Huge container ship docks in Victoria after mechanical issue at sea

Docked cargo ship draws crowds in Victoria A massive container ship that docked in Victoria for repairs is drawing crowds due to its sheer size.

A massive container ship has docked in Victoria's Ogden Point after suffering a mechanical issue while off the coast of Tofino, B.C., earlier this week.

The MV GSL Eleni arrived at Ogden Point on Jan. 1 after it sustained a "rudder malfunction," according to a social media post from the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.

At a whopping 300 metres long, the GSL Eleni is nearly double the length of the BC Ferries vessels that travel between Victoria and Vancouver, such as the Coastal Celebration, which measures 160 metres long.

Despite its size, the GSL Eleni is not the largest ship to dock at Ogden Point.

At nearly the same time last year, in January 2022, the 304-metre-long SM Busan cargo ship docked at Ogden Point for repairs.

The Korean cargo ship was docked for about three weeks in Victoria as repairs were made to its engine.

The GSL Eleni is expected to be docked at Ogden Point for several days. On Jan. 1, the GVHA estimated that it would take at least four days to complete repairs on the vessel.

Last year was a banner season for the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, with a record-setting 329 cruise ships docking in Victoria, carrying about 715,000 passengers between April and November.

In 2022, Victoria's nine-millionth cruise ship visitor also arrived in the city.

Couple Rosa and Jesus More were greeted at Ogden Point on July 22, and the couple said they'd visited Victoria more than 300 times, including 237 arrivals by cruise.