[Peetwo]

More from Chris Cowper (Legend), via Facebook - 

Ref: https://www.facebook.com/groups/savemanl...&ref=notif 

Chris Cowper

Transdev, “Clontarf” & our 3rd World Manly Ferry service.

After talking to several of my former Crew Mates over the last couple of days, I am absolutely horrified to learn of the condition of safety equipment on board “Clontarf”.

Yesterday morning I wrongly wrote “Most blades on the Engine Room ventilation fans were destroyed by flying debris.”

This was incorrect.

Transdev’s Chinese built Gen II Emeralds have 3 ventilation fans in each engine room.

After the port engine detonated, as a precaution, the Engineer on board “Clontarf” attempted to manually close the port engine room vent flaps.

These flaps are designed to starve an engine room fire of oxygen.

Each flap is fastened to the vessel by 2 hinges.

On board “Clontarf” one flap operated as designed.

The second flap also operated as designed, although it had 1 broken hinge.

The 3rd flap had 2 broken hinges and fell into the forward engine room fan.

The large aluminium flap dropping into the fan sheared fan’s blades off.

What this meant, was, if there had been an engine room fire, the Engineer would not have been able to seal the engine room.

He wouldn’t have been able to starve the fire of oxygen.

His fire suppression system would not have been effective.

The port engine fuel filter had been pierced by hot metal, blown out from the disintegrating engine, and was pouring fuel into the bilge.

In January, a “Clontarf” Engineer had reported this faulty Fire Flap to Transdev’s Maintenance department.

I’ve been told Transdev, and the builder (Birdons?) have been arguing over who pays for repairs and modifications to the Gen II fire flap hinges.

Transdev’s Management don’t understand, or don’t want to understand, what could have happened.
If “Clontarf” had been crossing the heads with 400 passengers on board and her port engine had exploded, and caught fire.

Her Engineer wouldn’t have been able to put out the fire.

Crossing the heads there isn’t anywhere for the Master to run her aground.

Passengers, and Crew would probably have died.

Transdev Management would have gone to prison.

At a minimum, the Master & Engineer would have lost their Tickets.

This is one of the most serious safety breaches I have ever seen.
AMSA and OTSI must get onto this!

At a minimum, all 3 Chinese built Gen II Emeralds should be taken off the run until an independent surveyor inspects all their Fire Flaps and other safety gear.

MTF...P2