Cruise ship Viking Sky in problem

The logs in question is the electronic system that record every parameter of both the engines, electric system and all associated equipment and functions, which can be played back, much like the “black boxes” on an aeroplane according to the original text.

I would have to disagree with you here. Far from foolish there are ample examples of corporate crisis management success stories brought about by early and often briefings to the public. Only a fool would be expecting a cause at this point (are you?). There is a difference between “what” happened and the specific “how” and even later “why”. A brief appearance to give the what happened and praise the crew again would not be foolish. Waiting until the investigation is over to start talking would be foolish.

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This is getting closer. Hard to believe two parallel systems of propulsion transformers, cycloconvertors/drives, propulsion motors, propellers and rudders both fail at same time short of a massive grounding or multiple extensive fires.

Without details of the power network we’re just yacking but… Is it a ring bus capable of isolation? How many nodes? Is it a unified bus or do they have SSDG low voltage switchboards that remained energized? How much of the power management system is embedded in the generator controls and how much in the central SCADA system? If the software is not letting you close or open breakers you better know how to charge springs and close by hand to get a DG on what remains of the bus. And how to start a DG set down at the engine instead of on a touch screen.

Above the switchboard / distribution system are the DG sets themselves. which have been speculated upon already (fuel, cooling water)

The statement on the website:

At 4:30pm (Norwegian time) on March 24, the Viking Sky docked in the port of Molde, Norway. The vessel remains there currently.

The majority of our guests have disembarked or are in the process of leaving the vessel and traveling back to their homes. We will continue to follow-up with them to ensure their needs are covered.

Throughout all of this, our first priority was for the safety and well-being of our passengers and our crew. If you have questions or concerns about any guests please call this number for U.S. and Australia booked guests 1-888-889-8837, and for UK booked guests 07585 779 853 or 0208 780 7900.

“The past few days have been stressful and hectic for both guests and crew alike. I would like to personally apologize for what our guests experienced. I would also like to say how impressed and grateful I am for the efforts of the national rescue services, rescue personnel, local authorities and the people along the Møre coast, and thank them for the concern and generosity they have showed our guests. I would also like to express my thanks to the crew on board the Viking Sky for their efforts and dedication,” says Torstein Hagen.

We have already begun our own internal investigation and our goal is to establish a complete and thorough understanding of what happened. We welcome the investigations that have been launched, and will fully support them. Viking Ocean Cruises will not have any further comments until the investigations have been completed.

The next sailing, Scandinavia & the Kiel Canal , which was scheduled to embark on March 27th has been canceled, and guests and their travel agents have been contacted directly. We do not anticipate any additional cancellations at this time.

https://www.vikingcruises.co.uk/oceans/my-trip/current-sailings/index.html

You probably haven’t been involved in too many maritime litigation and insurance cases.
The first thing the Lawyers will tell you is not to talk to the media, or to discuss anything about the case with anybody, incl. others involved.

With so many Americans involved here this will be especially important, since they are likely to be met by a horde of “ambulance chasers” on arrival home, trying to convince them that they have suffered all kinds of trauma caused by the negligence of somebody, or anybody that can be sued in a US court.

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I would still go back to the Question WTF were they doing in this location at this time of year.
Even with the time of year. Passenger ship storm force wind lee shore.
Poor planning.
Just wait a bit till it bows over.
Sure the ship should be able to handle it but why subject passengers to a storm unnecessarily?

I don’t have any inside information on the reason why they were sailing the mostly protected inshore route. Whether this was part of the itinerary for the cruise as a sightseeing along the spectacular Norwegian coast, or something decided by the Master due to the weather forecast to keep the guest happy and avoid seasickness.

In any case, the weather was not above what this ship could handle, as long as the propulsion function as normal. This was also the opinion of the two experienced pilots that was on board.

FYI: The exposed stretch at Hustadvika is only abt 10 n.miles, but know for it’s confused seas and are avoided by small vessels in storms.

PS> Most Cruise ships go outside to save pilot fee, but I have noticed several of the smaller ships taking the inshore route, especially now in the winter season, when the main attraction is the Northern Light, seen best in the high north. The may make a stops somewhere south to break up the long sea passages though.

