

Gov. Moore says the situation is still an 'active search and rescue mission'

By Jonathan Franklin

During an afternoon news conference, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told reporters the Baltimore bridge situation is still an “active search and rescue mission" as six people remain missing.

Moore said he spoke to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris following the bridge collapse, and the two voiced their “full-throated” support.

The governor added that air, land and sea resources are being deployed to Baltimore to assist in the search and rescue efforts.

“There is not a single resource that we will hold off on deploying,” Moore said.

“This will not be short, there’s going to be a long road,” he added. “There's going to be a long road, not just as we go from search and rescue. There will be a long road as we talk about what does the future of this region, the future of the area looked like.“

‘Search and rescue is still underway,’ NTSB chair says

"What I can tell you is, a search and rescue is still underway," National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said in a mid-afternoon update from the shore near Baltimore’s harbor.

Investigators are also working to verify how many crew members were on board the Dali container ship, and what their status is, Homendy said.

In an incident that has brought a large number of state, local and federal agencies to bear, Homendy laid out who’s doing what.

The NTSB is leading the investigation into the bridge collapse, she said, while the Coast Guard is leading the search and rescue effort. And for now, she said, her teams are staying away from the ship to give the search operation room.

A main priority, she said, will be to acquire the ship’s recorders, which could provide more insights into the catastrophic collision.

NTSB has 24 people on site, including her, Homendy said. She added that her counterparts in Singapore, where the Dali is flagged, are also sending people to Baltimore to help with the inquiry.

Shippers are scrambling to reroute cargo

By Scott Horsley

Some $80 billion worth of cargo passes through the Port of Baltimore each year. With the port’s shipping channel closed indefinitely by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge, shippers are scrambling to find alternate routes.

Some vessels have already been diverted to Norfolk, Va., said Margie Shapiro, who runs a century-old freight handling business in Baltimore. Other traffic could be rerouted through New York or Philadelphia.

Cargo already at the port will have to travel overland, but truck traffic will also be snarled by the loss of the bridge, which severed an important interstate highway.

“The whole ecosystem is going to be a little bit off,” Shapiro said. “Removing the Port of Baltimore from the equation just changes the whole chemistry. And we’ve lived that before with the Suez Canal disruption. When the ecosystem gets messy, things get messy. Freight rates go up. The world gets a little bit chaotic.”

Cargo traffic through the Suez Canal has been curtailed due to attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen, while shipping through the Panama Canal has been limited by drought.

“We never get a break,” Shapiro said. She's been hearing from many of her clients, concerned about delayed deliveries and higher expenses.

She's heard an unofficial estimate that it could take two months to clear the shipping channel so cargo vessels can resume sailing.

President Biden also stressed the importance of reopening the port as quickly as possible.

“Fifteen thousand jobs depend on that port, and we're going to do everything we can to protect those jobs and help those workers," Biden said.

In the meantime, shipping companies are expected to declare a force majeure, invoking a clause in their contracts that allows them to drop Baltimore-bound cargo in other ports, leaving the recipient to bear the cost of additional transportation.

Baltimore's mayor says the state is in touch with construction workers' families

By Rachel Treisman

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, who has been at the scene of the bridge collapse all morning, told NPR's Morning Edition that the focus remains on trying to save lives "until it's no longer a search and rescue mission."

Scott said crews are still looking for the six construction workers known to be in the water.

They were "simply just working, providing for their families, trying to make transit for other folks in Baltimore and Maryland better," he said.

He said Maryland officials are in contact with the families of those unaccounted for, and "will continue to lift them up and support them in every way."

Scott said authorities do not believe there was anyone driving on the bridge as it collapsed, though that could change.

He credited transit personnel with shutting down traffic in both directions after the ship put out its mayday call, saying they are "heroes for doing that."

Scott himself had just gotten off the phone with President Biden, and has been talking to members of the administration all day. He reiterated that Baltimore is getting strong support from local, state and federal agencies and is confident that will continue.

"We're going to continue to do the work," he said. "Anything that we need, we will ask for for sure."

Listen to his conversation with Morning Edition 's Leila Fadel.

Biden wants federal government to pay 'entire cost' of rebuilding bridge: 'We're not leaving until this job gets done'

By NPR's Washington Desk

In an address from the White House about the bridge collapse in Baltimore, President Biden said he intends for the federal government to “pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge. And I expect the Congress to support my effort.”

He vowed, “We're not leaving until this job gets done.”

“This is going to take some time,” he said, “the people of Baltimore can count on us, though, to stick with them at every step of the way until the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt.”

He said prayers are with the families waiting to hear about their loved ones who are still unaccounted for.

He said every indication so far is that the event was an accident and not intentional.

Biden said ship traffic in the Port of Baltimore has been suspended until the channel is cleared. He noted that it is one of the largest shipping hubs in the U.S.

“We're gonna get it up and running again as soon as possible. Fifteen thousand jobs depend on that port, and we're gonna do everything we can to protect those jobs and help those workers,” Biden said.

Asked if the company that owned the ship should be held responsible, but he said, “That could be, but we’re not going to wait for that to happen. We’re going to pay for it to get the bridge rebuilt and open.”

