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Course of events
Engine room bilges became flooded due to a leaking sea water
pipe. Proper actions were not taken when the alarm sounded, so
the leakage was first discovered when water had reached the
engine room floor plates. Consequently, the leakage was stopped,
bilges emptied and the ship resumed its voyage.
Shortly after resuming the voyage, the main engine stopped
due to low lubrication oil pressure. The lubrication oil was
analysed and contamination with seawater was identified. The
engine was not re-started before the sump tank was cleaned and
new lubrication oil added, because possible damage to engine
bearings was considered as a potential consequence. This resulted
in the vessel drifting for approximately 24 hours.
Extent of damage
The lubrication oil was heavily contaminated with sea water, and
could not be cleaned up by the separator within reasonable time
to continue the voyage. The lubrication oil was therefore
replaced.
Extent of damage to the main engine bearings is not known.
Probable cause
During bilge flooding, sea water had entered into the lubrication
oil sump tank through a cracked rubber diaphragm.
The rubber diaphragm is the flexible connection between the Lubrication oil sump tank
engine crankcase and the lubrication oil sump tank in the hull.
One purpose of having it is to prevent contamination from enter-
ing the sump tank from the engine room.
A rubber diaphragm may crack due to the long term exposure Fig. 1: Main engine rubber diaphragm positions (red circles).
to forces from the movement of the engine relative to the hull.
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Casualty Information No. 5 August 2006
Lessons to be learned
The purpose of Casualty Information is to provide the maritime industry © Det Norske Veritas AS. This publication may be reproduced freely on
with ‘lessons to be learned’ from incidents of ship damage and more serious condition that Det Norske Veritas AS (DNV) is always stated as the source.
7,000/ 8-2006
accidents. In this way, Det Norske Veritas AS hopes to contribute to the DNV accepts no responsibility for any errors or misinterpretations.
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