Samoa Global Shipping Services who are agents manning the schedules of cruise ships have clarified that the unsuccessful berthing of the MS Seven Seas Navigator on Sunday was due to strong ocean currents.

The agent's Chief Executive Officer, Mua'ausa Fiona Talouli in an interview with the Samoa Observer explained that the captain was advised by the Samoa Ports Authority (S.P.A.) pilot early Sunday morning upon arrival at the pilot station that it was unsafe to board due to this but the captain of the cruise ship insisted on berthing.

"First of all, the reason why the ship didn't berth is because the wharf was not safe for berthing because the ocean currents were too strong," she said.

"Early in the morning way before it got to the pilot station as it was supposed to be at the pilot station at 8 am, we got a call from the wharf before 6 am that the ocean currents at the wharf were too strong and the boat can't possibly be brought in.

"That's why I went to the wharf early and spoke with the pilots and confirmed that they would still go out to escort the ship but they will rely on the call from the captain.

"So the S.P.A pilots still went to guide in the boat and advised the captain that the ocean currents were too strong.

"If the ocean currents are too strong, then no boat can berth and on that same morning, there was also a container ship which was scheduled to berth after the cruise ship but it also couldn't enter the wharf because of the strong waves."

Mua'ausa added that the captain of the cruise ship insisted on entering the wharf despite the S.P.A pilot's advice about the strong ocean currents.

This led to one of the ship's ropes breaking and the captain making another call to close the gateway and that the ship wouldn't be able to berth.

She added that two officials flew in from Tahiti on Saturday to process the clearance for the cruise ship as it could not enter Tahiti due to their protocols

As the ship could not berth, the Samoan Immigration and the Customs cleared the officials at the wharf and boarded the cruise ship at the pilot station after they were escorted in the pilot ship

Attempts to get a comment from the pilot were unsuccessful.