He said he plans to go to Baltimore “as quickly as I can.” Biden is scheduled to fly with Vice President Harris to North Carolina this afternoon.

The White House says Biden spoke with the following federal, state and local officials:

• Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Department of Transportation
• Governor Wes Moore (MD)
• Senator Ben Cardin (MD)
• Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD)
• Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)
• Mayor Brandon M. Scott, Baltimore, MD
• Johnny Olszewski, Executive of Baltimore County, MD

'It could've happened to us:' A Baltimore couple discuss losing a landmark bridge near their home

Miamonique and Travis Brooks of Baltimore were stunned when they heard the news of the bridge collapse.

They told NPR's Laurel Wamsley in Dundalk that they used to drive over the Francis Scott Key Bridge to get to work every day until they moved downtown several months ago — and they just happened to take that route again yesterday.

"It's crazy, we were just on that bridge," said Travis. "It could've happened to us."

Miamonique called the experience "an eye-opener to appreciate life." She said it was bittersweet, knowing that she and her husband are safe but that others are not.

"It's very sad to hear of tragedy," she added. "But as far as for my husband and I, it's just a blessing that we are here today and it just showed us that we have purpose."

The couple ended up back at the site of the bridge on Tuesday morning on their way to work. Miamonique said they tried to take a route that would be out of the way, "but we got right in the way because of the trucks." She said a drive that would normally take no more than 20 minutes stretched into nearly an hour.

They also stopped to take pictures for her family back in Georgia, who had checked in on them earlier.

"It is London Bridge falling down, just in Baltimore," said Miamonique, marveling at the crumpled structure. "'Cause it's so long — well, it was — and now it doesn't look like that anymore."

She said the bridge was not only a beautiful sight and a Baltimore landmark, but also a critical route for trucks that can't fit through highway tunnels closer to downtown. For people who live in their area outside of the city, Miamonique said, the "shorter route won't be shorter anymore."

"That's gonna be wicked," she said of the traffic. "Because that bridge is literally the only way out if you have to come over to this area."

President Biden to speak about the Key Bridge collapse

By Bill Chappell

President Biden was briefed earlier Tuesday about the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. The White House said he would speak about what looks to be a tragic accident before departing for a trip to North Carolina.

Track the Dali’s path to calamity; at least 6 large ships are trapped in harbor

The stunning collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Md., severed an important highway — and draped a ribbon of steel and concrete across a vital waterway used by freight and civilian craft.

The container ship Dali had been escorted from its docking and out toward the large bridge by two tugboats, the Eric McAllister and the Bridget McAllister, according to a re-creation of its path from the Vessel Finder marine tracking website.

Transponder data shows the Dali quickly speeding up as the two tugboats leave it, eventually reaching 8.8 knots on a southeast bearing of around 140 degrees. It slows slightly as it nears the bridge — but the ship also veers some 15 degrees further south — sending it into a large support column in the Patapsco River.

The two tugboats then rush back toward the stricken ship. A Coast Guard craft arrives shortly after, as emergency and rescue vessels flock to the scene.

The bridge is now blocking the harbor’s entrance, and at least six high-capacity commercial vessels are essentially trapped, according to live data from Vessel Finder.

The vessels include the cargo ships Balsa 94 and Saimaagracht; the bulk carriers Klara Oldendorff; Jy River; and Phatra Naree; and the vehicle carrier Carmen.

Three large inactive naval auxiliary ships are also in the harbor, along with dozens of passenger, charter and pleasure craft that use moorages in the Inner Harbor area.

The busy Port of Baltimore is suspending vessel traffic until further notice

Vessel traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore is suspended until further notice, port officials announced late Tuesday morning .

"This does not mean the Port of Baltimore is closed," they wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Trucks are being processed within our marine terminals."

They added that they do not know how long the suspension will last, but will provide an update as soon as that is determined.

"Until then please keep those involved in your prayers," they added.

The port is the deepest harbor in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, with five public and 12 private terminals. It's also within an overnight drive of one-third of the nation's population, according to the state .

And it ranks 9th in the nation for both total dollar value and tonnage of international cargo.

It collectively handled more than 847,000 autos and light trucks in 2023, the most of any U.S. port for the 13th consecutive year. It also ranked first in the nation last year in handling automobiles, light trucks, farm and construction machinery and imported sugar and gypsum.

The Port of Baltimore generates about 15,300 direct jobs, with another nearly 140,000 linked to port activities, per the state.

And it continues to set records: Gov. Wes Moore announced just last month that the port handled a record 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo, worth $80 billion, in 2023.

In other words, the suspension of this busy Baltimore port is likely to have ripple effects far beyond the city.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the bridge collapse. It announced on X , formerly Twitter, that it is launching a "go team" and will hold a press briefing later Tuesday.

The NTSB website says a go team consists of "technical experts needed to solve complex transportation safety problems." When on duty, they must be reachable 24 hours a day.

"Most Go Team members do not have a suitcase pre-packed because there's no way of knowing whether the accident scene will be in Florida or Alaska, but they do have tools of their trade and necessary safety equipment such as hard hats, goggles, steel toed shoes," it added.

