(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) UK investigators are urging the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to mandate thermographic equipment for hot surface detection following a serious engine room fire aboard the passenger ferry Stena Europe.
The incident occurred on February 11, 2023 as the vessel approached Fishguard, Wales from Rosslare, Ireland, and resulted in substantial damage to the port main engine room. The fire, which fortunately caused no injuries or pollution, disabled one of the ferry’s four main engines for several weeks. The fire caused significant damage to the engine room. The fire was extinguished by the crew.
Safety issues
- The fire ignited on a main engine when pressurised fuel from a loose fuel pipe connection sprayed onto a high temperature exhaust pipe. Neither of the designed protections against fuel fires (spray shielding on fuel pipes and insulation of hot surfaces) were effective.
- The original fuel pipe connections had previously been identified as a system weakness, but the manufacturer’s recommended modifications had not been fitted to the engine.
- The ship’s crew were insufficiently trained to inspect engine fuel systems.
- The temperature measuring equipment used by the crew to monitor the engine exhaust insulation did not effectively identify any hot spots.
Recommendations
A recommendation (2024/170) has been made to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to submit a paper to the IMO proposing the introduction of a requirement for the use of thermographic equipment to identify exposed high temperature surfaces.
Recommendations (2024/171 to 2024/174) have also been made to Stena Line Ltd to: review the existing defect reporting system; provide training to improve equipment inspections; promulgate details of this accident to the ships in its fleet; and introduce the use of thermal imaging cameras for the identification of exposed high temperature surfaces.
The investigation’s findings underscore the critical importance of proactive safety measures in maritime operations. Key issues identified included ineffective fire protection systems, delayed implementation of known safety modifications, insufficient crew training for engine system inspections, and inadequate temperature monitoring equipment.
For more details, click below to download the full UK MAIB investigation report:
Source: MAIB
For more maritime investigation reports, click HERE.
