Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published Apr 28, 2022 3:31 PM by The Maritime Executive

The NTSB has determined that two back-to-back hydraulic hose failures caused the destruction of a fishing vessel off the coast of Cape Cod in 2021. Once the fire started, an open pipe tunnel sped up the spread of the flames into other parts of the vessel, making the conflagration harder to fight. 

On April 30, 2021, while fishing for haddock at Georges Bank, the crew of the fishing vessel Nobska spotted a fire on the lagging of the main engine's exhaust pipe. After putting it out, they determined that the source of the fuel was a broken hydraulic hose located in a pipe tunnel, which ran between the wheelhouse and the engine room. 

The crew replaced the hydraulic hose and removed the oil-soaked lagging from the exhaust pipe, leaving the pipe bare. With the situation apparently resolved, they went back to fishing. 

About four hours later, the captain of the Nobska noticed that there was black smoke coming out from underneath the wheelhouse winch-control console - the upper terminus of the same pipe tunnel. Within moments, the wheelhouse was ablaze. Attempts to put out the fire were unsuccessful, and the crew prepared to abandon ship. 

After attempts to extinguish the fire failed, the crew activated the vessel’s EPIRB and made ready to abandon ship. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter safely rescued the crew from the stern of the vessel, and no pollution or injuries were reported. The vessel was declared a total loss at an estimated cost of $2.4 million.

NTSB determined that the probable cause of the second fire was the failure of another hydraulic hose, followed by ignition of an oil spray on the exposed exhaust pipe. The initial fire may have compromised a different hydraulic hose in the pipe tunnel; alternately, the work conducted to replace the first failed hose could have resulted in damage to another, adjacent hose.

The pipe tunnel itself was likely a contributing factor to the vessel's destruction, NTSB concluded.

“The pipe/hose tunnel on board the Nobska, which extended from the engine room up two decks to the wheelhouse, did not have any insulation, pipe/cable fire stops, or other barriers to prevent the passage of smoke, heat, and fire,” the report concluded. “This type of unprotected vertical tunnel has the potential to provide a pathway for fires to spread quickly outside of the space of origination."

Published May 13, 2022 7:47 PM by The Maritime Executive

Dutch startup Eco Clipper, which looks to develop global sail cargo operations, has announced the sailing schedule for its first vessel, a smaller two-masted sailing ship acquired in January 2022. The 110-year-old ship is seen as a proof of concept and an opportunity to draw attention to the company’s efforts to build modern adaptations of traditional sailing ships that would carry up to 500 tons of cargo. De Tukker is the first in a fleet of low-impact sailing ships which...

Published May 13, 2022 6:55 PM by The Maritime Executive

Faced with the need for heightened preparedness in Europe, the navies of the U.K. and the U.S are looking at the possibility of using commercial tankers to carry out at-sea refueling for warships.  As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, the Royal Navy has announced that it has been paving the way for NATO to use commercial tankers for underway replenishment after its auxiliary ship Tidesurge linked up with the U.S.-flagged, government-chartered tanker Maersk Peary in Lyme Bay. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) supports Royal Navy warships...

Published May 13, 2022 6:50 PM by The Maritime Executive

A 30-year-old cruise ship rebranded Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is ready to start the latest adaptation of a well-known consumer brand into the cruise industry. With a performance from famed singer Jimmy Buffet, the new cruise operation completed an industry preview at the end of the week and will start its maiden voyage on May 14 to the Bahamas.  The cruise ship arrived back at the Port of Palm Beach, Florida on May 10 after undergoing an extensive refurbishment and...

Published May 13, 2022 6:23 PM by The Maritime Executive

U.S. researchers and scientists will soon embark on a 10-day expedition to explore and investigate the shipwreck of the Civil War vessel USS Monitor, which sank 160 years ago off the North Carolina coast. On May 15, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists and partner researchers will set out on an expedition to survey the Monitor for the first time since her turret was recovered in 2002. The remains of the iconic Civil War ship lie sixteen miles off the coast of Cape...

© Copyright 2022 The Maritime Executive, LLC. All rights reserved.