Norwegian Authorities Expose Serious Safety Failures On Grounded Container Ship

Norwegian authorities have confirmed that the container ship NCL Salten, which ran aground near Trondheim on May 22, 2025, had its bridge watch alarm system turned off before and during the incident.

This is now being called a serious safety failure by the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA), which has completed its inspection of the vessel.

The incident took place early in the morning as the 135-meter-long ship was supposed to make a turn towards Orkanger but instead continued straight and grounded at Byneset, coming to a stop close to a residential house.

No injuries were reported, and there was no damage to the house or oil spill, but the ship’s hull was damaged badly enough to make it unseaworthy.

A 30-year-old Ukrainian man, who was the second mate on board, has been charged in connection with the grounding. He told police during questioning that he fell asleep while alone on watch. He also claimed that no alarms sounded before the vessel ran aground.

The NMA later confirmed in its inspection report that the bridge navigation watch alarm system (BNWAS) had been switched off. A communications advisor for the authority said the system is directly connected to the ship’s safety management and must always be turned on when the ship is underway. According to the advisor, this failure is considered a serious deficiency.

Video Credits: Times News/YouTube

The ship’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) data showed that the vessel did not change course and continued in a straight line at about 16 knots until it hit the shoreline. Local newspaper Adresseavisen was the first to report on the NMA’s findings.

The NMA’s inspection also found other safety concerns. The ship’s International Safety Management (ISM) system was found to be non-compliant with current requirements, although the authority did not provide specific details. The ship was given a deadline of three months to fix the ISM issues.

Additionally, the inspection found that one of the emergency escape hatches from the engine room was too heavy and difficult to open from the inside. The ship has been given 14 days to fix this issue.

The NMA has confirmed that the vessel cannot leave the port of Orkanger until the bridge alarm system is repaired. The authority is also waiting for written permission from Cyprus, which is the ship’s flag state, before the vessel can be moved to a repair shipyard. Until then, the ship will remain docked in Orkanger.

Video Credits: ABC News (Australia)/YouTube

Since the incident, the ship has been refloated and towed to Orkanger on May 27. All containers are being offloaded while the investigation and repairs continue. The NMA has been monitoring the entire salvage operation, and an inspector has been onboard during the process.

The ship is operated under charter by North Sea Container Line and is used on a feeder route that connects Norwegian ports with Rotterdam and Hamburg. It is owned by Waterway Shipping and managed by Baltnautic Shipmanagement, both companies registered in Lithuania. The chartering company has stated that they are taking the incident seriously.

Meanwhile, the Trøndelag Police District is continuing its investigation. They say that documentation from the vessel, interrogation statements, and any discrepancies identified by the NMA will form an important part of their case.

The police plan to question all crew members, including the ship’s captain, who is also under suspicion for possible violations of the maritime safety law, particularly regarding proper rest periods and manning levels.

Police say they will also be reviewing the crew’s work-rest schedules to determine if fatigue played a role. They are collecting documents from various authorities to understand the ship’s operational history and staffing decisions.

The ship grounded just meters from the home of local resident Johan Helberg, who said he was asleep at the time. He was only alerted when a neighbor rang his doorbell loudly to inform him about the accident.

References: abcnyheter, shippingwatch

Source: Maritime Shipping News