Latest news, after NMD inspetion and meeting with the crew today:

KP Chief is on the money. A large company like Viking should have table top exercises throughout the year gaming crisis management which will include managing media in a way that does not increase company liability. Legal liabilities to Passengers are limited under clauses such as the Himalaya clause and the other two pages of fine print dreamed up by Sue Sue and Litigate that the passenger signed up for when they purchased the ticket. The company will be more focused on limiting adverse publicity.
I’m beginning to think there was another cause than the fuel supply. It will be interesting to see what Lloyds turns up.

Sounds like there might be a question with regards to cooling water:

On Monday evening, they stated that they had carried out a diving survey of the ship to check for damage below the waterline. They have not found any damage to the ship’s hull. The dives have also checked the intake for cooling water to check for tight intake.

“These are confirmed from diver to be open and seemingly in order,” says Aarhus.

Aarhus emphasizes that further investigations can reveal other causal relationships in which cooling water has somehow recorded, but they have excluded that there was nothing to do with the intake.

&I am sure it is spectacular sight seeing. I might even enjoy a trip along the Norwegian coast myself one day.
I don’t know the area but I believe it is similar in many ways to the inside passage. Which is mostly sheltered with a few areas which are exposed and subject to the full force of the NPacific.

The cruise ship season doesn’t start until Late April or May. In the mean time local vessels will wait before transiting the exposed sections until the weather dies down.
DThe other Viking ship reportedly encountered strong winds and heeled “excessivly” frightening people who put it on your tube and the news. Was it really excessive? or more likely just beyond the expierience and expectations of the passengers frightening them.

The cause of the loss of power is mysterious situation at this time with no info. Yet clearly shouldn’t happen. Most people are asking why did the engines shut down? Good question.

What I notice.
Th is by today’s standards is a relatively small cruis ship with only 1300 people on board.
It was in serious peril.
anchored in a storm for a period of time with no power reportedly 100m from shoals where it would have grounded and the sutution could have been beyond control.
Helicopter evacuation probably would not have been possible just by sheer overwhelming numbers. On a small cruis ship. How many passengers do the big ones carry. 3000.

Trying to lower boats in those conditions? Some might have made it?
The chances of doing it without serious injury or death pretty low.

Is the risk of Cruise ships taking people out into conditions where safe evacuation might not be possible a reasonable decision. For a company, not just the Master and Pilots. Is a question which should be asked after this event which could easily have been a significant tragedy.

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Capt. Arnolf Remo. former Master on one of the world’s largest cruise ship (so far) the Independence of the Seas has been interviewed by smp.no:


Here is a google translation:

Another that knows the coast and the conditions at Hustadvika well:

They probably do, since it is required in any ship management company. (This ship was managed by Wilhelmesen Ship Management for the marine side)
The marketing side of the cruise company would probably also have some SOP and check lists ready for their part.

Yes there are a lot of clauses in fine print and write-off of legal liabilities, but that does not stop US Lawyers from suing, costing the company $$ Mill. to defend against.

Press release from NMA re: status of Viking Sky and Hagland Captain:
https://www.sdir.no/en/news/news-from-the-nma/status-on-the-follow-up-of-viking-sky-and-hagland-captain/

ombuggeTop Contributer
Yes there are a lot of clauses in fine print and write-off of legal liabilities, but that does not stop US Lawyers from suing, costing the company $$ Mill. to defend against.

Perhaps comments regarding legal actions brought as a result of this incident, and by whom, should be withheld at this point, no?

ombuggeTop Contributer
As usual the world media tried to find some passengers that would complain about the way things has been handled… ’It was just chaos’: Rescued passengers describe ordeal on foundering Norwegian cruise ship’…“American passenger John Curry told NRK that he was having lunch as the cruise ship started to shake. “It was just chaos. The helicopter ride from the ship to shore I would rather not think about. It wasn’t nice,” Curry told the broadcaster”.
Then you temper the reporting of the experience of this passenger by writing “I listened to that interview; he and his wife was among the first to be lifted off and had nothing but praise for the way they were treated, onboard and ashore”.

You’ve nicely described a serious, worldwide problem… too many media outlet reporters write sensationalized and dramatized stories, often with limited knowledge of the subject matter of which they write, and editors rush to publish the story. This is when journalism does not benefit the public.

