quote:

---

NTSB claims fatal 'copper cover-up'
WASHINGTON 30 November - The National Transportation Safety Board's report
on the Norway's 2003 boiler blast alleges that copper was used to intentionally
hide cracking and avoid repairs. Mysterious "large copper nuggets" were found near the
fracture surface on Boiler No. 23, which ruptured and killed eight crewmembers.

The NTSB noted that the boiler contained no sources of pure, highly worked
copper.
While copper could possibly have been produced by corrosion of copper materials elsewhere
in the system, "it would not have had the features exhibited by the nuggets".

The NTSB metallurgist also concluded that the nuggets were not created by chemical reactions
between excess hydrazine (a chemical employed to reduce corrosion) and copper alloys in the
system. "The only explanation for the presence of the copper is that it was introduced to mask
the crack, impede inspection and avoid necessary repairs," alleged the NTSB.

None of boiler experts interviewed by the NTSB had "ever heard of a temporary fix using copper".

Furthermore, the NTSB noted that "forcing copper into a crack might have increased the tendency
for the crack to propagate" and "would have done nothing to reduce the concentration of stress
when the boiler was pressurised".

Owner and class get Norway blame
WASHINGTON - The National Transportation Safety Board has blamed Norwegian Cruise Line and
class society Bureau Veritas for the Norway's fatal boiler blast on 25 May 2003. Eight crewmembers
were killed and 17 were injured when the header of Boiler No. 23 ruptured as a result of extensive
fatigue cracking.

According to the NTSB's final report, NCL and water chemistry subcontractors failed to adhere to
water chemistry composition limits for the boiler. The number of boiler cycles was not taken into
account during maintenance and the boiler was stressed by severe thermal transients (from heating
and cooling too quickly) and by frozen boiler support feet.

Weld repair procedures were "questionable", added the NTSB. Furthermore, BV surveyors and NCL
inspectors did not conduct appropriate non-destructive testing and BV surveyors were given "inadequate survey guidance".

The NTSB concluded: "The probable cause of the boiler rupture on the Norway was the deficient
boiler operation, maintenance, and inspection practices of NCL, which allowed material deterioration and fatigue cracking to weaken the boiler. Inadequate boiler surveys by BV
contributed to the cause of the accident." In a financial filing last week, NCL re-affirmed that the
Norway explosion "is currently subject to a criminal investigation by the US Attorney's Office through an
impaneled grand jury".

---

In view of this report it would appear that there were major failings in maintenance on the ex ss Norway by NCL which leads one to wonder if they have a proper maintenance programme for their present ships !

Is this the reason why Star Cruises, the parent company of NCL, have prevent the ship being sold to anyone else.

I think the US Authorities should now arrange to carry out a full examination of the ship, even though she is at Alang, and if they can still find any other major problems with the boilers the Directors of Star Cruises and NCL should be charged with corperate murder if it can be proved the lack of maintenance caused the explosion which killed so many crew members.

Although some of you do not like Reubens, who runs the Australian Maritime website, he has already commented on the copper nuggets which were found !

quote:

---

Originally posted by Neil Whitmore ( Bob ):
Hi

Is this the reason why Star Cruises, the parent company of NCL, have prevent the ship being sold to anyone else.

Neil (Bob )

---

Why did not NCL remove all traces of copper while SSNorway was in Bremerhaven?

I would not be surprised in Colin Veitch or other key executives lose their jobs.

IMO SSNorway has suffered the most ignobile and prolonged death of any ship I know of.

I though that all ships were checked periodically. No cruise line can be entirely trusted to carry out proper maintenance and sanitation etc. without regular inspections.

[ 12-10-2007: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

The presence of the copper nuggets does indicate that at some point in the ship's career someone tried to cover up the cracks in the boilers. That's it. There's no indication, at least in the report, as to who might have done it or when. And if it had occurred before the ship was owned by Star Cruises, it is unlikely that anyone at that company would know about it. It's not even definite that it was done by NCL - after all, the ship operated for many years for CGT as well, and the accident report clearly states that the boiler cracks were a problem even early in the ship's career.

It is impossible to blame anyone in particular for the presence of the copper nuggets. The only firm that can be definitively faulted for that is Bureau Veritas, for not finding them during its boiler inspections.

The report is very clear: NCL engineers should not have shut down the boilers as quickly as they, as a matter of course, did, and according to the NTSB, BV's inspections were not thorough enough. It is a huge leap from that than to say that NCL, as it currently exists, attempted to cover anything up. Indeed, the report explicitly states that NCL, in addition to carrying out its own investigation, fully cooperated with the NTSB in its investigation. It also mentions numerous safety improvements that have been implemented by NCL, either as a result of its own investigation or at the recommendation of the NTSB.

The report does not even say the copper nuggets were actually used, only alleges. Surely it would be evident if so? Also why if NCL were doing this, knowing full well it was not acceptable practice, were nuggets left lying about? It seems most odd and mysterious as the NTSB say.

The problem seems to have been the cooling rates and number of cycles. After all this time one would have expected a full detailed report. It does not put BV in a good light either.

quote:

---

Originally posted by viking109:
The Norway had many refits over the years. Had the alleged copper repairs been in place since her France days, would LLoyd Werft not been aware of this. Highly inconceiviable that they would have approved.

---

These copper nuggets were very, very tiny and found only during a laboratory examination. It seems rather unlikely that anyone would have noticed them at all.

quote:

---

Originally posted by viking109:
Internal reports to NCL HQ regarding the very poor state of the boilers and the urgent need to do something about them ( in 1997 ) have been circulating on the internet for a while now.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by viking109:
Well as a shipbuilder/repairer I would have thought that if indeed they knew about it then they might just be concerned about their reputation as any responsible business would.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by viking109:
Who are you to assume that I did not read the report, which actually suggested other options including replacing the boilers or even changing to diesel engines. And as you know from the NTSB findings the tubes were not the only problem.

---

While other options were indeed suggested, my reading is that new boilers or new engines were suggested as an alternative to investing money in old ones by re-tubing them. Nowhere in the report does it say that NCL was aware of any concerns other than the tubes. Of course the NTSB found other problems, but that was after the fact.

quote:

---

Originally posted by dougnewman:
[QB] While other options were indeed suggested, my reading is that new boilers or new engines were suggested as an alternative to investing money in old ones by re-tubing them. Nowhere in the report does it say that NCL was aware of any concerns other than the tubes. Of course the NTSB found other problems, but that was after the fact.
QB]

---

At Sea Trade I found out from a marine engine manufacturer that RPF's went out to several yards for converting SSNorway to diesel.

Many parts were no longer made and had to be expensively custom fabricated.

quote:

---

Originally posted by desirod7:
At Sea Trade I found out from a marine engine manufacturer that RPF's went out to several yards for converting SSNorway to diesel.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by viking109:
Must have been the copper fairies then.

---