Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published Jun 6, 2018 6:26 PM by The Maritime Executive

On Tuesday, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board issued its conclusions regarding the 2016 fire aboard the ropax ferry Caribbean Fantasy, which led to the evacuation of her passengers and her grounding off Punta Salinas, Puerto Rico. The NTSB determined that the fire's proximate cause was a fuel leak that contacted a hot surface. Equipment issues - two failed deployments of fixed firefighting systems, one failed structural fire boundary and several disabled quick-closing valves - aided in its spread. 

The fire began in the Fantasy's main engine room when fuel sprayed from a leaking blank flange on the port main engine's fuel supply line and contacted the hot exhaust manifold. The flange had been assembled with the wrong gasket material, and the gasket had deteriorated and failed. 

Several factors inhibited the initial response to the fire. The Fantasy's engineering crew had inserted bolts into the fuel system's quick closing valves to prevent them from shutting during routine operations, and these were permanently fixed in place. With the shutoff valves stuck open, the fuel flow continued uninterrupted. A CO2 fixed firefighting system did not impede the blaze because the engine room's ventilation dampers did not properly close. A water-mist fixed firefighting system also failed to suppress the fire, likely because of the simultaneous activation of multiple coverage zones and a reduced water supply. 

The fire eventually spread to the garage deck above the engine room, and the master ordered abandon ship. The evacuation proceeded in a "disorganized and inefficient" manner, according to NTSB, but was ultimately successful thanks to assistance from first responders. 45 out of 511 passengers and crew on board required medical tratment for non-life-threatening injuries, including five ankle injuries caused by an improperly deployed evacuation system. 

The vessel continued to burn for three days, and the fire was only extinguished after she was brought alongside the pier in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where shoreside firefighters could put out the last hot spots. The fire caused $20 million in damage, and the Fantasy's owner ultimately decided to scrap her rather than opt for repairs. 

NTSB concluded that the probable cause of the fire aboard the Fantasy was the operator's "poor safety culture" and poor maintenance practices. It also faulted the Fantasy's flag state and its class society for failing to ensure that the operator was implementing its SMS.

Port state control records indicate that the Caribbean Fantasy had been cited multiple times for deficiencies prior to the fire, including a six-day detention the month before for issues with her auxiliary engines, her emergency fire pump and the cleanliness of her engine room. Investigative journalists with ProPublica found that the U.S. Coast Guard had cited the Fantasy for 100 deficiencies over five years, including fuel oil leaks and inoperable fire doors. 

Published Sep 16, 2022 9:25 PM by The Maritime Executive

Canadian shipowner Seaspan Corporation has suspended a deal it signed earlier this year to build four "ultra-modern" 7,700 TEU boxships with dual-fuel LNG propulsion.  The agreement, announced in May, would have seen the four ships deliver in late 2024 for long-term charter to a global container liner. The agreement included a purchase obligation at the end of the charter and would have contributed about $1 billion to Seaspan's contracted cashflow.  However, the deal appears to have fallen through. Seaspan claimed...

Published Sep 16, 2022 7:40 PM by The Maritime Executive

Norway’s Havila Kystruten reports it has signed term sheets with lenders for refinancing for its fleet of four cruise ships it is building for a new Norwegian coastal cruise service. The company had been forced to seek a new financing agreement after it found itself unwittingly caught in the sanctions placed against Russian-owned financial institutions after the invasion of Ukraine. Havila had an agreement with divisions of GTLK to finance the construction of four 15,400 gross ton ships being built...

Published Sep 16, 2022 7:16 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Biden administration has announced a new initiative to radically reduce the cost of floating offshore wind, a technology that will be key to developing the wind energy potential of the U.S. West Coast's deep waters. The plan is part of the administration's new goal to see 15 gigawatts worth of floating offshore wind capacity installed in U.S. waters by 2035.  Most of the world's offshore wind potential is located in water depths that are too great for bottom-fixed foundations....

Published Sep 16, 2022 7:09 PM by The Maritime Executive

Princess Cruise provided additional details on its next-generation cruise ships which were ordered three years ago from Fincantieri and now beginning construction. In addition to being the largest for the brand and the first LNG-fueled cruise ship for Princess, the new ship which is being named Sun Princess will be the largest cruise ship built in Italy and one of the first LNG-fueled cruise ships built by Fincantieri. The Carnival Corporation brand announced the details for the new cruise ship...

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