Update on Harmony Life Boat

Repairs underway today in France while the ship was at port

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Thanks for sharing!

Ship arrived in La Spezia today, lifeboat is not on board, a crew of about 12 was working on the haul lines all day at Marseilles

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Ship arrived in La Spezia today, lifeboat is not on board, a crew of about 12 was working on the haul lines all day at Marseilles

Hmmmm....worth another picture I suppose. ;)

I wonder if they have to get more folks involved in the repairs (shipbuilder, lifeboat manufacturer, etc.) on this?

From the photo above...this appears to be the lifeboat on the port side...3rd from aft end.

One of the problems involved with replacing lifeboat wire falls is that the wire and the installation needs to be tested prior to placing into use. The test is to suspend a weight on the falls that equals the weight of the boat plus 125% of the rated weight of a full load of passengers onboard. Typically this is done in shipyards with large "waterbags". Also, while the winches that raise the boats will also lower them, without a significant weight hanging on the wire, it won't feed out properly, so testing to ensure proper spooling on the winch drums requires a heavy weight.

One of the problems involved with replacing lifeboat wire falls is that the wire and the installation needs to be tested prior to placing into use. The test is to suspend a weight on the falls that equals the weight of the boat plus 125% of the rated weight of a full load of passengers onboard. Typically this is done in shipyards with large "waterbags". Also, while the winches that raise the boats will also lower them, without a significant weight hanging on the wire, it won't feed out properly, so testing to ensure proper spooling on the winch drums requires a heavy weight.

That makes perfect sense. Thanks.

I'm surprised that they let her sail with a lifeboat out of service. I guess they must not be sailing at capacity...or at the very least, the lifeboat capacity is still met, even with that boat out of service.

In Nov. 2014, on Explorer, when we hit the nor'easter out of Bayonne on the Repo, and lost 2 lifeboats the captain told us that if the ship had been full, we would have had to turn back due to insufficient lifeboat capacity. But b/c the ship was not at full capacity we had sufficient lifeboat capacity so we were able to continue on with our cruise.

Again, not knowing the exact failure point, one reason this may be taking so long (the wire should be able to be renewed in a day's work) is that perhaps the "block" (pulley that the wire goes around, and the hook that attaches the block to the boat) is being held for forensics, and they had to order a new block. The boat may also be held for evidence.

Yes, the maximum pax capacity is usually matched to the lifeboat capacity, and when you lose a boat, as PP noted, or as the Oasis/Allure did (can't remember which) on their initial TA, then you need to adjust pax count, but generally they can do that with double occupancy. They can also get around this, if the total lifesaving capacity (rafts and boats) is still 125% of the number of all souls onboard.

Please excuse the poor quality of the photograph it was taken from the transfer bus in La Spezia.

The boat is not on board.

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Please excuse the poor quality of the photograph it was taken from the transfer bus in La Spezia.

 

The boat is not on board.

 

Blurred or not...thank you.

When the Explorer lost 2 lifeboats on a repositioning in the Atlantic, the Captain said you can't use the corresponding lifeboats on the other side. That meant 4 lifeboats were not usable. However, there still were enough lifeboats for everyone.

When the Explorer lost 2 lifeboats on a repositioning in the Atlantic, the Captain said you can't use the corresponding lifeboats on the other side. That meant 4 lifeboats were not usable. However, there still were enough lifeboats for everyone.

I've never heard of that, and don't know of any restriction to that effect. Not sure why he would have said that.

I've never heard of that, and don't know of any restriction to that effect. Not sure why he would have said that.

He mentioned it several times. Maybe it is something specific to that class of ship.

As seen (or should I say not seen) last week in Palma the life boat was still missing.

From the booking prices I guess that the transatlantic voyage will be close to full capacity and I wonder whether they replace the life boat until this reposition cruise from Barcelona to FLL? What is the capacity of the missing life boat?

As seen (or should I say not seen) last week in Palma the life boat was still missing.

 

From the booking prices I guess that the transatlantic voyage will be close to full capacity and I wonder whether they replace the life boat until this reposition cruise from Barcelona to FLL? What is the capacity of the missing life boat?

