Napoli-special edition. Also in this issue: Understanding why, Experience, History timeline, The collapse, Calculating risk and The remedy.
An unacceptable accident
The accident involving the MSC Napoli was a serious one that has consequences for and possible detrimental effects on the reputation of the container ship industry.
Understanding why it happened
The early indication from the press pictures was clear. The Napoli had broken in half just forward of the engine room, giving clear evidence of a major structural breakdown.
Experience matters
DNV is an emerging player in the field of container ship classification. The driving force of a strong domestic market has not been there for historical reasons.
What really happened? -learning by in-depth accident investigation
In 1987 a serious accident occurred when a British ferry capsized off Zeebrugge in Belgium with the loss of 197 lives. In the troubled aftermath, there was a call for the creation of an unbiased and independent investigative body.
MSC Napoli timeline
11 January 1992 MSC Napoli sailed at its first trade as – at that time – the worlds largest container vessel.
Hull girder collapse analyses
During some dramatic and stormy hours in the English Channel, 70 km south-east of the Lizard Point on the 18th of January 2007, the container vessel MSC Napoli, on its travel from Antwerp to Le Havre and Sines, Portugal, experienced unexpected problems.
Are other ships at risk?
This is the question to ask now that the Napoli’s failure mechanism has been identified. We should therefore focus on the critical area where the accident occurred on the Napoli.
The remedy
The challenge of rectifying a shortcoming in buckling capacity in the critical area can be solved in two alternate ways, either by reducing the compressive load or increasing the structure’s capacity to withstand the load.