Ship’s mayday signal allowed officials to stop many vehicles before bridge collapse

Video footage moments before the collapse shows cars and trucks traveling over the bridge — but traffic seems to halt roughly 30 seconds before a large pillar gives way, triggering the structure’s rapid failure.

The crew of the Dali container ship alerted authorities that it was losing power, officials said in an update late Tuesday morning.

“We're thankful that between the mayday and the collapse that we had officials who were able to begin to stop the flow of traffic, so more cars were not up on the bridge,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told reporters, adding that the intervention saved lives.

It was “shocking and heartbreaking” to learn the Key Bridge had collapsed, the governor said.

Moore also said no structural problems had been reported in the span: “In fact, the bridge was actually fully up to code.”

As bad as the catastrophe was, it could have been even worse — if the ship had hit the bridge at morning rush hour, for instance.

“Roughly about 35,000 people a day” use the bridge, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said.

There have been reports that vehicles fell into the water when the bridge gave way — and it's possible that those belonged to the eight-person construction crew.

When Wiedefeld was asked if searchers think any people might be in a vehicle in the water, he replied, "No, we do not believe so."

Authorities are still searching for six people, likely all construction workers

Authorities said at a mid-morning briefing that search and rescue operations remain underway, with six people still unaccounted for.

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said an eight-person construction crew had been working on the bridge, but stressed that there were no structural issues and that they were "basically repairing potholes."

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore also said at the briefing that the bridge was "fully up to code."

As of around 10 a.m. ET, the number of people rescued remains at two, one of whom is hospitalized.

"Response teams are doing everything in our power to rescue and recover the victims of this collapse literally as we speak," Moore said.

Authorities did not provide a timeline but stressed that their sole priority is search and rescue at the moment and that state and federal agencies are working together to get resources where they're needed.

U.S. Sen Chris Van Hollen, D-M.D., spoke about how the federal government is supporting the state, from the Coast Guard to the Army Corps of Engineers.

William J. DelBagno, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Baltimore Field Office, said the FBI is contributing crisis response resources, victims services and underwater search evidence recovery teams. He said the agency will provide resources as long as necessary and help take the investigation "to its logical conclusion."

He also emphasized that "there is no specific or credible information to suggest that there are ties to terrorism in this incident."

Officials are asking the public to be patient as more information becomes available and to keep those affected in their thoughts.

The Key Bridge has a rich and patriotic history

The Key Bridge isn't just a vital transportation route. It also has a special historical significance.

The structure itself was built between 1972 and 1977, opening to the public on March 23 of that year.

But its history goes much deeper than that, according to the state. Scholars believe it stood within 100 yards of the site where its namesake, Francis Scott Key, witnessed the failed British bombardment of Fort McHenry in September 1814.

The bombardment was a key turning point in the War of 1812, forcing the British to abandon the land assault on the crucial port city of Baltimore. The two sides reached a peace agreement later that year.

In short: British warships fired thousands of exploding mortar shells, cannonballs and rockets at the fort for more than a full day, but inflicted only minor damage because it was so heavily fortified. The Americans raised their garrison flag the next morning.

Key, an American lawyer, watched the battle from the British warship he had boarded to negotiate the release of a detained American civilian. The awe he felt at seeing the flag rise the next morning inspired him to write "Defense of Fort McHenry," which was renamed "The Star-Spangled Banner" and became the U.S. national anthem in 1931.

The Key Bridge is vital for Maryland drivers and anyone traversing the East Coast

The Key Bridge is a vital transportation route, not just for Baltimore-area commuters but anyone driving up or down the Eastern Seaboard.

The four-lane, 1.6-mile bridge sees a traffic volume of some 11.3 million vehicles each year, according to state data.

It's the outermost of only three interstate crossings of the Baltimore Harbor into downtown Baltimore, and the only one that's a bridge. The other two are tunnels.

Matt Bush of member station WYPR told Morning Edition that it's heavily trafficked by Maryland residents and anyone who drives along the East Coast, particularly between New York and Washington, D.C.

"This is one of three ways to get through Baltimore on the interstate, and this is the one that's furthest away from downtown, so many people trying to avoid downtown traffic end up using this," he explained.

Bush said he was not aware of any recent safety concerns involving the bridge, adding that the most recent debate about it was over an increase in toll prices.

In the wake of its collapse, the Maryland Transportation Authority is asking commuters to avoid the southeast corridor of I-695, colloquially called the Baltimore Beltway. Drivers should use the I-95 or I-895 tunnels to cross the harbor instead and prepare for delays.

Further complicating some drivers' morning commutes, vehicles transporting hazardous materials (including propane over 10 pounds) are prohibited in those tunnels. They should use the western section of I-695 around the tunnels, authorities say.

A team of construction workers was on the bridge

Search and rescue teams were working early Tuesday to find anyone who was on the Francis Scott Key Bridge — and that includes a crew of construction workers who were working on the structure, says Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J Wiedefeld.

“They were basically doing some concrete deck repair,” Wiedefeld said.

