Passengers airlifted from crippled cruise ship in storm off Norway

[sanemax]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

How can four engines all fail at the same time?

Could be that an engineer serviced all the engines and made a mistake ? 

[ExpatOilWorker]

8 hours ago, lannarebirth said:

What makes you think that the ship is unstable? The main problem with cruise ships is their "sail area", the large number of decks, mostly empty that cause strong winds to be a problem. It's notgoing to capsize the ship though. As long as the anchors hold it doesn't much matter if they are 100m offshore or 100 miles. What they need is a tug, which I guess is enroute.

They need a tug boat with a BIG cable. I was once on a supply vessel towing a rig and the 70 mm steel cable snapped in bad weather.

[melvinmelvin]

15 minutes ago, Thaifish said:

The fuel would not be released from the refinery unless it meets the proper fuel specs or the Bunker Delivery Reciept is noted that the fuel is off spec. The Chief Engineer is provided with a copy of the fuel specs before bunkering. Europe has a reputation of quality fuel unlike Asia. That's reflected in price too. I'm guessing she "Viking Sky" is running on HFO 180cst which has a low pour point as apposed to a cheaper 380cst fuel which is cheaper but thicker. The fuel is heated to lower the viscosity and go through scrubbers before entering the Main Engine. If there is an issue with fuel then the CE can swap over to his generator fuel supply which would be MDO. Marine Diesel Oil. If there was a problem with fuel then there would be more than one ship floating around out there.

 

You can follow the ships progress live via Automatic Identification System and look at past track previous track on this link.. Note she has a Offshore Tug in attendance.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:5.4/centery:61.9/zoom:7

 

Type in "Viking Sky" in the field box top right corner to locate her... You can see her path has been quite erratic.

 

As far as stability is concerned she must meet the criteria as set down by the International Maritime Organization.. Her marks or plimsoll line will show which class she comes under to keep her certificate of Class.

 

 

Heading to Molde is ok for evacuating pax. Small place but has airport.

[melvinmelvin]

Just now, melvinmelvin said:

 

 

Heading to Molde is ok for evacuating pax. Small place but has airport.

Depending on the kind of repairs the ship needs.

A bit further south (not far) you find Ålesund, much larger and a sizeable maritime centre

with all sorts of facilities.

 

 

[NanLaew]

I agree with the comments on strict fuel quality controls so unless someone was seriously cutting corners on that aspect, my guess is with some catastrophic failure of the vessel's computerized engine management system that possibly compounded by some operator error, conspired to nail any backup propulsion options as well. Since nobody has mentioned any power outage or 'black ship' scenarios, it would appear that electrical power generation wasn't affected and since that would also come from diesel-powered generators, the fuel source is less suspect. 

 

The vessel is driven by 4 MAN diesel generator engines that power two separate Rolls Royce Promas integrated propulsion and steering units; combo screw and rudder. As far as I am aware, only 3 cruise vessels use this system, the Viking Sky launched in 2016 and its sister vessels Viking Star and Viking Sea, which were delivered in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

[Thaifish]

Why is it that there is never an oil spill in Shark infested waters and a Sailor never goes missing overboard in an Environmentally Safe Area. It's always the other way around!????

[balo]

Well , they managed to start 3 of the 4 engines, so maybe bad fuel or something.  Around 4-500 people were picked up by the helicopters , which must have been a frightening experience in the windy conditions at night. And most of them were pensioners in their 60's and 70's. Even an old lady at 90 ! 

 

But not so many injuries, according to Norwegian media. Maybe 20-30 injured.  I would think the cruise line will be asked for a big compensation. Maybe insurance will take care of it.

[Tug]

Hot dam!!she made port no loss of life great news!!

[Pilotman]

15 hours ago, Thaifish said:

The fuel would not be released from the refinery unless it meets the proper fuel specs or the Bunker Delivery Reciept is noted that the fuel is off spec. The Chief Engineer is provided with a copy of the fuel specs before bunkering. Europe has a reputation of quality fuel unlike Asia. That's reflected in price too. I'm guessing she "Viking Sky" is running on HFO 180cst which has a low pour point as apposed to a cheaper 380cst fuel which is cheaper but thicker. The fuel is heated to lower the viscosity and go through scrubbers before entering the Main Engine. If there is an issue with fuel then the CE can swap over to his generator fuel supply which would be MDO. Marine Diesel Oil. If there was a problem with fuel then there would be more than one ship floating around out there.

 

You can follow the ships progress live via Automatic Identification System and look at past track intended track on this link.. Note she has an Offshore Tug in attendance.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:5.4/centery:61.9/zoom:7

 

Type in "Viking Sky" in the field box top right corner to locate her... You can see her path has been quite erratic.

 

As far as stability is concerned she must meet the criteria as set down by the International Maritime Organization.. Her marks or plimsoll line will show which class she comes under to keep her certificate of Class.

You obviously know your stuff, and you know that the fuel that they put in these things is more like sludge and is the last

remnant of the refining process.  We are not talking aircraft here.  

[Kieran00001]

15 hours ago, Thaifish said:

The fuel would not be released from the refinery unless it meets the proper fuel specs or the Bunker Delivery Reciept is noted that the fuel is off spec. The Chief Engineer is provided with a copy of the fuel specs before bunkering. Europe has a reputation of quality fuel unlike Asia. That's reflected in price too. I'm guessing she "Viking Sky" is running on HFO 180cst which has a low pour point as apposed to a cheaper 380cst fuel which is cheaper but thicker. The fuel is heated to lower the viscosity and go through scrubbers before entering the Main Engine. If there is an issue with fuel then the CE can swap over to his generator fuel supply which would be MDO. Marine Diesel Oil. If there was a problem with fuel then there would be more than one ship floating around out there.

