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The experts from MAN who have investigated the causes of the engine breakdown on board the “Viking Sky” confirm that the cause of the engine failure was low lubricating oil levels. This is communicated by Managing Director Jan Hoppe to the Ship Revenue.
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A team from the engine supplier MAN has been on board the “Viking Sky” to do their own investigations of the engine failure.
“Our experts have confirmed the findings that the engine stopped due to low lubricating oil levels,” says Jan Hoppe to the Ship Revision. He is the communications director at MAN. - I remind you that this is preliminary results, says Hoppe. There are still open questions to be clarified and the investigation continues. I’m afraid we can’t or won’t add anything more to the official statement that has already come out.
The shipwreck has also asked MAN for a comment on the objections to the design that have come from several motor-skilled seafarers in the debate that is now taking place fully.
- When it comes to the design of the ship or the energy management system on board, we cannot comment on this as both were not made by MAN Energy Solutions, Hoppe says.
Experienced seafarers ask more questions
“I have never seen anything like this in almost 40 years at sea, it must be a serious design error,” writes Asbjørn Kiran in Skipsrevyens comment field.
- This sounds very strange, as I understand this, these engines have dry sump, that is, the return oil goes to tank, Stein Robertsen points out in the same commentary field to the Ship Revenue. In that tank, there is a level switch that provides a low level alarm. If the design is such that the pump can suck air at a low level then the whole design is wrong. Then, if the level remains low then a certain amount of time for auto stop is activated and the engine stops, then one should normally be able to reset this alarm and then start the engine again. I realize that it can be difficult and pointing a tank when there is bad weather, but you do not have to be a space researcher and understand this, writes Robertsen and characterizes the explanation of cause as “thin”. Hans Hilton Thorstensen replies that according to a news report there is a wet swamp on the engines. Normally, there is no “shut down” of the engines due to the low level, but there is a class requirement for “shut down” at high temperature and high pressure. Nor is it shut down due to tight filters, says Thorstensen.
-It is a plausible explanation, but it should at the same time be a wake-up call for many, writes Jan Poseidon Welde. In the design side, one fights to reduce weight, perhaps one has been tricking a bit far with the capacity of the lubricating oil tanks. Perhaps one should have had a little more delay before the full shut-down on some alarms.
There are also other moments, but I know too little to be categorical - but I’m not a journalist either.
- If it seems very strange that all 4 engines in 2 separate engine rooms get oil from the same lubricating oil tank, I think that one had never been approved, writes Per Bråtun. It is probably more likely that the oil level on both / all tanks has been in the smallest team before they start crossing …
-The point is automatic systems that have come all over, which can hardly be overrun manually … when the machines auto-stop signals indicating that the engine is living dangerously, which it actually does … it can quickly become dangerous on the sea, writes Nils Johansen. Experienced with a 1500 caterpillar brand new … stop with indication of overpressure in the bottom boiler … bad weather and sensitive donor rush. It was almost on the shore outside Bodø … happily the engineer got the alarms (limp home mode) after being in contact with cat centrally … so there are many that can happen.
- Surely too expensive to fill in Norway so they should wait, writes Stian Holst.
Engine power
The “Viking Sky” has four MAN main engines, two series nine-cylinder engines (9L32 / 44CR of 5.040 kW each) and two 12-cylinder V-motors (12V32 / 44CR of 6,720 kW each). They are configured with two engines distributed on a main engine and an auxiliary motor in each engine room, separated by fire and waterproof bulkheads and doors. According to MAN, the engine type is specially designed for the use of heavy oil (HFO according to DIN ISO 8217 specifications). The engines are turbocharged with MAN’s own MAN TCR system.
- The automation and control system is also developed by MAN (Sacos one), writes Teknisk Ukeblad. According to a brochure from MAN there is separate lubricating oil filter on each engine, while the water cooling takes place via a two-strand high and low temperature system.