When asked how large the work team was, the transportation head said that on such projects, “other workers show up sometimes. So that’s what we’re investigating.”

It’s too early to know precisely how many people in total were on the bridge when its central steel structure gave way, Wiedefeld said.

The water is approximately 50 feet deep in the area beneath the bridge, he said. Wiedefeld also said that officials have set up a facility where family members who believe they’ve lost a loved one in the bridge collapse can come for information and counseling.

Catastrophic bridge collapse was caught on video

The moment that the Dali container ship struck a support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge — causing a large portion of the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River — was caught on video. 

After the collapse, rescue crews at the scene began trying to reach anyone who was on the bridge at the time, from vehicles that were caught on the bridge’s roadway to construction workers who were doing repairs to the bridge’s concrete deck.

Officials say it’s too early to know how many people were on the bridge.

The ship management company says all crew members are accounted for

The company that manages the ship says all of its crew members are accounted for, and there are no injuries or pollution resulting from the crash.

Synergy Marine Group said in a statement that the Dali collided with one of the Key Bridge pillars around 1:30 a.m. ET "whilst under pilotage with two pilots onboard."

It said there were 22 crew members on board, "all Indian." The ship was heading from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka.

"Whilst the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined, the ‘DALI’ has now mobilised its Qualified Individual Incident response service," it added. "The US Coast Guard and local officials have been notified, and the owners and managers are fully cooperating with Federal and State government agencies under an approved plan."

The vessel is managed by Synergy but owned by a different company, Singapore-based Grace Ocean Private Ltd.

Maryland's governor has declared a state of emergency

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency over the bridge collapse, he announced on the platform X early Tuesday.

"We are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration," he wrote .

Moore said his office is in communication with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and will remain in close contact with the various local, state and federal entities "that are carrying out rescue efforts as we continue to assess and respond to this tragedy."

Moore visited the area himself later in the morning.

. @GovWesMoore is on site at the Francis Scott Key Bridge. pic.twitter.com/4nC12WQAz5 — Carter Elliott, IV (@CarterElliottIV) March 26, 2024

. @GovWesMoore with @MayorBMScott viewing the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. pic.twitter.com/9lneOzVtC1 — Carter Elliott, IV (@CarterElliottIV) March 26, 2024

Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration announced flight restrictions around the area of the bridge on Tuesday morning, with a radius of five nautical miles and up to 2,000 feet above mean sea level.

"Do not interfere with rescue operations," it wrote on X. "If you fly, emergency response operations cannot."

Sun rises to show bridge wreckage is strewn across the river

Images from the scene Tuesday morning along the interstate’s path on land show segments of the bridge leading up from the highway and jutting into the open sky. A central portion of the bridge was snapped off at the points on either side where steel support beams once spanned the waterway.

Aerial photos show those beams are now part of a tangle of metal stretching across the water — and heaped onto the container ship’s prow.

Baltimore's mayor says the focus should be on the people, not the bridge

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott called the bridge collapse an "unthinkable tragedy," comparing it to something out of an action movie.

At Tuesday morning's press conference, he urged people to pray for everyone impacted, from the people "we have to try to find and save" to family members and first responders.

"We're going to continue to work in partnership with every part of government to do everything that we can to get us to the other side of this tragedy," he said.

When asked about plans for rebuilding the Key Bridge, Scott said that's not the priority right now.

"There will be time to discuss the bridge and how to get the bridge back up," he said. "But right now there are people in the water, and that's the only thing we should be worried about."

Darkness, tides and cold temperatures complicate the search and rescue mission

Authorities said at sunrise Tuesday that a search and rescue mission will continue for at least the next eight to 12 hours.

But there are some complicating factors, as Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace explained.

"We're battling darkness," he said before 7 a.m. "It's quite possible we may have somebody there that we've not seen yet."

Even in daylight, he said the water of the Patapsco River is "current-influenced," and the incoming tide adds an additional challenge.

"We can certainly dive in these conditions, but we have to take a lot of factors into play," he said, including that people may have been in the water for a significant time.

The water temperature in the area is 48.2 degrees just before 8 a.m., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . That's slightly warmer than the current air temperature of almost 42 degrees.

The Weather Channel forecasts a high of 58 degrees in Baltimore today, with partly cloudy skies in the morning to become overcast in the afternoon. The National Weather Service has a coastal flood advisory in place for the Baltimore area until 5 p.m., warning of "tides two and a half to three feet above normal."

The sun will set at 7:25 p.m.

Wallace stressed there is no set end time for the search and rescue mission yet.

"We're going to rely on the experts, which are our dive masters that are here, our dive team, to tell us when they believe we've reached that non-survivability point," he said.

Authorities are in touch with the ship and investigating a possible fuel spill

Authorities also spoke at the briefing about the Dali, the ship responsible for the collision and collapse.

Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said search and rescue crews must examine the ship's deck but need to complete a damage assessment before they can board.

He said the ship's crew remains on board and has been communicating with authorities via the Coast Guard. The rescue operation has not interacted directly with the pilot, he added.

It is not known whether any crew members are among those in the water.

