Incredible moment cruise ship squeezes through canal with inches to spare

vt-author-image

By VT

Article saved!Article saved!

Any car drivers out there will have had that moment where they see a parking space at the side of the road that they're CONVINCED they'll be able to squeeze into... Only to discover 18 minutes later that they've made a horrible decision and the dozen people sitting outside Starbucks have just been provided with the best free entertainment around.

You see, when it comes to vehicles, drivers will take risks in order to take shortcuts, cut corners, and make life easier for themselves. However, the captain of this cruise liner took things to a whole new level on Wednesday, when he managed to steer his huge vessel through a canal with just inches either side to spare. It really does put my parallel parking to shame.

The nail-biting moment took place on a Fred. Olsen cruise liner, a company that promises to "get closer to the world’s most remote and picturesque destinations". Passengers of the MS Braemar ship flocked to the open decks to watch the 22.25-meter-wide cruise liner sail through the Corinth Canal in Greece, which is just 24 meters wide at its narrowest point.

Check out this incredible POV footage of this seemingly impossible feat:
[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/VOXfu8cg-sKUnNGKf.mp4||VOXfu8cg]]

In fact, this moment meant that the MS Braemar is now the largest vessel ever to pass through the Corinth Canal. Per the Metro, there were moments when the passengers on board were actually able to touch the sides of the canal.

The 24,000-tonne MS Braemar was assisted by a tugboat (seen in the video), in order to avoid bumps while carrying the 1,200+ passengers and crew.

The four-mile-long canal, build in 1893, separates the Greek mainland from the Peloponnese, and saves ships a 430-mile journey around the peninsula. However, due to the fact it is now too narrow for modern ocean freighters, it has become quite the hotspot for tourist vessels.

Check out some incredible shots from the historic moment below:

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/FredOlsenCruise/status/1181898547987406848]]
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/FredOlsenCruise/status/1181864952740696070]]
[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/B3ZPtw5hmpE/]]
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/FredOlsenCruise/status/1181882635792080896]]
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/slyardley/status/1181849133675683845]]
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/FredOlsenCruise/status/1181838537039196161]]

The cruise liner originally set sail for its 25-night 'Corinth Canal & Greek Islands' voyage from Southampton on September 27. The ship will visit locations such as Rhodes, Kefalonia, and ports in Spain and Italy.

Per an official press release, Clare Ward, of operator Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said: "This is such an exciting sailing and tremendous milestone in Fred Olsen’s 171-year history, and we are thrilled to have been able to share it with our guests."

Incredible moment cruise ship squeezes through canal with inches to spare

vt-author-image

By VT

Article saved!Article saved!

Any car drivers out there will have had that moment where they see a parking space at the side of the road that they're CONVINCED they'll be able to squeeze into... Only to discover 18 minutes later that they've made a horrible decision and the dozen people sitting outside Starbucks have just been provided with the best free entertainment around.

You see, when it comes to vehicles, drivers will take risks in order to take shortcuts, cut corners, and make life easier for themselves. However, the captain of this cruise liner took things to a whole new level on Wednesday, when he managed to steer his huge vessel through a canal with just inches either side to spare. It really does put my parallel parking to shame.

The nail-biting moment took place on a Fred. Olsen cruise liner, a company that promises to "get closer to the world’s most remote and picturesque destinations". Passengers of the MS Braemar ship flocked to the open decks to watch the 22.25-meter-wide cruise liner sail through the Corinth Canal in Greece, which is just 24 meters wide at its narrowest point.

Check out this incredible POV footage of this seemingly impossible feat:
[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/VOXfu8cg-sKUnNGKf.mp4||VOXfu8cg]]

In fact, this moment meant that the MS Braemar is now the largest vessel ever to pass through the Corinth Canal. Per the Metro, there were moments when the passengers on board were actually able to touch the sides of the canal.

The 24,000-tonne MS Braemar was assisted by a tugboat (seen in the video), in order to avoid bumps while carrying the 1,200+ passengers and crew.

The four-mile-long canal, build in 1893, separates the Greek mainland from the Peloponnese, and saves ships a 430-mile journey around the peninsula. However, due to the fact it is now too narrow for modern ocean freighters, it has become quite the hotspot for tourist vessels.

Check out some incredible shots from the historic moment below:

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/FredOlsenCruise/status/1181898547987406848]]
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/FredOlsenCruise/status/1181864952740696070]]
[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/B3ZPtw5hmpE/]]
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/FredOlsenCruise/status/1181882635792080896]]
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/slyardley/status/1181849133675683845]]
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/FredOlsenCruise/status/1181838537039196161]]

The cruise liner originally set sail for its 25-night 'Corinth Canal & Greek Islands' voyage from Southampton on September 27. The ship will visit locations such as Rhodes, Kefalonia, and ports in Spain and Italy.

Per an official press release, Clare Ward, of operator Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said: "This is such an exciting sailing and tremendous milestone in Fred Olsen’s 171-year history, and we are thrilled to have been able to share it with our guests."