Carnival Cruise Line posted the following today on their website:
Carnival Cruise Lines has cancelled additional departures of the Carnival Splendor including the January 16, 23, 30 and February 6 and 13, 2011 voyages to allow for additional repair time following an engine room fire aboard the vessel in November. The ship is now scheduled to re-enter service February 20, 2011.
As repairs have progressed and damaged components tested, additional issues have been discovered. Also, some of the needed parts are not readily available and are being manufactured in Europe. The ship is currently in San Diego, however, it will sail to San Francisco in mid-January where repairs will be completed at a dry dock facility.
About all that we know about the fire is that it started in or around one of the diesel engines in the aft engine room. The crankcase was mentioned. Crankcase fires were once a significant problem on large diesel engines, though now with the use of explosion doors, oil mist detectors and other systems, the problem is generally manageable.
Here is the idle speculation. Why would the repairs be delayed, and why is the ship being sent to a drydock? My guess, and it is only a guess, is that the machinery damage is more extensive than had been originally estimated and the easiest way to replace the damaged machine, whether it be a new crankcase, engine frame, or whatever it may be, is to cut a hole in the side of the ship to remove the damaged equipment and reinstall the new. As this is all below the waterline, a putting the ship on dock is a good idea.
Then again, the dry-docking may just be a matter of convenience. Carnival may just be using the time while waiting for the new equipment necessary to repairing the ship as an opportunity for a “shave and a haircut” dry-docking. As the ship was only delivered in July of 2008, this still might be a touch early even for quick dry-docking.
Anyone out there have a better handle on what is going on? Does anyone have a better guess?
Rick,
I think your analysis is coming close to the real facts. The ship will be dry-docked to facilitate exchanging machinery below sea-level. I’ve experienced two engine-room fires, and it is unbelievable how much equipment has to be replaced, even with a small fire.Mainly because of heat-damage and damage caused by smoke dust to mainly electrical and electronic equipment.
Let’s see if someone comes up with more detailed information.
Regards,
While no marine expert, we have sailed many times on Carnival, and were on Splendor for its maiden voyage in July, 2008. It is a magnificent ship, well thought out and we had a great cruise. It is so hard to explain this equipment failure on such a new ship, but I do question its design. How can a failure in the aft engine room shut down the entire ship?
We are booked on the yet to be launched Carnival Magic in June, 2011 and hope its design is fully reviewed in advance.
I think everyone agrees that a fire in one engine room shouldn’t have shut down the ship. It looks like heat, smoke, soot or water managed to take out some essential part of the electrical distribution common to both engine rooms. It will be interesting to see what is finally revealed.
It is amazing how much damage smoke and soot can do all by themselves, even outside the areas directly impacted by the heat. I have been on a couple of ships in shipyards where careless welding has nearly set ships on fire and I agree with you, even small fires a mess to clean up.
I believe the engine room was gutted and the switch gear burnt up by heat. A design flaw that is on many of the ships in their fleet. I also beleive that the power cables thru out the lower decks have been damaged badly. They have been to quiet about this problem. I wonder about the forward engines and if the gensets are bad as well. Who is making sure these ships are safe.
Will they change othere ships to reflect this safty problem.