Authorities from multiple agencies are also working to determine whether there is an active fuel spill from the vessel, now that the sun is up. Wallace said there have been reported diesel odors, but no confirmation yet.

While the exact details of the collision remain unclear, Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said at the briefing that law enforcement's early investigations show "absolutely no indication this was done on purpose."

Two people have been rescued from the water so far

Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said emergency responders removed two individuals from the water after the bridge collapsed.

Speaking to reporters early Tuesday morning, he said the first 911 calls about the bridge collapsing came around 1:40 a.m., and the first responders on the scene arrived some 10 minutes later.

"Our first unit arrived on scene and reported a complete collapse of the Key Bridge," he recounted. "We were also given information at that time that there were likely multiple people on the bridge at the time of the collapse and that, as a result, multiple people were in the water."

He said responders were able to remove two people from the water. One individual refused service and transport: "Essentially, that person was not injured."

The other was transported to a local trauma center in "very serious condition," Wallace said.

He said authorities don't have information on the ages and genders of those two individuals, or whether they should be included among the seven people in the water that the search and rescue mission is looking for. He said the second patient is injured severely enough that law enforcement has not been able to debrief them.

A reporter asked whether as many as 20 people could be unaccounted for. Wallace said authorities believe the number is at least seven, but didn't rule out the possibility of more.

A search and rescue mission is underway for 'upwards of seven individuals'

Maryland authorities said at a Tuesday morning briefing that a search-and-rescue mission is underway and will remain active for "some time" once the sun comes up.

Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said authorities believe they are looking for "upwards of several individuals," but stressed that the incident involves a "very large footprint" and information is subject to change.

He said state and local law enforcement agencies and first responders are on the scene to search the surface of the Patapsco River, as well as the deck of the ship and underwater.

"Over the next eight to 12 hours you can expect to continue to see our air and maritime assets functioning out on the water and in the air above," he said.

That effort involves various types of sonar, unmanned aerial vehicles and — throughout the night — infrared technology.

Wallace said that sonar has detected the presence of vehicles submerged in the water, but did not specify how many. It is unclear how many cars were on the bridge when it collapsed shortly before 2 a.m.

A container ship hit a Baltimore bridge, sending parts and people into the water

By Ayana Archie

A part of a Baltimore bridge serving as both an essential highway artery and a hub for shipping along the East Coast collapsed early Tuesday morning after a container ship crashed into it, sending people into the water.

The collision spurred a large search-and-rescue operation, and it was unclear how many people were in the Patapsco River. However, Kevin Cartwright, the Baltimore City Fire Department's director of communications, told NPR that seven people had fallen into the river and were being searched for. He called the collision and collapse a "developing mass casualty event," The Associated Press reported.

Emergency personnel have been dispatched to the scene, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott added .

The ship that collided with the bridge was the Dali, a nearly 1,000-foot-long container ship, U.S. Coast Guard public information officer Matthew West told NPR. The Singapore-flagged ship left Baltimore at 1 a.m. and was heading to Colombo, Sri Lanka, according to MarineTraffic , a marine data platform.

Traffic was closed in both lanes after the collision and before the collapse, the Maryland Transportation Authority posted on X.

The bridge is part of I-695, an arterial of Interstate 95, a major route running north-south along the Eastern seaboard of the U.S.

The 1.6-mile long bridge, named for the writer of "The Star-Spangled Banner," opened in 1977 and is located about 45 miles northeast of Washington, D.C.

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In France, the Future Is Arriving on a Barge

The Seine is becoming a test case for a European plan to cut carbon emissions by turning rivers into the new highways.

A barge filled with items for Franprix supermarkets in Paris made its way along the Seine, not far from the Eiffel Tower. Credit...

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By Liz Alderman

Photographs and Video by James Hill

Reported and photographed along the Seine, between Le Havre and Paris.

• March 26, 2024

As pale morning light flickered across the Seine, Capt. Freddy Badar steered his hulking river barge, Le Bosphore, past picturesque Normandy villages and snow-fringed woodlands, setting a course for Paris.

Onboard were containers packed with furniture, electronics and clothing loaded the night before from a cargo ship that had docked in Le Havre, the seaport in northern France. Had the cargo continued by road, 120 trucks would have clogged the highways. Using Le Bosphore and its crew of four prevented tons of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere.

“The river is part of a wider solution for cleaner transport and the environment,” Captain Badar said, his eyes scanning other vessels carrying wares up and down the Seine. “But there’s much more that we could be doing.”

As the European Union steps up its battle against climate change, it needs to decarbonize freight transport , responsible for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.

To get there, it is turning back to a centuries-old solution: its rivers. With 23,000 miles of waterways spanning the European Union, officials see a huge potential to help take trucks — the biggest source of freight emissions — off roads. The European Green Deal , the European Union’s decarbonization blueprint, would turn rivers into highways and double barge traffic by 2050.

There’s a lot of room for improvement. Today, rivers carry less than 2 percent of Europe’s freight. By comparison, around 6.5 million trucks crisscross Europe’s roads, accounting for 80 percent of freight transport. Rail accounts for around 5 percent.

