A 1,400-ton cargo ship smashed into a sea-wall at the Fairmont Hamilton yesterday morning when its engines failed, possibly landing its shipping agent with a bill for $100,000.

However, around 90 minutes after suffering an electronic ?black-out? the left Bermuda on its way to Fernandina Beach, Florida. It took twenty minutes for a tugboat to reach the disabled cargo ship as was being escorted by a line tender.

?Oh my God there?s a ship in the yard!? an American woman visiting the Hamilton Fairmont said she screamed when she saw the massive crash. ?I thought it was coming into the garden.?

Visitor Larry Zucchino, of Georgia watched the massive ship get closer and closer to shore from his hotel room window. ?My wife said, ?Look honey, that boat?s coming into the wall?,? Mr. Zucchino said.

At 8.40 a.m. Marine and Ports lineboat arrived at the scene and tried to keep the away from the wall, but had to move away because the wind was so intense.

Vermonter Don Cameron also watched the ?unbelievable? drama unfold: ?There was nothing they could do. The wind caught its bow about four or five times. It dropped its anchor but it did not hold.?

At 9.10 a.m. the ferry tried to pull the away from shore, but did not have enough power.

Twenty minutes after the ship touched aground, the large tug arrived at 9.27 a.m. and started to slowly pull the to safety.

By 9.40 a.m. she was guided to Salt Kettle where she was successfully anchored and divers from shipping agent Meyer Shipping went below to see if her propeller was damaged.

Joe Simas of Meyer Shipping said the ship ? full of empty containers ? left the dock at Hamilton and experienced a system ?black-out?.

?All the power was gone. She was dead in the water,? he said. ?There was a glitch, but they found the glitch and the power came back on automatically. The bill (for the damage to the hotel) will be sent to us, then we will hand it over to overseas owners.?

The captain of the wanted to leave Bermuda as soon as he found out the propeller was not damaged, Mr. Simas said, because the collision had delayed the ship?s arrival in Florida.

Fairmont Hamilton General Manager Ian Powell said there was no estimate yet as divers had to see if there was any underwater damage to the sea-wall.

?The guests thought it was a riot,? he joked.

However, the hotel?s chief engineer Shafiq Rahman said the bill could run to $100,000.

?It was an almost 100-foot long area, with electrics and lights,? Mr. Rahman said. ?A structural engineer still has to check but it could cost $100,000.?

A Harbour Radio spokesman was in contact with the captain as he left Hamilton Harbour.

?He told us he was having engine difficulties,? he said. ?Because the had no manoeuvrability due to the breakdown.?

All vessels were warned to stay away from the area, he said.

Marine and Ports Director Francis Richardson said each week Meyer Shipping requests what Marine and Port vessels it requires for the upcoming week.

?Typically the regular callers, like the and don?t require our boats,? Mr. Richardson said.

Line-boats are only designed to catch ropes from large ships and pass them to shore, however, Mr. Richardson said ? ?In these situations you use whatever is available.?

Marine Police vessels kept a safe distance throughout.