If the boat was damaged in the incident, or is being held for trial, these are not exactly "off the shelf" items and may need time to manufacture another one. The boats have a capacity of 370 (16 crew and 354 pax).

Saw the Harmony last Monday in Palma de Mallorca. As she had to return to port shortly after she left due to a medical emergency I was able to take photos from both sides. The lifeboat was still missing. It´s the first of the last three lifeboats on the port side.

steamboats

If the boat was damaged in the incident, or is being held for trial, these are not exactly "off the shelf" items and may need time to manufacture another one. The boats have a capacity of 370 (16 crew and 354 pax).

It would be reasonable to assume that with 3 Oasis class ships now in service, and a 4th under construction...they would have a spare or two shell someplace, requiring only some nominal configuration work.

If that's not the case...having to wait to manufacture one would seem to be a less-than-prudent scenario.

It would be reasonable to assume that with 3 Oasis class ships now in service, and a 4th under construction...they would have a spare or two shell someplace, requiring only some nominal configuration work.

 

If that's not the case...having to wait to manufacture one would seem to be a less-than-prudent scenario.

Even with 4 ships soon to be in service, that is a rather small market, and lifeboats are not an item that "breaks" frequently. It doesn't make strong financial sense to have a boat costing several hundreds of thousands of dollars sitting around "just in case". Today's economics don't allow for that kind of inventory. It would be like having a new engine sitting around, just in case we need one, and engines fail more often than lifeboats. Think of the interest you could make on say $700,000 over the 20 year life of a ship that never needs a replacement lifeboat.

Depending on Schat Harding's production schedule for the new Oasis class ship, there may be one available, or they may be repairing the existing boat, which then requires significant testing to ensure it is up to code.

Even with 4 ships soon to be in service, that is a rather small market, and lifeboats are not an item that "breaks" frequently. It doesn't make strong financial sense to have a boat costing several hundreds of thousands of dollars sitting around "just in case". Today's economics don't allow for that kind of inventory. It would be like having a new engine sitting around, just in case we need one, and engines fail more often than lifeboats. Think of the interest you could make on say $700,000 over the 20 year life of a ship that never needs a replacement lifeboat.

 

Depending on Schat Harding's production schedule for the new Oasis class ship, there may be one available, or they may be repairing the existing boat, which then requires significant testing to ensure it is up to code.

Then again...having at least a spare shell unit (would need to add some mechanical elements) would likely not be such a major cost...and would it seems to be reasonable to have one of these safety items available quickly, given the number of them between the multiple ships.

The cost of being prevented to depart on a cruise run because of safety restriction would seem to far offset the cost of such a shell on "standby" availability.

Understand that...

 

Then again...having at least a spare shell unit (would need to add some mechanical elements) would likely not be such a major cost...and would it seems to be reasonable to have one of these safety items available quickly, given the number of them between the multiple ships.

 

The cost of being prevented to depart on a cruise run because of safety restriction would seem to far offset the cost of such a shell on "standby" availability.

Well, that "shell" is the major cost the boat. Also, since ships don't sail at full capacity all the time, there is very little danger of not being able to sail, or even having to cancel bookings.

The lifeboats of the Harmony are produced by German company Fassmer. They are sort of specialized on lifeboats. But I doubt they have any "on stock" as those for the Oasis class are the largest ones in cruise industry with 370 people capacity.

steamboats

The lifeboats of the Harmony are produced by German company Fassmer. They are sort of specialized on lifeboats. But I doubt they have any "on stock" as those for the Oasis class are the largest ones in cruise industry with 370 people capacity.

 

steamboats

Kinda thinking it made sense for Royal to keep a spare for inventory...like a spare tire.

...........or - the life boat is not damaged and just being withheld by the French authorities as they are still investigating the accident?

Kinda thinking it made sense for Royal to keep a spare for inventory...like a spare tire.

More like a spare tire, for your spare tire. I mean how often do you really replace it unless an emergency... Chiefs right. Most my family use to work for General Motors, use to make tons parts, store them, wasn't cost effective. Now they make enough on hand, on site, no storage or additional cost issues

More like a spare tire, for your spare tire. I mean how often do you really replace it unless an emergency...

Seems we just had an emergency...