If rivers are to handle more traffic, much of Europe’s decades-old waterway infrastructure, including ports and locks, will need upgrading. A warming planet adds to the challenge: Droughts in recent years have grounded some transport on the Rhine, and pose risks to the Seine.

While the Seine isn’t the most heavily trafficked river in Europe — that is the Rhine, which flows through Germany and the Netherlands — the ambition is to turn it into one of the main experimental hubs for the climate transition.

“We are working on a transformation to get businesses to massively shift their logistics routes,” said Stéphane Raison, the president of France’s main port operator, Haropa, which is investing over 1 billion euros (or $1.1 billion) in the Seine effort.

Turning Toward the River

Before leaving Le Havre for Paris, as a heavy snow fell in the dark, Le Bosphore’s crew packed containers tightly into the cargo hold, checking a manifest as a gantry crane swung overhead.

Le Bosphore, part of a 110-barge fleet run by Sogestran, France’s largest river transport company, will head to Gennevilliers, a port five miles outside Paris that is a distribution hub for the capital region’s 12 million consumers. The trip will take around 30 hours.

The Seine could carry many more barges like Le Bosphore, which is longer than a soccer field and saves 18,000 truck trips a year between Le Havre and Paris. The government hopes to draw four times as much freight to the river as the 20 million metric tons it handles now each year.

To achieve that, Haropa has been accelerating an expansion of Le Havre port, which sits at the mouth of the Seine, in a bid to attract ships from the larger ports of Rotterdam in the Netherlands or Antwerp, Belgium. Cargo deposited at those ports is then driven to France on trucks.

At its five other port terminals on the Seine, Haropa is adding electrical stations that allow ships to plug in while docked, rather than running engines.

While much of Europe’s barge fleet is still powered by diesel, a small but growing portion is being adapted for biofuels. Electric boats are coming onto the market. Hydrogen-powered prototype barges are also being developed.

Companies like Ikea and river transport start-ups are helping to propel the movement. They are developing carbon-free last-mile delivery services to appeal to consumers — and to get ahead of strict environmental rules that European cities are imposing to limit heavy, polluting vehicles.

A Chain of ‘Cleaner Transport’

Eight hours after sailing from Le Havre, Le Bosphore pulled into Rouen, a major stop for river cargo to and from Paris. Around 10 a.m. a fresh four-person crew, led by Captain Badar, boarded for a weeklong shift, and the trip toward Paris resumed.

Barge traffic on the Seine has increased just 5 percent from a decade ago. While the government is trying to engineer an acceleration, “rivers have been neglected for too long,” said Captain Badar, the third generation of riverboat captains in his family. He is among a rare breed. Many riverboat captains in Europe are nearing retirement age, and there’s a shortage of qualified personnel, a problem that risks curbing the hoped-for growth in river traffic.

For centuries, Captain Badar noted, rivers were practically the only way to ferry goods through France: The ancient symbol of Paris is a boat. But waterways fell out of favor as trucks and trains dominated transport in the 20th century, especially after World War II, when highways and rail tracks expanded across the continent.

Governments support those industries “because they have powerful lobbies and unions,” Captain Badar said, navigating past a medieval castle built by Richard the Lionheart as the sun brightened the afternoon sky.

“Now we’re starting to talk about the environment, and it would be best to see the river as part of a wider chain of cleaner transport.”

France’s largest supermarket chain, Franprix, is ahead of the game. It has transported goods by barge for a decade to its 300 Parisian stores. Workers unload 42 containers each morning near the Eiffel Tower. That saves 3,600 truck trips a year on highways and has cut Franprix’s carbon emissions 20 percent, the company said.

Kitchen Cabinets and Coffee Beans

Le Bosphore pulled into Gennevilliers port the next morning before dawn, docking alongside other barges laden with wares for Parisian businesses. A crane unloaded three layers of containers from the hold, placing them on the pier, where forklifts stacked them to the side. Despite the voluminous cargo, Le Bosphore had consumed the fuel of only about four trucks on its entire trip.

Across the port, an experiment was underway to make the last mile of delivery more environmentally friendly: a hulking warehouse, set up in a 2022 deal between Haropa and Ikea, the Swedish furniture giant, to create a carbon-neutral way to deliver goods using the Seine.

Pallets packed with Ikea kitchen cabinets and couches, ordered online less than 48 hours earlier, were loaded onto a barge that would take them to central Paris. There, they would be put onto electric trucks and delivered to customers.

The process isn’t completely decarbonized — the barge to central Paris burns fuel, as do the trucks from Ikea’s factories in Poland and Romania — but the arrangement allowed Ikea to take the equivalent of 6,000 trucks off Paris streets last year, said Emilie Carpels, director of Ikea’s river project.

Other ventures are aiming to be more cutting edge.

Europe’s first hydrogen-fueled river barge, the Zulu, is expected to start operating in the spring. Designed by Sogestran, it can carry up to 320 metric tons, or the contents of around 15 trucks. “We are moving toward a future of increasingly clean transport,” said Florian Levarey, the project director.