 

You can follow the ships progress live via Automatic Identification System and look at past track intended track on this link.. Note she has an Offshore Tug in attendance.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:5.4/centery:61.9/zoom:7

 

Type in "Viking Sky" in the field box top right corner to locate her... You can see her path has been quite erratic.

 

As far as stability is concerned she must meet the criteria as set down by the International Maritime Organization.. Her marks or plimsoll line will show which class she comes under to keep her certificate of Class.

 

"I'm guessing she "Viking Sky" is running on HFO 180cst which has a low pour point as apposed to a cheaper 380cst fuel which is cheaper but thicker."

 

180 cSt would be IFO not HFO and considering the L32/44CR can take heavy fuel up to 700 cSt, why are you guessing that it would be running a distillate?

[melvinmelvin]

My experience is that in general cruise ships eats reasonably clean fuel,

 

not many cruise ships run 2-stroke diesel and heavy.

[Kieran00001]

40 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

My experience is that in general cruise ships eats reasonably clean fuel,

 

not many cruise ships run 2-stroke diesel and heavy.

 

Not sure what you mean by "not many cruise ships run 2-stroke diesel and heavy", but all cruise ships are running either heavy or a combination of both heavy and diesel, there is nothing else.  

 

My experience is that some burn the least clean, which are basically asphalt and bitumen solids, such as Harmony of the Seas, the worlds biggest cruise ship, which emits the same air pollution as 5 million cars over the same distance traveled and runs on heavy fuel with a sulfur content 3500 times that of diesel.  Some ports insist on low sulfur fuel being burnt when onshore, or to be hooked up to the grid and run off electricity, but not Southampton where the Harmony of the Seas docks, they let them burn heavy fuel there 24/7.

[Kieran00001]

22 hours ago, BritManToo said:

How can four engines all fail at the same time?

 

It has been suggested that it could be the same reason the tug Aiviq saw all four of its engines fail in similar conditions a few years back, which turned out to be fuel and water mixing and combined with the movement from the bad weather forming an emulsion which blocked filters and injectors.

[Thaifish]

1 hour ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

"I'm guessing she "Viking Sky" is running on HFO 180cst which has a low pour point as apposed to a cheaper 380cst fuel which is cheaper but thicker."

 

180 cSt would be IFO not HFO and considering the L32/44CR can take heavy fuel up to 700 cSt, why are you guessing that it would be running a distillate? 

 I stand corrected IFO 180cst not HFO. My reason for guessing she is running on IFO 180 is because of the lower pour point making the fuel more manageable trading in cold climates. Also easier for the refinery and delivery barge to move the fuel. Just my thought's!

 

I'm guessing she also carries a supply of distillate for generators which is not uncommon or the C/E changes over to distillate for port manoeuvres.

 

A lot of guessing still but maybe the refinery/tank farm and or delivery barge has just done Hydro testing of the pipework and "Viking Sky" got a belly full of water from the leftovers in the pipework?  

[RPCVguy]

7 hours ago, balo said:

Well , they managed to start 3 of the 4 engines, so maybe bad fuel or something.  Around 4-500 people were picked up by the helicopters , which must have been a frightening experience in the windy conditions at night. And most of them were pensioners in their 60's and 70's. Even an old lady at 90 ! 

 

But not so many injuries, according to Norwegian media. Maybe 20-30 injured.  I would think the cruise line will be asked for a big compensation. Maybe insurance will take care of it.

Here is a summary  report which has lots of imagery, plus a whitewashed report as to injuries - saying: "“We had a few people on stretchers, several with cuts, two with broken limbs, but fortunately we were all right,” Derek Browne told BBC Radio. “We were flown onto the helicopter which was quite a frightening experience.” Norwegian media said the majority of the cruise ship passengers were British and American tourists."

►https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/norway-airlifts-more-than-one-thousand-passengers-off-sos-cruise-ship/news-story/cc8e28d9e1136eb13d836ef95bc450f5

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, RPCVguy said:

“We had a few people on stretchers, several with cuts, two with broken limbs, but fortunately we were all right,”

Perhaps the Black Knight from Monty Python & the Holy Grail does their PR?

[lannarebirth]

On 3/24/2019 at 7:52 PM, melvinmelvin said:

My experience is that in general cruise ships eats reasonably clean fuel,

 

not many cruise ships run 2-stroke diesel and heavy.

 

I agree. Generally switch to diesel for "maneuvering" and cruise ships do an awful lot of that.

[melvinmelvin]

36 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

I agree. Generally switch to diesel for "maneuvering" and cruise ships do an awful lot of that.

not to mention that the fees for not burning ordinary diesel are exorbitant.

[sanemax]

Oil shortage in the engines 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47727267

[mike787]

hmmm...interesting!  

[lannarebirth]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Oil shortage in the engines 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47727267

 

Yeah, that'll do it. I don't like things that happen automatically like that. The engine room is manned and alarms will have been going off. I understand the need to prevent damage to the engines but sometimes you need to be able to override these things, if only temporarily, to prevent even greater damage to the ship.

 

That's my deck officer's take. An engineering officer will likely have a different view.