Norway Confirms Bridge Alarms Were Turned Off Before Boxship Grounded

containership being towed — An inspection after the vessel was refloated found deficiencies including confirming the bridge alarm system was turned off before it grounded (Trondheim Rescue Company)

The Norwegian authorities released the details of a Port State inspection after the feeder ship NCL Salten was refloated and moved to a dock. The Norwegian Maritime Authority reports multiple deficiencies were found on the ship and it is being held at the dock in Orkanger until plans are finalized to move the vessel to a repair yard.

The inspection confirmed that the Bride Navigation Watch Alarm System was switched off before the vessel grounded. The second officer who has been charged with negligent navigation admitted to falling asleep on watch but contended alarms did not sound.

The Norwegian newspaper NRK is quoting a spokesperson from the Norwegian Maritime Authority saying if the alarm had been turned on, the accident might never have happened. They point out that the system is designed to prevent this type of accident. The AIS track shows the vessel failed to change course in the fjord and proceeded straight at a reported speed of 16 knots before it came to rest on the lawn of a shoreside home.

The Port State inspection further found that the ship’s ISM system did not meet requirements. The authority did not provide details but said the ship was given three months to correct the problem with the ISM system.

However, the ship must repair the bridge alarm system before it can depart Orkanger. Further, the authority wants written confirmation from Cyprus as the flag state of the vessel before it can move to a repair yard. They confirmed the earlier reports that the hull suffered damage during the grounding.

In addition, they also cited the vessel for a problem with its emergency exits. The authority found that the hatch from the engine room is too heavy and difficult to open from the inside. The ship has 14 days to repair the exit hatch.

The Norwegian Maritime Authority says it has been monitoring the salvage operation with an inspector aboard the ship. It is now coordinating with the shipping company and the flag state on the next steps in the salvage efforts.

The ship is operating under charter to North Sea Container Line on a feeder route along the Norwegian coast that connects to Rotterdam and Hamburg. The company emphasized that the accident seriously while reporting that the ship is owned by Waterway Shipping and operated by Baltnautic Shipmanagement, both incorporated in Lituania.

The NCL Salten was refloated on Tuesday, May 27, after having grounded on May 22. After being towed to the dock, they were offloading all of the containers from the ship while the surveys continued. The police also reported that they planned to interview the master of the vessel after the salvage operation was completed.