[Peetwo]

GEN II Chinese Junk Clontarf engine explosion?? 

Chris Cowper (legend -  ), via FB:

Chris Cowper
1 d 

STOP PRESS. STOP PRESS. STOP PRESS.

Last night,  while on her regular safety drills, the Chinese built Gen II Emerald,  "Clontarf" had a catastrophic engine failure.

Her engine is now only fit for scrap metal.

Her highly experienced Master manoeuvred her to Balmain Shipyard with his remaining 1 healthy engine, where she is berthed behind "Balmoral".

Anyone having a spare Yanmar 6AY-WET marine engine in their shed could probably sell it to Transdev for a premium this morning.

"Clontarf" will probably be out of service for weeks. Maybe months?

 
Plus an update:

“Clontarf” update.

Further to my post yesterday morning regarding Monday nights catastrophic (adjective: causing sudden and very great harm or destruction) failure of the Port Main Engine in French owned Transdev’s Chinese built Gen II Emerald, “Clontarf”, those who have more technical ability than me, are of the opinion, her No 5 piston grabbed and seized in the liner, at the top of her stroke, causing the No 5 Conrod to part company with her piston and continue rotating at around 2,000 RPM (Revs Per minute) in company with the vessels crankshaft.

The crankcase inspection door was smashed off. Her errant conrod was found lying in the sump. It is now possible to look through the engine block, from one side to the other.

Large chunks of Japan’s finest steel was flung around “Clontarf’s” port engine room. At extremely high speed.

Most blades on the Engine Room ventilation fans were destroyed by flying debris.
Hot lubricating oil sprayed everywhere.

If the On Board Engineer, an extremely competent Crewman, had been conducting an Engine Room inspection at the time, he could have been killed.

This is not a joke.

You may well ask, “Why would a quality Japanese built Yanmar engine destroy itself?”
Well. Any competent organisation would specify a vessel to be designed and built with main engines that could maintain its service speed while being operated at 70% -80% of its maximum power.
Not our Transdev.

If they specified an engine of 750 kws (kilowatts) or over, the NSCV rules say they would require an Engineer with an MED I certificate of Competency.

For 749kws, only a MED II Certificate of Competency is required.

So Transdev ordered all their Emerald Class ferries, both Gen I & Gen II, with 749kw Yanmar engines.

To maintain their service speed, and keep to the timetable, as written by Transdev and approved by Transport for NSW, Masters have to operate their vessels at 100% most of the day.

This is particularly so on the heavier Chinese built Gen II Emeralds.

They are run “flat out like a lizard drinking.”

All day.

The correctly specified engines on Freshwater, 1st Fleet, River Cat, Supercat & Harbourcat vessels run at 70 – 80% and last, with maintenance, for around 30,000 hours.

Poor old, or nearly new, “Clontarf” only had 5,600 hours on her port engine when she cried “enough!”
I predict, this will not be the first early detonation of a Gen II Emerald engine.

If Transdev cared about their Crews, they would insist their Engineers do not inspect their engine rooms while the Vessel is running at full speed.

Ref: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/diction...BBZgLUZ5dU

Next from MattO, via the SMH:

‘There was an almighty noise’: New Manly ferry suffers catastrophic engine failure

Matt O'Sullivan

A new Manly ferry has suffered a catastrophic engine failure during regular safety drills, forcing the operator to pull it from service amid growing concerns about the reliability of the vessels purchased to replace Sydney’s larger Freshwater ferries.

The engine failure on the Clontarf occurred on Monday night, and the vessel is now berthed next to another of the new second-generation Emerald-class ferries, the Balmoral, at the Balmain shipyards. The Clontarf’s engine will have to be replaced, which means it will be out of service for weeks.


The Clontarf is wet docked at the Balmain shipyards after suffering a catastrophic engine failure.CREDIT: JAMES BRICKWOOD

Former Sydney ferry master Chris Cowper said the Clontarf’s port engine suffered a catastrophic failure while the vessel was travelling about 20 knots during safety drills on the inner harbour.

“Apparently there was an almighty noise, and an incredible vibration after the engine failed,” he said. “They took it to the shipyard using the starboard engine.”

