Container ship NCL Salten” threatened to crash: salvage successful!

Container ship NCL Salten” threatened to crash: salvage successful!

On Thursday morning, May 24, 2025, the Norwegian coastal city experienced a dramatic event when the container ship “NCL Salten” crashed into the shore in the Trondheimfjord. The incident occurred just a few steps from a residential building and was caused by the helmsman in charge falling asleep on the bridge. Around 16 crew members were on board the 135 meter long ship at the time, which ran aground without changing course in a timely manner. Fortunately, no one was injured, only a heat pump pipe on resident Johan Helberg's house was damaged.

Helberg, who was woken up by a neighbor when the ship crashed into his yard, expressed no sadness about the incident and the end of the “neighborhood” with the ship. The recovery work began on Sunday with the unloading of over 1,000 tonnes of cargo, which took several days. crown reports that the salvage went better than expected and that the ship will now be taken to a nearby port to assess the damage.

Investigations and security aspects

The police have started an investigation against the responsible helmsman, a 30 to 40-year-old Ukrainian citizen with officer rank. During the incident there was only one person on the bridge, who did not change the ship's course. The “NCL Salten” shipping company is supporting the investigation and is conducting internal research to find out how this almost catastrophic collision could have occurred.

In this context, it is important to point out the general risks and challenges of shipping. Loud Munich Re It is not uncommon for container ships to break down due to unforeseeable circumstances, such as bad weather conditions or human error. Common causes of these accidents are torsion and shear forces acting on the ship's structure, especially in stormy waters.

The stability of a ship is crucial, especially when it comes to the safety of the cargo and crew. Ideal management of ballast water and homogeneous loading are measures that can help prevent such incidents. Regular inspections and quality controls of the ship's structure are also necessary to meet the requirements and loads at sea.

The incident with the “NCL Salten” highlights the need for such preventive measures in the marine industry to ensure the safety of crew and cargo and to avoid such near-disasters in the future. NTV highlights that this is not just a local matter but could have international implications for shipping safety. The recovery of the ship will continue to be closely monitored to learn from this incident.