Lightering Begins Ahead of Effort to Pull Boxship from Norwegian’s Lawn
Salvage teams decided to conduct a lightering effort before attempting to pull the feeder containership free from the shoreline in Trondheimsfjorden, Norway. At the same time, the investigation into the circumstances of the grounding is continuing after the navigation officer was charged with negligence last week after it was learned that he had fallen asleep near the end of his overnight watch.
The vessel NCL Salten received worldwide attention after it grounded Thursday morning, May 22, coming to rest just feet from a private residence. The home’s occupant was awoken by a concerned neighbor to see the 886 TEU vessel resting on his lawn.
After an initial attempt to pull the vessel free with tugs failed, the authorities ordered a geotechnical investigation after a landslide occurred not far from the vessel. Norwegian media reports there was a second landslide on the coast on Saturday with the results of the survey showing the area is made up of a form of soft clay. The composition is creating further complications in the efforts to refloat the ship along with some damage to the hull and ballast tanks.
Sunday salvage teams began removing containers from the vessel. Using the cranes on the NCL Salten, the containers are being placed on barges and towed to the destination port of Orkanger. The Norwegian Coastal Authority is reporting that sufficient weight will have been removed for the next attempt to refloat the vessel on Tuesday. Two tugs are reported to be standing by to pull the vessel by the stern off the coastline.
The police are reporting that interviews continued with the second officer who is a Ukrainian national. He was charged in Norway on Friday with negligent navigation after he confirmed to the police had had fallen asleep. The media outlet NRK is quoting investigators saying the officer began his watch at midnight and was in the last hour of the watch when the grounding happened before 0600.
One of the issues they are looking at is manning, work rules, and rest periods. NRK reports the navigation officer was alone on the bridge at the time of the grounding but there was an overnight lookout also on the bridge. The lookout had been relieved after sunrise which was at about 0420 that morning. NRK reports the work rules permit the lookout to leave at daylight, but alarms and monitors should be functioning when the officer is alone on the bridge.
The newspaper is reporting the officer told investigators that no alarms sounded before the grounding. NRK reports the police are still investigating and also are waiting to interview the captain. Due to the circumstances, the captain automatically is listed as a suspect even though he was not on the bridge at the time of the grounding. The captain they report has been too busy with the salvage operation to be interviewed.
A review of the logs the newspaper reports shows that the vessel made a course change as planned after entering the fjord. However, a second turn to set course into Orkanger harbor was missed. The AIS shows the ship continuing forward at a reported 16 knots before making what one resident called a soft landing on his neighbor’s lawn.