The U.S. Coast Guard has cleared the MSC Poesia to depart the Port of Miami after confirming the cruise ship corrected the safety and environmental problems that led to its detention earlier this month.
The Coast Guard has authority to inspect foreign-flagged vessels entering U.S. ports under port state control rules. When a ship is detained over safety or environmental concerns, Coast Guard marine inspectors oversee the fixes before it can leave with passengers or crew.
When the ship was detained, Capt. Frank Florio, commander of the Miami sector, said inspectors had found deficiencies with systems on board. MSC Cruises, which operates the ship, called the issue a “regulatory matter” and did not release further details.
The sailing the ship was preparing to take was canceled after the detention. MSC Cruises said passengers received full refunds and were helped to get home. A source told CBS News that more than 2,000 people were aboard at the time. The ship can carry more than 3,200 passengers and over 1,000 crew members, according to the cruise line.
