Ro/Ro Engineers Tried an Impossible Fix to Avoid Grounding

The ro/ro freight ferry Mazarine faced a crisis when a large pipe fitting in the main engine lube oil system cracked, causing a loss of power and eventual grounding near Wolf Rock off Land’s End, UK. Despite heroic efforts by the engineering crew to repair the damage, the vessel sustained extensive hull damage. With no spare parts on board, the crew attempted a temporary fix using epoxy and metal clamps, but it failed when the lube oil pump was restarted, causing the vessel to drift onto the rocks.

After the failed attempts to repair the damaged pipe fitting, the crew decided to remove the broken part and attempt a weld repair. The challenging task of welding cast iron required specific electrodes and careful technique to avoid further damage. Despite their efforts, the repair was unsuccessful, resulting in the vessel drifting in open water until a tug arrived to take it to Falmouth for repairs. The hull required extensive work to close up perforations and replace deformed plating on the port side aft.

Transport Malta commended the bridge crew for their quick response to the emergency and found no fault with their actions. The agency acknowledged the challenging circumstances of the repair work under time pressure and praised the crew for their efforts. The difficult nature of repairing such a critical component onboard a vessel in distress was emphasized, with Transport Malta concluding that the repair was extremely difficult, if not impossible, given the circumstances.

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