ABS-TSK LP Turbine Ltr dtd March 25 2016_Redacted.pdf

U.S. Department of Transportation

Division of Atlantic Operations Building 19, Suite 300 7737 Hampton Boulevard Norfolk, Virginia 23505

Maritime Administration

March 25, 2016

Mr. Lou O'Donnell Assistant Chief Surveyor Americas Survey Department ABS Americas Division ABS Plaza, 16855 Northchase Drive Houston, Texas 77060

SUBJECT: TS KENNEDY LP Turbine Casing Support Struts- ABS Special Periodical Survey- Machinery

Mr. O’Donnell, In the course of completing ABS Special Survey Machinery #9 on the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Training Ship TS KENNEDY, while docked at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay, MA, the LP Turbine Casing was lifted. Visual and boroscopic inspections revealed several cracks in the lower casing strut bar castings. To date, our annual condition monitoring of the LP Turbine using vibration and lubricating oil analysis have not detected any issues or alarm data points with the operation of the LP Turbine. With the turbine currently open, the conditions of all other LP Turbine internal components appears satisfactory. There is no indication of the strut bar removal or cracks causing any problems with the LP Turbine Casing, bearing alignment or on the rotating element. For your review, attached are two technical reports from marine turbine experts with recommendations that the best current course of action is to continue to monitor the KENNEDY’s LP Turbine, which continues to perform well underway. Our recommendation is that the LP Turbine casing be lifted at the next ABS Special Survey Machinery #10 to compare the most recent findings and evaluate if the conditions remain static.

Assuming that result, we would continue to monitor.

By way of additional history on this LP Turbine, In May of 2002, during the conversion of the ex- CAPE BON to TS ENTERPRISE (now TS KENNEDY) lower casing strut cracks were located in the same area. There is some gap in documentation as to what was actually done during the 2002 repair. The only information we can find is a change order to Bender Shipyard that said “The intent of this additional item is to conduct an ABS required, “NDT” dye check examination of stress fractures in way of LP turbine, lower casing, strut bar castings. Minimum repair shall include sectional removal of the four (4) strut bar castings for normal casing expansion.” It appears that a decision was made to only cut one of the strut bar castings and others appear to have been weld repaired. Unfortunately we do not have any information why they made the decision to cut only one (not four) and weld repair the others.

In discussions between MARAD and the technical representatives conducting this inspection, we believe that any further attempts to weld repair or remove these strut bars is not advisable and that the strut bar cracking represents the casing stress relieving itself. We believe that the casing has reached equilibrium and making a weld repair at this time may cause more damage that good. The Chief Engineer and Master of TS KENNEDY also agree and have no concerns with the ships LP Turbine. Discussions with former Lykes Lines and MARAD Engineers confirm that this was a known class issue on the Cape Bover, Cape Breton, and Cape Bon, and Cape Borda. None of these vessels have experienced any machinery casualties with their LP Turbines, despite many decades of commercial and government service worldwide.

I have sent a similar letter to the USCG Marine Safety Office in Providence, RI (CDR Hanley) requesting their concurrence with our proposed “continue to monitor” course of action. Since TS KENNEDY is not enrolled in ACP, both USCG and ABS agreement are needed. Respectfully request ABS agreement with our proposal for TS KENNEDY. If you require additional information, please contact the MARAD Marine Surveyor for TS KENNEDY Mr. Jeff Brown. If you wish to talk to me about this, I can be reached at (757) 322-5816 or by e-mail jeffrey.mcmahon@dot.gov

Thank You, Jeffrey J. McMahon Ship Operations & Maintenance Officer Division of Atlantic Operations (MAR-615)

ENCL: LP Turbine Report (03/23/2016) LP Strut Cracks Report (03/22/2016) NDT Reports

Cc: MAR-610 Cahill, Williams, Margan TS KENNEDY Master & Chief Engineer