The US National Transport Board has begun investigation a collision between a tanker and cruise ship in New Orleans on Friday, local time.
All 197 passengers and crew on the American Heritage cruise ship and tanker survived the collision.
The investigation will include a team of 16 people, who will hand out a preliminary report in 30 days, and final report in 18 to 24 months.
The US National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) says it is on a "fact finding" mission to figure out how a tanker collided with a cruise ship that had more than 100 passengers.
All 197 passengers and crew on the American Heritage cruise ship and tanker survived the collision in New Orleans on Friday, local time.
Officials said 32 people were taken to hospital, including two police officers thrown into the Mississippi River when the boat rolled, but none of the injuries were critical.
The National Transportation Safety Board said the tanker's voyage data recorder had been recovered, and a 16-member team would spend a week in New Orleans investigating the incident.
NTSB member John DeLeeuw said the agency expected to release a preliminary report within 24 to 30 days, with the final investigation report expected in 18 to 24 months.