UK MCA reiterated IMO advice on the prevention of fire in Engine Rooms, Cargo Pump Rooms and other high fire risk spaces, following a recent incident of fire onboard a UK flagged vessel which resulted in one fatality. UK MAIB investigation highlighted that there were no systems in place to require the inspection of the ships low pressure fuel pipework.
The Hong Kong-flagged tanker ‘Feng Huang AO’, with 21 crew aboard, suffered a fire ignite in its engine room while transiting 57 miles southeast of Nantucket Island, in the Atlantic Ocean, on 5 October early morning. The ship is loaded with asphalt and was bound for New York Harbor.
Joe Maguire, Technical Manager at the Skuld P&I Club shared best practice with respect to the continued dangers of fires which originate in the machinery space and, specifically, as a result of a flammable liquid spraying onto a hot surface.
After the VLCC, Front Hakata, suffered an engine fire, near Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on August 5, it has now been towed, the Japanese Ministry of Land, Transport and Tourism informed. Namely, Front Hakata reported fire in the engine room, while it was waiting for berth at Chiba, being fully loaded with crude oil.
The industry has mostly shed its focus on navigational safety or pollution prevention; however, the issues related to engine rooms and installations should not be disregarded considering that many accidents have been reported due to engine failures, loss of power or other engineering related causes.
IMCA informed about a severe engine failure during a major vessel overhaul. Namely, the connection rod on a cylinder parted from the connecting rod cap and created a hole in the engine block. The engine had been operating for 17 hours, carrying approximately a 20% load.
Eight crew members were evacuated form the Turkish cargo ship ‘Haksa’, after she suffered a water ingress in its engine room, while underway in the Adriatic Sea, off Croatia, near the island of Jabuka, on Sunday, according to data provided by the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure of Croatia.
While a coastal Ro-Ro passenger vessel was at berth, it was using a auxiliary boiler to provide onboard accommodation heating, while the engines were not operating. After the boiler began working, fire broke out near the boiler, caused by a leak. The engineers quickly shut the boiler down and put the fire out with a foam fire extinguisher.
A recent analysis of the Shipowners Club’s Condition Survey Programme highlighted that approximately 25% of the vessels surveyed reported contaminated engine room bilges. As such, the Club draw attention to the potential fire hazards associated with oily engine room bilges and the checks and steps that a ship’s crew should undertake to address this issue.
In its latest Monthly Safety Scenario, the Swedish Club presents an incident of engine room fire caused by the emergency quick acting valves not being properly closed. Many fires are caused by hot spots not being covered by the required insulation which might have been removed during maintenance.
