After more than four years, the US National Transportation Safety Board has released its report on the May 2003 boiler rupture aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norway that killed eight crew members, injured 17 and ended the career of one of the greatest passenger ships of all time.
Unfortunately, the report finds serious faults with the procedures of NCL and the classification society Bureau Veritas. The criticisms of these established and well-respected companies reminds us that nobody is immune from safety mistakes, and the slightest sloppiness here can be deadly.
The report concludes:
“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the boiler rupture on the Norway was the deficient boiler operation, maintenance, and inspection practices of Norwegian Cruise Line, which allowed material deterioration and fatigue cracking to weaken the boiler. Inadequate boiler surveys by Bureau Veritas contributed to the cause of the accident.“
Perhaps most interesting to ship enthusiasts is the note that:
“About September 1997, NCL contracted for a propulsion study to determine methods of achieving a 27-knot ship speed and the steam demanded by 80,000 shaft horsepower. The propulsion study report recommended that new, higher-capacity boilers and new booster propulsion units be installed to achieve the desired horsepower. “
We can only wonder what NCL might have had in mind when contemplating upgrading Norway’s powertrain to achieve a speedy 27 knots…
Click here to read the entire report from the NTSB.
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