Norwegian Safety Agency Report on Viking Sky Maritime Incident

The Norwegian Safety Investigation Agency (NSIA) published a report on the loss of propulsion and near collision with a cruise ship that could have led to a major maritime disaster. The incident occurred on March 23, 2019, involving the Viking Sky carrying 1,374 passengers and crew. The ship suffered a complete loss of propulsion for 39 minutes before power was restored, narrowly avoiding a grounding.

The primary cause of the incident was determined to be insufficient lubricating oil in the sump tanks of the diesel generators, which did not comply with SOLAS regulations. Operational, technical, and organizational deficiencies, such as failing to refill the oil despite alarms, also played a role. The ship departed Tromsø two days before the accident without meeting safety standards.

NSIA issued 14 safety recommendations following the investigation, focusing on sump tank design, monitoring systems, training, and alarm systems. The crew’s handling of alarms and lack of training in recovering from a complete blackout were highlighted as contributing factors to the incident. The report emphasizes the importance of complying with safety standards to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Source .