Complete Maritime Profile & Reviews of Suiso-Frontier

A recent investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has pinpointed an electrical malfunction as the cause of a brief flame eruption aboard the 'Suiso Frontier'. This incident, linked to an improperly installed electrical solenoid valve, occurred at the gas combustion unit’s vent stack. The 'Suiso Frontier', a pioneering liquefied hydrogen (LH2) carrier, made its inaugural journey to the Port of Hastings, Victoria, on January 20, 2022. Having set sail from Kobe, Japan, on December 25, 2021, the vessel was initially loaded with 55 tons of LH2 and was scheduled to take on additional hydrogen from Hastings before returning to Kobe. Following the loading of LH2 on January 24, the ship was securely docked on January 25 when the malfunction transpired. A crew member noticed a fleeting yellow gas flame emerging from the gas combustion unit’s vent stack on the deck. Fortunately, there were no injuries or damages reported, and the incident did not escalate into a fire or explosion. The malfunction stemmed from excessive temperatures due to the solenoid valve's failure, which inadvertently shut down the air supply damper it was connected to. Compounding the issue, the control system on board lacked the capability to recognize a closed damper during operation, while the automated safety measures designed to identify such irregularities proved ineffective.

An in-depth investigation has been launched into a fire incident aboard the LNG carrier 'Suiso Frontier' that occurred on January 25, 2022, at approximately 10:45 p.m. This event took place shortly after the vessel arrived at Hastings, where it had just taken on a cargo of liquefied hydrogen. The fire, which was observed emanating from the ship’s deck via the exhaust of a gas combustion unit, has been categorized as a 'serious incident' by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). The ATSB anticipates that its comprehensive investigation will be concluded sometime after June. According to the preliminary report available on the ATSB’s website, the combustion unit was immediately shut down upon the detection of the flame, and it was isolated before the crew enacted their fire prevention response plan. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, and no damage or pollution occurred as a result of the incident. As part of its extensive investigation, the ATSB will conduct interviews with pertinent personnel and gather additional evidence, including recorded data, to ensure a thorough understanding of the circumstances surrounding this incident.