NTSB Issues Report on 2016 Columbia River Bulker Grounding
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a report on its investigation into the November 2016 grounding of the bulk carrier Nenita in the Columbia River.
The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel was fully laden when it suffered an engine failure that impacted its ability to maneuver and subsequently ran aground at Three Tree Point on the Washington State side of the river. The ship’s bulbous bow and hull were damaged, but no injuries or pollution were reported.
The vessel was towed to Longview, Wash. for temporary repairs, and resumed the voyage to its original destination two weeks later. Total damages were estimated to be approximately $4 million.
NTSB determined the probable cause of the grounding was the failure of a main engine cylinder cooling jacket that initiated an automatic reduction in engine speed, resulting in the eventual loss of steerageway.
Also contributing to the accident was a lack of information relayed from shipboard personnel to the pilot about the status of the main engine, which prevented the pilot from taking effective corrective action following the engine casualty.