For Fludis, a French start-up, that future is already at hand. Its president, Gilles Manuelle, founded the company around two boats that run on electric batteries, and a fleet of electric delivery bikes.

Around 7 on a recent morning, a dozen crew members loaded one of the small barges with boxes of coffee beans, copier paper, kitchen towels and other goods to be delivered to French bistros and businesses. As the boat sped silently past the Louvre for its first drop-off, workers onboard loaded their bikes with orders, and sped onto the streets as soon as the captain docked.

“We’re starting off small,” Mr. Manuelle said. “But it’s little solutions like this that can grow much bigger, and help play a role in reversing global warming.”

Back in Gennevilliers, the crew of Le Bosphore filled the now-empty hold with French goods for export: flour, lumber, luxury handbags and Champagne. By 2 p.m. it would begin a cruise back to Le Havre, where the crew would unload and then start all over again.

“I’ve known for a long time that the river was the most ecological means of transport,” Captain Badar said, easing back into the helm. “Now we need for policymakers to really make it happen,” he added. “The potential is huge.”

Liz Alderman is the chief European business correspondent, writing about economic, social and policy developments around Europe. More about Liz Alderman

James Hill is a photographer working on a regular basis for The Times since 1993. He is currently based in Paris. More about James Hill

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Six presumed dead after cargo ship crash levels Baltimore bridge

BALTIMORE — A major Baltimore bridge collapsed like a house of cards early Tuesday after it was struck by a container ship, sending six people to their deaths in the dark waters below, and closing one of the country’s busiest ports.

By nightfall, the desperate search for six people who were working on the bridge and vanished when it fell apart had become a grim search for bodies.

“We do not believe that we’re going to find any of these individuals still alive,” Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon N. Gilreath said.

Jeffrey Pritzker, executive vice president of Brawner Builders, said earlier that one of his workers had survived. He did not release their names.

Up until then, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore had held out hope that the missing people might be found even as law enforcement warned that the frigid water and the fact that there had been no sign of them since 1:30 a.m. when the ship struck Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Moore expressed heartbreak after officials suspended the search for survivors.

"Our heart goes out to the families," he said. "I can’t imagine how painful today has been for these families, how painful these hours have been have been for these families."

It was a crushing blow to the loved ones of the missing men, who had waited for hours at a Royal Farms convenience store near the entrance of the bridge for word of their fate. 

Follow live updates on the Baltimore bridge collapse

The tragic chain of events began early Tuesday when the cargo ship Dali notified authorities that it had lost power and issued a mayday moments before the 984-foot vessel slammed into a bridge support at a speed of 8 knots, which is about 9 mph.

Moore declared a state of emergency while rescue crews using sonar detected at least five vehicles in the frigid 50-foot-deep water: three passenger cars, a cement truck and another vehicle of some kind. Authorities do not believe anyone was inside the vehicles.

Investigators quickly concluded that it was an accident and not an act of terrorism.

Ship was involved in another collision

Earlier, two people were rescued from the water, Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said. One was in good condition and refused treatment, he said. The other was seriously injured and was being treated in a trauma center.

Moore said other drivers might have been in the water had it not been for those who, upon hearing the mayday, blocked off the bridge and kept other vehicles from crossing.

“These people are heroes,” Moore said. “They saved lives.”

Nearly eight years ago, the Dali was involved in an accident. In July 2016, it struck a quay at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium, damaging the quay.

The nautical commission investigated the accident, but the details of the inquiry were not immediately clear Tuesday.

The Dali is operated and managed by Synergy Group. In a statement, the company said that two port pilots were at the helm during Tuesday's crash and that all 22 crew members onboard were accounted for.

The Dali was chartered by the Danish shipping giant Maersk, which said it would have no choice but to send its ships to other nearby ports with the Port of Baltimore closed.

The bridge, which is about a mile and a half long and carries Interstate 695 over the Patapsco River southeast of Baltimore, was "fully up to code," Moore said.

National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said that her agency will lead the investigation and that a data recorder on the ship could provide more information.

"But right now we're focusing on the people, on the families," she said. "The rest can wait."

President Joe Biden vowed to rebuild the bridge and send federal funds.

"This is going to take some time," the president warned. "The people of Baltimore can count on us though to stick with them, at every step of the way, till the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt."

Speaking in Baltimore, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg echoed the president's promise.

"This is no ordinary bridge," he said. "This is one of the cathedrals of American infrastructure."

But Buttigieg warned that replacing the bridge and reopening the port will take time and money and that it could affect supply chains.

The Port of Baltimore, the 11th largest in the U.S., is the busiest port for car imports and exports, handling more than 750,000 vehicles in 2023 alone, according to data from the Maryland Port Administration.

Writer David Simon, a champion of Baltimore who set his TV crime drama "The Wire" on the streets of the city he once covered as a reporter, warned online that the people who will suffer the most are those whose livelihoods depend on the port.

"Thinking first of the people on the bridge," Simon posted on X . "But the mind wanders to a port city strangling. All the people who rely on ships in and out."

Timeline of crash

Dramatic video captured the moment at 1:28 a.m. Tuesday when the Dali struck a support and sent the bridge tumbling into the water. A livestream showed cars and trucks on the bridge just before the strike. The ship did not sink, and its lights remained on.

