Report on the investigation into the catastrophic engine failure and subsequent fire on board the site investigation vessel Kommandor Susan in the Firth of Forth, Scotland on 25 January 2025
Summary
At 1305 on 25 January 2025, the site investigation vessel Kommandor Susan suffered a catastrophic failure of a diesel generator engine while conducting sea trials in the Firth of Forth, Scotland. The failure resulted in an engine room fire and a complete power blackout. The crew responded promptly, extinguishing the fire and mustering safely. The vessel lost propulsion and began drifting eastwards. Attempts to deploy anchors were unsuccessful because the anchor winches required electrical power to operate. Kommandor Susan was eventually returned to Leith harbour with limited propulsion restored.
The key safety issues identified were:
- Use of non-genuine engine components during a major overhaul in 2019
- Approval of extended service intervals, which assumed use of genuine components
- A shortfall in oversight and contractor assurance by the vessel owner during overhaul, which allowed the non-genuine components to be installed
Safety recommendations:
No recommendations were made as a result of this investigation; however the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents has written to the vessel’s previous owner, Hays Ships Limited, outlining the importance of a structure supervision system that provides clear accountability measures and the need to adopt monitoring for all critical maintenance activities.