On another matter, many learned persons have contributed their knowledge and experience in speculating what took place onboard Viking Sky. The sharing of their thoughts provoke insight and meaningful discussion, which benefits everyone. But why not wait for however long it takes for the full understanding of the vessels problems to come to light and then delve into the details? In the meantime, more discussion about the evacuation of passengers and the towing of the vessel to port may be informative and good reading.

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Old Salt Blog has post about the Viking Sky incident which includes a quick rundown of some previous propulsion problems on their other ships.

Viking Ocean Cruises — From Awards to Near Disaster

That being said this is not the first time that these ships have suffered propulsion problems. In August 2015, just four months after it was delivered, a Baltic and Scandinavian cruise on the Viking Star was cut short by mechanical problems. Viking said the issue was related to the “electric transformers in one part of the ship’s propulsion system”.

The Viking Sea , the second ship of the series, also has been delayed due to propulsion issues. In late December of 2016, the ship was delayed in Barcelona for more than a week with unspecified engine problems. In May of 2017, there were reports of engine problems causing the ship to skip ports on a cruise to Russia and Poland. Then in August, the ship broke down again, this time in Malta.

So far, there have been no propulsion issues reported on the two newest ships of the series, the Viking Sun and the Viking Orion .

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If you follow enough links in the post you come to this one.
https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2019/03/articles/power-loss/viking-sky-loses-power-starts-evacuation-of-passengers/
This looks like one of the lawyers Obug was concerned about. (Convenient link on his website to report an accident.) But also represents different opinions on other shipping putting to sea around there. Ferries not sailing, etc. must be taken with grain of salt.

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This line:

Reuters reported that it was able to anchor about 2 kilometers from the coast.

I obviously don’t know the details here but the procedure in this case would be to pay out all the chain on both anchors while still in deep water and then those who know how pray.

The latest from NRK locally:


The Viking Sky will stay alongside in Molde at least one more day, probably more, before being released to proceed to wherever the refurbishment and any engine repairs will take place.

The last of the passengers and some of the crew have been flown out from Molde on charter flights.

The 90 year old lady that was reported to be in critical condition after sever broken bones are now reported to be in stable condition at the hospital in Kristiansund, but still not entirely out of danger.

Experts from MAN is on board, as well as all the authorities involved in the enquiry. The VDR and data from the engine and power management systems have been secured and being scrutinised. Both Viking and Wilhelmsen have promised full cooperation in the enquiries by multiple parties, incl. from UK and USA.

The pilots that were on board has been debriefed at the Pilot HQ and been allowed to return home, after spending 36 hrs. on the bridge without a break. (Rest hour rule break)

The comparison with the Hurtigruten ships, who decided to wait out the storm in ports rather than crossing the two worst stretches along the coast, Stad and Hustadvika, is flourishing, with experts making statements both for and against the decision made by the Master of Viking Sky to proceed, based on advise from both experienced pilots on board that it was safe to do so. No matter that the Hurtigruten ships are much smaller and, although fully capable to do so, would have been far less comfortable for the passengers than the much larger Viking Sky.
All the Hurtigruten ships are built and equipped to handle a force 10 storm in open sea and have done so many times before. Hurtigruten had one case where one of their ships lost power at Stad and nearly drifted onto rocks some years ago. That MAY have affected their decision.

PS> I believe the southbound one waiting in Trondheim was the 1962 built Lofoten:


She has tackled much worse weather during her 57 years up and down the Norwegian coast year around, but they are probably more attuned to the need of tourists travelling for pleasure now, rather than Norwegians travelling because they needed to back in them days.

That is how it was done and they actually drifted past the first outlaying rock before the anchors held. They were then an estimated 100 m. from another rock with heavy breakers over it. The distance to the actual rocky shoreline was still abt 1 n.mile however.

Ones they got one engine going and enough power to use one shaft, they heaved in on the chains to move further away and maintained power on to take strain off the chains.

Once more power was available they were able to steam slowly away, but one anchor chain had to be cut as it had got over the bulbous bow and could not be recovered. They did record the position in order to make a recovery later though.

According to one of the pilots they dropped both anchors as soon as they lost power in the hope of turning the bow into the wind and seas, but they did not get hold.
The fact that they had the anchors out slowed the drift towards the shore and added time to try to get help.

PS> As a RoRo Capt. you probably know better than most how fast a ship with large windage area will drift when broad side on in a storm.

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