Investigators said in a timeline that the Dali's lights suddenly shut off four minutes earlier before they came back on and that then, at 1:25 a.m. dark black smoke began billowing from the ship's chimney.

A minute later, at 1:26 a.m., the ship appeared to turn. And in the minutes before it slammed into the support, the lights flickered again.

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said the workers on the bridge were repairing concrete ducts when the ship crashed into the structure.

At least seven workers were pouring concrete to fix potholes on the roadway on the bridge directly above where the ship hit, said James Krutzfeldt, a foreman.

Earlier, the Coast Guard said it had received a report that a “motor vessel made impact with the bridge” and confirmed it was the Dali, a containership sailing under a Singaporean flag that was heading for Sri Lanka.

Bobby Haines, who lives in Dundalk in Baltimore County, said he felt the impact of the bridge collapse from his house nearby.

"I woke up at 1:30 this morning and my house shook, and I was freaking out," he said. "I thought it was an earthquake, and to find out it was a bridge is really, really scary."

Families of bridge workers wait for updates

Earlier in the day, relatives of the construction crew waited for updates on their loved ones.

Marian Del Carmen Castellon told Telemundo her husband, Miguel Luna, 49, was working on the bridge.

“They only tell us that we have to wait and that they can’t give us information,” she said.

Castellon said she was "devastated, devastated because our heart is broken, because we don’t know how they have been rescued yet. We are just waiting for the news."

Luna's co-worker Jesús Campos said he felt crushed, too.

“It hurts my heart to see what is happening. We are human beings, and they are my folks,” he said.

Campos told The Baltimore Banner that the missing men are from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.

Active search and rescue ends

The Coast Guard said it was suspending the active search-and-rescue effort at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"Coast Guard’s not going away, none of our partners are going away, but we’re just going to transition into a different phase," Gilreath said at a news conference.

Maryland State Police Superintendent Roland L. Butler, Jr., said it was moving to a recovery operation. Changing conditions have made it dangerous for divers, he said. 

Butler pledged to "do our very best to recover those six missing people," but the conditions are difficult.

"If we look at how challenging it is at a simple motor vehicle crash to extract an individual, I'm sure we can all imagine how much harder it is to do it in inclement weather, when it's cold, under the water, with very limited to no visibility," he said.

"There's a tremendous amount of debris in the water," which can include sharp metal and other hazards, and that could take time, Butler said.

'A long road in front of us'

Built in 1977 and referred to locally as the Key Bridge, the structure was later named after the author of the American national anthem.

The bridge is more than 8,500 feet long, or 1.6 miles. Its main section spans 1,200 feet, and it was one of the longest continuous truss bridges in the world upon its completion, according to the National Steel Bridge Alliance .

About 31,000 vehicles a day use the bridge, which equals 11.3 million vehicles per year, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.

The river and the Port of Baltimore are both key to the shipping industry on the East Coast, generating more than $3.3 billion a year and directly employing more than 15,000 people.

Asked what people in Baltimore can expect going forward, the state's transportation secretary said it is too early to tell.

"Obviously we reached out to a number of engineering companies, so obviously we have a long road in front of us," Wiedefeld said.

Julia Jester reported from Baltimore, Patrick Smith from London, Corky Siemaszko from New York and Phil Helsel from Los Angeles.

Julia Jester is a producer for NBC News based in Washington, D.C.

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.

Corky Siemaszko is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital.

A Carnival cruise that left Baltimore last week will return to a different port and bus passengers home

• Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday morning after a container ship crashed into it.
• Carnival Cruise Line  is temporarily relocating the Carnival Legend's homeport from Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia.
• The company is providing guests on the ship, returning on Sunday, with a bus back to Baltimore.

On Sunday, travelers on Carnival Cruise Line's Legend ship will return home after a relaxing weeklong vacation in the Caribbean.

But instead of disembarking at the ship's homeport as planned, these cruisers will soon find themselves a four-hour bus ride away in Norfolk, Virginia, as the Port of Baltimore remains closed following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

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Amid the disruption, Carnival said it had moved the Carnival Legend's March 31 disembarkation from Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia, where it will temporarily remain homeported. The company will provide guests on the ship's Caribbean voyage a free bus back to Baltimore.

The Carnival Legend's next weeklong cruise, embarking the same day it returns, will sail roundtrip from Norfolk, about a four-hour drive from Baltimore. The cruise line said it will update future guests on its plans to return to Maryland.

Carnival's Carnival Pride and Legend, Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Sea, and American Cruise Line's American Glory are all scheduled to sail from the Port of Baltimore in April. The companies did not immediately respond to Business Insider's inquiry about potential itinerary changes.

Experts told Business Insider that the Port of Baltimore's ongoing closure could amount to a daily $15 million loss in economic activity .

While the port is vitally important for certain imports and exports, it represents a relatively small portion of US cruise departures, with smaller ships compared to hubs like Florida. More than 444,000 people embarked on cruises there in 2023, according to state officials.

Watch: The container ship that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge has crashed before

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