JOHN CABOT

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Unified Command continuing search for submersible Titan

The Unified Command continued its search efforts of the 21-foot submersible 'Titan' from the research vessel 'Polar Prince', that went missing in the evening of June 18. The 'Joh Cabot' of the Canadian Coast Guard, a vessel with sonar capabilities, arrived on-scene in the morning of June 21 along with the commercial vessels 'Skandi Vinland' and 'Atlantic Merlin'. A Coast Guard C-130 crew also arrived on scene to continue searching. Underwater sounds have been detected in the search area, resulting in the redirection of remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operations to explore the origin. These recordings have been shared with the U.S. Navy for analysis to help guide future search efforts. The following additional assets were en route: - Canadian Coast Guard Ship Ann Harvey; - Canadian Coast Guard Ship Terry Fox; - Motor Vessel Horizon Arctic (ROV): - French Research Vessel L’Atalante (ROV); - HMS Glace Bay (mobile decompression chamber and medical personnel); - Air National Guard C-130; - ROV from Magellan. The Unified Command considered all ROV options based on capability, on scene time availability and logistical concerns. Along with vessels already on scene, the 'Magellan' will be providing one of their ROVs in the near future. The US Navy was sending subject matter experts and a Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System (FADOSS), a motion-compensated lift system designed to provide reliable deep ocean lifting capacity for the recovery of large, bulky, and heavy undersea objects such as aircraft or small vessels, from Navy Supervisor of Salvage. Expertise and equipment will support the Unified Command. Personnel and equipment were scheduled to arrive at St. John’s in the night of June 21. On June 18 at 5:40 p.m. EDT, the Coast Guard received a report on the overdue 21-foot submersible with five people on board, diving to view the wreckage of the RMS 'Titanic' approximately 900 nautical miles East of Cape Cod. The submersible was launched at 8 a.m. EDT and expected to resurface at 3 p.m., but one hour and 45 minutes into their dive, they lost contact with the Polar Prince. The Coast Guard is working with international partners to effectively utilize all resources available.

Coast Guard closely monitoring problems of new vessels

The Canadian Coast Guard was closely monitoring problems affecting components on all three of its new offshore fisheries science vessels. Two different components — a propulsion shaft tube and valves controlling seawater intake — have needed repair or replacement on the 'Sir John Franklin', 'Capt. Jaqques Cartier' and 'John Cabot'. The problems included corrosion, premature wear or mislabelling. The failure of a third component — a switch that controls motor speed — caused a fire on board the B 'John Franklin'' and led to a stop-sail order from independent inspectors working on behalf of Transport Canada Marine Safety. The defective controller was found to be an isolated incident. The Seaspan Shipyard in Vancouver built the ships at a cost of $778 million as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. The ships entered service between 2019 and 2021, providing fisheries science and monitoring in the Pacific and Atlantic. The forward and aft propulsion shaft stern tube bearings allow the propeller to turn smoothly. The part has been repaired on the 'Sir John Franklin' and and 'John Cabot' which was the newest of the fleet and based in St. John's. Halifax-based 'Capt. Jacques Cartier' will be pulled out of the water in April for a refit, Its propeller shaft tube bearings will be replaced. The tender closes next week. There were signs of premature bearing wear. Seawater piping and valve failures required part replacements on all three ships. That work has been completed. There was a report with various potential causes identified, including fluid flow rates, dissimilar metals (galvanic corrosion), and mislabelled valves. The ships have a one-year warranty after delivery. Only the 'John Cabot' was still under warranty when Seaspan repaired its stern tube bearings in January 2022. The 'Sir John Franklin' was in dry dock for other items in fall 2021 and had its stern tube bearings repaired as additional work at a cost of $410,978.53. Although the propulsion variable frequency drives fell under an extended material and workmanship warranty, the failure ccurred after that warranty had expired. The starboard variable frequency drive was repaired during the $2.4-million refit. Upon investigation, it was determined that the mechanism of failure was extremely rare and there was no evidence to suggest that the same issue existed on the other two vessels. When the refit was completed in December, the stop-sail order was lifted by the American Bureau of Shipping, which provides regulatory inspections. The ship returned to service in January.