Transport Malta’s MSIU has launched an investigation report on the primary engine failure of an oil/chemical tanker whereas underway in January 2019.
In keeping with the report, the lubrication oil filter of the primary engine had been improperly mounted, which ultimately led to extreme damages to the parts of the primary engine and a whole failure of the primary engine.
The Incident
On 08 January 2019, at 0742, whereas the vessel was navigating by Skagerrak, an oil mist detector alarm was noticed within the engine-room, adopted by a lubricating oil low strain alarm.
Assuming that these had been false alarms, the crew members reset the alarms. At 1100, because the climate situations worsened, the grasp determined to scale back the velocity of the primary engine. Following the discount in the primary engine’s rpm, the velocity of the vessel was noticed to be round 4.5 knots. The oil mist detector alarm sounded a few instances extra within the afternoon, however the system was once more reset.
At 1634, whereas taking a routine spherical within the steering gear room, the second engineer seen an irregular change within the sound of the primary engine. On getting into the engine-room, he seen that the primary engine had stopped and there was important smoke within the space. He additionally seen sparks round a number of the crankcase covers. He checked the crankcase covers and seen that the temperatures of all of the covers had been regular. After concluding that the smoke was not the results of a hearth, the chief engineer opened the engine room skylight with the intention to vent out the smoke.
At 1645, the chief engineer knowledgeable the grasp that he was unable to restart the primary engine. Because the grasp seen that the vessel was drifting towards land, anchors had been dropped at 1706.
Having been towed to the restore facility in Rotterdam it was discovered that the lubrication oil filter of the primary engine had been improperly mounted. This resulted in insufficient lubrication of the primary engine, resulting in irreparable harm to the crankshaft.
Possible reason for the oil mist alarm
The damages sustained by the primary engine’s working gear appear to point that these parts had been subjected to intensive friction. The cylinder pistons, liners and crank pin bearing journals of the crankshaft confirmed comparable indicators of friction.
The friction between the parts of the engine would have in all probability resulted within the era of excessive temperatures inside the crankcase areas of the engine as a consequence of microwelding, on account of restricted lubrication.
These excessive temperatures (scorching spots), in flip, would have led to the vaporisation of oil, increase an oil mist, as already defined. This might have triggered the oil mist detector alarm.
Conclusions
The lubricating oil filter was reassembled incorrectly, limiting the move of lubricating oil to the primary engine.
The restricted oil move compromised lubrication of the primary engine’s working gear, resulting in the overheating of those parts.
The oil mist detector alarm was triggered plenty of instances, in all probability as a consequence of era of oil mist brought on by the overheating of the engine’s parts.
These alarms had been erroneously assumed to be false and consequently, accepted by the crew members.
The unfavourable climate situations might have adversely affected the standard of remainder of the crew members, which in flip would have affected their skill to successfully monitor the scenario within the engine room.
The prevalence resulted in extreme damages to the parts of the primary engine and a whole failure of the primary engine.
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Supply: Transport Malta
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