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Northern Adventure

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 3:51 pm
by The Dieselduck
I was just making a posting on The Monitor about BC Ferries latest woes. This time with the MV northern Adventure when I found myself severely short on engine room details.

I have found that it has (a - ?) MaK 16M32 engine putting out 16,000 kW. But I think that mean it only has one engine, and one propeller. Could this be the case. I think it would silly to put a single screw vessel on that run but hey thats just me.

Anyone know what the machinery complement includes?

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:13 pm
by JK
Ouch!
Add new oil to that the cost of flushing the systems, you are looking at in excess off 125k, assuming 4 engines. Expensive error.

...and then some

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:38 pm
by The Dieselduck
Mot to mention down time....
cost of flying passenger and gear home...

continued bad publicity

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:12 am
by JK
I wonder who'll get blamed? Crew, original ship owners, Class, TC, anything but lack of training and famiiiarization I'll bet.

More Info

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:35 am
by TxMarEng
Most likely twin screw but may be a 2 into 1 setup

Vessel Name Northern Adventure
Call Sign Original Name Sonia
IMO Number 9257735 Previous Name Adamanitios Korais
Classed By Lloyds Register Engine Make MaK
Main Type Pass./Ferry Engine Model 16M32C
Sub Type Passenger/Vehicle Ferry Engine Type Motor Diesel
Delivered 01-07-2004 Engine Stroke 4
Status Delivered Engine RPM 750
Owner Canada Govt Number of Engines 2
Manager British Columbia Ferry Engine total KW 16000
Operator British Columbia Ferry Engine Speed M

More Info

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:57 am
by TxMarEng
PROPULSION
Number of Engines : 2
Engine Power [kW] : 16000
Propulsion Type : Controllable pitch propeller
Number of Tailshafts : 2
ELECTRICS
Total Electric Power [kW] : 4500
Number of Engines for Electric Power Production : 4
Engines for Electric Power Production : Total Power : 3800

OK Thanks people...

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:12 pm
by The Dieselduck
To summarize....

The MV Northern Adventure has
2x MaK 16M32C four stroke engines, 750 rpm for an output of 8,000kW driving single reduction gear box into a CPP

Additionally it has...

4x generating sets producing a total of 3800 kW, I would imagine there are MaK 6M28 or the likes (?).

Well over time I will build my own full status sheet on this boat.

The question remains, how could both main engines been contaminated.... mmmmmm. very suspicious.

From Maritime Matters

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:18 pm
by TxMarEng
NORTHERN ADVENTURE Needs Oil Change

January 5: B.C. Ferries' 2004-built ro/ro NORTHERN ADVENTURE (ex SONIA) had an automatic engine shut down triggered by contaminated oil on January 3, canceling her departure from Bella Bella, British Columbia to Prince Rupert. Poor weather was cited as a further reason for the delay. B.C. Ferries chartered aircraft and flew passengers to Port Hardy while eleven passengers remained on the ship with their vehicles to wait for the vessel to be readied. NORTHERN ADVENTURE is expected to sail January 6.

:shock: Do we know for sure if this was lube or fuel oil contamination? BC Ferries should invest in both a Fuel and Lube OIl Testing program. hint hint

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:22 am
by JK
Apparently a sequence of errors leading to the grand finale. Does BCFC do root cause analysis in cases like this?

Testing programs

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:23 pm
by The Dieselduck
They're has not been much more talk about the incident, other than then the official press release which points to human error, yet again. Those damn pesky semi autonomous employees. Ever notice how its never the systems in place that are to blame - mmmmmmm. I will keep my ears open as I am sure there is a simple answer, I would suspect the root cause being (ta da - what a surprise) cheapness on the part of the builder, using one pump for too many uses, rather then using two pumps to keep systems segregated. Without inside information, the root cause will most likely never surface as it is tidier and more expedient to blame one individual.

To answer TexMar comment, I believe they do have an engine lube oil testing program. Almost all boats I have worked on this coast use Finning's SOS analysis - since most coastal operators use diesel fuel and already have frequent oil changes, the analysis are rarely more than an exercise in paperwork management. Not like heavy fuel burning, and the wild wild west mentality of bunker suppliers the world over which makes fuel and lube testing a routine and critical part of operations. The chief on the Rhapsody of the Seas was more than happy if I sent away a lube sample from each engine every week.

On the fuel side, I have not yet seen a regional operator use fuel testing labs. Generally fuel quality on the BC Coast has not been an issue. Most of the diesel fuel (i might be mistaken), come from the Chevron or Mohawk refineries which has been providing a product that has a good track record. From what I have heard its made from "sweet Alaskan crude". Out of all the diesel fuel I have worked with, its the prettiest I have ever seen! (if your into that type of stuff). Clear, water like appearance with a slight golden tinge, that rarely clogs up filters. Individual station fuel management is another story, but the big supplier, maybe 5 or 6 on the coast are mindful that word of bad fuel travels fast and take care to deliver a good product.

BC Residual Fuels

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:56 pm
by TxMarEng
Not uncommon to see elevated cat fines in BC residual fuels above 40-50ppm Distillates have been generally good worldeide. Only funny thing to note that in Greece they color the GasOil (DMA) black. Strange but true.

Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:41 pm
by AndrewJ
Hey guys. I was searching out some further info on the story and came across this, had some more information for you guys.

Myself and a friend (also a fellow driver) work for a Chevron agent here in Nanaimo, and took a Cloverdale truck out with the replacement oil for this boat. It was indeed a lube oil problem, had nothing to do with fuel. We didnt stop the whole way there to meet the Nipkish in Bella Coola by noon the next day, and unload that night. Lots of OT. :)

Anyways we never got the actual story when we got there, cause everyone was on edge. The engine room had at least a dozen engineers, and they were all very busy working. There was also at least 1 superintendant from Vancouver onboard. We heard the same thing everyone else has, they topped up the engine with slop tank shit. They have storage tanks for lube oils and such. We did get the history of the boat though. Some big European freighter owner wanted his own cruise ship/ferry whatever it was supposed to be. He died half way through building it. So it sat for a while, then the family had to deal with it, and found it was cheaper to finish it then scrap it. So I guess the structure was there, but the components used in finishing it werent exactly the greatest. Once completed they leased it out to a Spanish company for a year or two. The engineers we talked to figured thats where a lot of the issues came from. A lot of them seem to agree it has some great design ideas and concepts, but not all of them were seen through. The Spanish crews apparently ran it into the ground as well, its a lease who cares kind of attitude. When they got the boat, everything labelled was in Greek, and some had Spanish hand writting around it.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:17 am
by JK
Oh that's no fun for the engineers, dealing with eveything in a second and third language.
I wonder if BCFC had the drawings and manuals fully translated yet.
Interesting bit of info. Thanks

Sell it to Canada

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:23 pm
by Dieseldame
That insider info (and may other media reports) makes me think that we really need to revisit our buying practices here in the Great White North...

DD