Moen Marin Disputes Battery Cause in “Hybrid Two” Fire, Finnsnes Dykk Confirms Generator Fault
On October 23, a fire broke out aboard the two-month-old hybrid service vessel “Hybrid Two” while it was operating off the coast of Senja, leading to the evacuation of its six crew members.
Initial reports from the Norwegian Rescue Service indicated that the fire was due to a battery malfunction. However, two days later, vessel supplier Moen Marin disputed this, stating that temperature monitoring showed no abnormalities in the battery system.
Following a joint investigation by Moen Marin and local authorities, Finnsnes Dykk & Anleggservice, which operates the vessel, confirmed the cause of the fire as a fault in the starter motor of diesel generator 2, which also damaged wiring between the generator and the starter battery.
“There was no fire in the hybrid system onboard,” Moen Marin Managing Director Bernt Lilliestråle told Kystens Næringsliv.
The crew, who were safely evacuated, were released from the hospital on the same day and have since returned to work.
“The most important thing is that the crew is safe and back at work,” said Tom-Rune Eliseussen, managing director of Finnsnes Dykk & Anleggservice in a press release, adding that the vessel has been cleared for operation by authorities and returned to service.
Finnsnes Dykk & Anleggservice praised Moen Marin’s swift assistance in investigating the incident, noting that the readiness of emergency systems during the fire reassured both the company’s employees and broader maritime safety standards.
The vessel was delivered to Ringasund in August 2024 and is currently leased to Finnsnes Dykk under a short-term contract.
