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The UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is highlighting the dangers of using substandard components in the engines of vessels in its latest accident report. It found that premature wear of bearings caused catastrophic engine failure and fire.
MAIB has released its serious marine casualty investigation report into the engine failure and fire on board Kommandor Susan that occurred on the Firth of Forth, Scotland, on January 25 last year while the vessel was conducting sea trials. The failure of the vessel's diesel generator engine resulted in an engine room fire and a complete power blackout.
The 14 crewmembers managed to respond promptly, extinguishing the fire and mustering safely. However, the loss of propulsion saw the vessel begin to drift, with attempts to deploy anchors being unsuccessful because the anchor winches required electrical power to operate. The 83-meter vessel sailing under the United Kingdom's flag was eventually returned to Leith harbour, assisted by two tugs. There were no injuries or impact on the environment.
In its investigation, MAIB established that the engine failure was caused by premature wear of bearings fitted during a major overhaul in 2019. Notably, the components were not approved by the engine's original equipment manufacturer and exhibited weaker material bonding than genuine parts. In the report, MAIB contends that the extended service intervals applied to the engines were valid only for original equipment components, making the use of substitute parts a critical factor in the failure.
Built in 1999, Kommandor Susan (3,388 dwt) was originally an offshore supply vessel. In 2018, she was sold to Hays Ships before changing ownership again in 2022 when she was acquired by Gardline Shipping. In 2019, the vessel was converted to work in the specialist site investigations sector, specifically performing offshore geotechnical and geophysical surveys.
The vessel's propulsion system comprised four Caterpillar 3516B-TA diesel generator engines, with part of the significant work during the conversion including a complete overhaul of the engines. Following the engine fire and subsequent fire, a Caterpillar authorized agent undertook a detailed inspection that established that many of the major components of the rotating assembly were not original. The components identified included pistons, connecting rods, and bearings.
"Post-failure inspection revealed that non-original equipment manufacturer (OEM) bearings were fitted during the overhaul. These bearings had a copper backing layer instead of the aluminum layer found in genuine Caterpillar bearings; weaker bonding of these layers reduced durability," noted the report.
The report added that the catastrophic failure of Kommandor Susan's engine and resultant engine room fire was caused by the premature wear of non-OEM components that were fitted without Hays Ships' knowledge during the engine's last major overhaul. Following the investigation, the current owner, Gardline Shipping, has since rebuilt the vessel's engines with genuine Caterpillar spares. Owing to the actions taken, MAIB has not issued any recommendations.
Fuente: Maritime Executive
