CPP – Maritime Accident Casebook

Curse of the CPP Again?

Mar 202011

Controllable pitch poperllers: Too much of a twist in the tail?

Although little is yet known regarding the failure of the controllable pitch propeller of the general cargo ship Kholmogory, reported by Russia’s Maritime Bulletin, it is a reminder of the problems that can arise with this equipment, including a somewhat unnerving habit of suddenly running the ship astern.

According to Maritime Bulletin: “On March 17 at 2050 LT m/v Kholmogory suffered variable pitch propeller mechanism failure in 59 56N 025 44 E, in Finland MRCC safety zone. Vessel was enroute from S-Petersburg Russia to Norrköping Sweden. Icebreaker and tug from Finland were requested for assistance and towage to Swedish port. Russian icebreaker Kapitan Lus towed disabled vessel from ice to clear water, towage completed at 0235 March 19. Vessel drifting, awaiting tug from Finland”.

MAC has published a number of alerts and incidents on this kit and it’s important to be aware of what can happen:

Alaska Ranger: Poor Maintenance, Poor Regulation Cost Lives

Accident, Accident report, Alaska, capsize, fishing, flooding, liferaft, seafarer fatalities, Sinking No Responses »

Jan 132011

Alaska Ranger

Poor maintenance and inadequate regulatory oversight sank the 58 metre, 1,577 gross tonne, fish-processing vessel Alaska Ranger, cost five lives and led to the biggest rescue effort in US Coastguard history says the newly released US Coast Guard investigation board report. Some 37 recommendations have been made.

One reason for the loss is that there is no single accepted definition of a ‘fish processing vessel’, which enables avoidance by the fishing industry of meeting safety standards. Continue reading »

MAIB Warns On Running Main Engines After Passenger Walkway Collapse

Accident, Accident report, allision, contact, maritime safety news No Responses »

Dec 212010

The passenger walkway collapsed

Britain’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch, MAIB, has urged the UK Major Ports Group, UKMPG, and British Ports Association, BPA, to review the risks of vessels running main engines while embarking or disembarking passengers and vehicles; and, inspect the passenger access structures in their ports, following the best practices and guidelines available on the subject from the civil engineering industry. The warning follows MAIB’s into unintended movement of the ro-ro passenger vessel Ben-My-Chree during loading operations at Heysham on 26 March 2010.

The accident was caused when the chief officer, intending to carry out pre-departure
control tests, set the pitch lever of both main propulsion engine CPPs to the 100%
ahead position. Expecting both shafts to be stationary, he had not noticed that the
starboard engine and shaft were running at sea speed with its CPP set on zero pitch.

The engineer who passed control of the engines to the bridge was not fully aware of which machinery was running, and had not informed the chief officer that the starboard shaft was turning. Running the main engines in port during passenger and vehicle operations was a normal activity on board this vessel, carried out once every three days to facilitate water-washing of the turbochargers on the main engines. Continue reading »

CFL Patron Contact: CPP Goes Wild – Expect It

Accident, Accident report, contact/allison, CPP No Responses »

Nov 032010

CFL Patron

Controllable pitch propellers, CPPs, have a habit of belying their own name. Since CCPs often do not fail-to-safe and you could find yourself bucking around in a large vessel in close and crowded quarters so be ready for it when it happens.

That’s the message from the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch, MAIB, in its preliminary report into a contact incident involving CFL Patron in Immingham Docks.

MAIB did not discover why the CPP failed but the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents has written to the vessel’s manager, CFL Shipmanagement B.V., regarding emergency preparedness for propulsion failures on its vessels; pre-departure testing of propulsion systems; and preservation of evidence and data following an accident.

Isle of Arran: “complacency undermines the effectiveness of ships’ crews”

Accident, Accident report, collision, contact, Ferry No Responses »

Oct 132010

Damage to the Isle of Arran - MAIB warns of "Complacency" on ferries

Britain’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch, MAIB, has expressed concern regarding complacency among ferry crews in its report on the contact incident in which the UK-flagged ferry Isle of Arran, operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd, made contact with a linkspan at eight knots. A cuse of the accident was mechanical failure which led to loss of control of the starboard propeller pitch.

MAIB has recommended that the UK Chamber of Shipping encourage and facilitate the regular sharing of experiences and initiatives by UK ferry owners and operators, with particular emphasis on the prevention of complacency.

Orange Sun Report Puts Squeeze on Bridge Management

Accident report, allision, collision, contact No Responses »

Dec 102009

Atlanship, owner of the 33,000 gt fruit juice carrier Orange Sun, should provide its officers with training in the principles of bridge resource management that encourage and emphasize correct and unambiguous communication, information management, role responsibility, and contingency planning, says the US National Transportation Safety Board report into the vessel’s collision with the non-self propelled 61 metre dredger New York in Newark Bay, New Jersey.