UMOE VENTUS

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Course/Position

Latest news

Report on major fire off Bagenkop published

The Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board has conclued the report on the fire which destroyed the "Umoe Ventus" on Dec 23, 2016. The fire started in the port side ventilation room. 15 minutes later, the craft was engulfed in fire and ran uncontrollably until it ran aground in shallow water north of Bagenkop and sank. The fire was caused by insufficient cooling of the lift fan engine exhaust system, which ignited the exhaust muffler and/or the compartment where it was mounted. From the lift fan compartment the fire quickly spread outwards to the bulwark and accommodation and inwards to the adjacent diesel oil tank. The insufficient cooling of the lift fan engine was likely caused by a clogged sea chest strainer. There were several alarms on the cooling water system during arrival and departure from Bagenkop, but the importance of the alarms was not acknowledged by the crew due to events that had unfolded during the preceding days and which had created a tolerance towards safety critical alarms. When one crew member discovered the fire, the crew had no choice but to labandon ship without making attempts to combat the fire either manually or by means of the vessel's fire extinguishing systems. The overall objective of the accident investigation was to determine why a lack of cooling water pressure led to an uncontrollable fire that resulted in the vessel's total loss. In order to increase the vessel's resilience, the shipyard has taken certain precautions on the sister ship, currently serving offshore wind farms, as well as on existing and future newbuildings. Full report: http://www.dmaib.dk/Ulykkesrapporter/UMOE%20VENTUS%20-%20Fire%20on%2023%20December%202015.pdf

Salvage of wreckage completed

The salvage of the "Umoe Ventus" was completed on Feb 14 with the clearing the sea bottom from debris in 60 meters diameter. The barge with the wreck on deck and large clumps and debris salong with the sheerleg "Sanne A" entered the port of Bagenkop and left in the night of Feb 15 jointly with the support ship "Mira A", after the wind strengthhad dropped from up to 13 meters per second on Feb 15 to under five meters per second. The three vessels were sailing to the homeport Horsens with a speed of about five knots, which meant it would take about twenty hours. After the arrival at Horsens, representatives of the insurance and accident investigation commission will investigate the wreckage of the "Umoe Ventus" before cutting the wreck up starts, and the only one year old ship which cost 50 million Danish Crowns ends in an environmentally approved recycling center at Herning. Danish reports with photos: http://www.fyens.dk/langeland/Bjaergning-slut-Fartoejer-venter-paa-bedre-vejr/artikel/2944113 http://www.fyens.dk/langeland/Fangst-ved-Bagenkop-Flamberet-skibsmotor-i-saltlage/artikel/2945551

Wreckage above water

The salvage of the wreckage of the "Umoe Ventus", though being harder than expected succeeded in the morning of Feb 13 at 10.45 a.m. After the straps were properly in place and the center of gravity correct, two parallel working cranes of the "Sanne A", each with a lifting capacity of 125 tons, in addition to the vessel's large crane, managed to raise the remains of the wreck at the North Beach in Bagenkop. A lump of molten material was hanging below the wreckage in the water and had to be released before the wreck could be lifted onto the barge before being taken to Horsens. The salvors still had to clean the bottom of the beach from debris with a Dredge. Danish reports with photos and videos: http://www.fyens.dk/modules/mobile/article?articleid=2943217 http://www.tv2fyn.dk/artikel/udbraendt-skib-endelig-bjaerget http://www.fyens.dk/langeland/Bjaergning-af-skibsvrag-alle-gode-gange-tre/artikel/2943277