Four crew were on board at the time of the incident. No passengers were on the vessel.

Transdev, the operator of Sydney’s government-owned ferries, said it was working closely with the engine manufacturer Yanmar to “comprehensively investigate” the cause of the failure.

“The engine will need to be replaced. It is expected to take a couple of weeks before the Clontarf returns to service,” Transdev said in a statement.

The three new Manly ferries have been plagued with defects and steering failures since they entered service on the busy route in late 2021. Internal figures have shown that the three vessels suffered a dozen steering failures between late 2021 and last November.

After a steering failure near the entrance to Sydney Harbour in November, the Fairlight was grounded at the Balmain shipyards – under orders preventing it from carrying passengers until defects were fixed – for weeks late last year.

Labor transport spokeswoman Jo Haylen said it was clear the three Emerald-class ferries used on the Manly route had “serious system flaws” which could not be solved by regular repairs.

“Transport [for NSW] is already conducting an investigation into the root causes of the steering failures that have plagued these ferries. It must now be broadened to look at the other defects too,” she said.

Transport for NSW said it had liaised with Transdev about the Clontarf’s engine failure as a matter of urgency and had been assured that the operator had notified safety regulators. “Importantly, there will be no impact to commuter services, particularly the F1 Manly-Circular Quay services which are operating as per the regular timetable,” it said in a statement.

The agency said it received preliminary findings from an independent assurance review of the ferries, which resulted in Transdev making “some minor technical changes”. It was awaiting the final report after an “intensive trial period” of the mechanical changes.

The problems plaguing the three second-generation Emerald catamarans have reinforced concerns they cannot handle conditions on the Manly-Circular Quay route nearly as well as the larger Freshwater vessels they are meant to replace.

The Narrabeen has been mothballed while the Collaroy is slated for retirement this year, leaving just the Freshwater and the Queenscliff in operation.

Figures show an average of 15,900 trips a day were made on the Manly-Circular Quay route over the last two months, which is up 2 per cent on the busiest day in 2019 before the pandemic.

From P9 above: 

“Clontarf” update.

Chris Cowper wrote :

“Further to my post yesterday morning regarding Monday nights catastrophic (adjective: causing sudden and very great harm or destruction) failure of the Port Main Engine in French owned Transdev’s Chinese built Gen II Emerald, “Clontarf”, those who have more technical ability than me, are of the opinion, her No 5 piston grabbed and seized in the liner, at the top of her stroke, causing the No 5 Con-rod to part company with her piston and continue rotating at around 2,000 RPM (Revs Per minute) in company with the vessels crankshaft”. -

Not enough data. More questions than answers – again. Can we find some of the 'operational' and systems details, from a 'fail-safe' perspective?

Is this a single 'drive' system connecting two engines to a single propeller shaft; or are there separate drives to individual propellers? It matters – from a 'fail safe' perspective. This event speaks well of the remaining engine's ability to continue. If this is a single shaft set up, the potential 'shock load' thrown onto the operating engine is significant and possibly destructive. The last thing needed in rough conditions is a loss of 'drive' leading to a loss of steering (provided that is working).

Is there a 'rapid' shut down system for the engine? A fuel cut off – or a 'kill switch'? Or, in the event of a catastrophic failure is the 'kill' system automatic?

If this is a separate drive to individual propellers; then there are other potential problems which could, in testing weather conditions, lead to an increased risk factor.

Either way; running engines at 100% rated power – even if that 100% is governed back to 80 or 90% is still a false economy. Many pilots have had their day spoiled by a $10 piston ring burning through or breaking up, from there failure is only a matter of time – usually a short time. It this was an aircraft engine 'exploding' on the wing the very least consequence would be a major inquiry, at top level with serious government  involvement. Where is the media? Engines being driven at the very limits, potential for fire at sea; ferry capsized due lack of directional control – 2 or 300 souls to be rescued. Time for some serious attention to applied -

Sod's law requires that it always go wrong at the worst possible time, with the worst possible outcome.

Toot – toot....

Hmm...so where the hell is OTSI?? Ref: https://www.otsi.nsw.gov.au/ferry/investigations

MTF?? - I reckon...P2