Myths and claims: Part one

/ Risto Kempas

Finnjet myths. Part 1. "Mean rumours".

1. Claim: During the early years Finnjet suffered from a serious fire which necessitated a new course closer to the Swedish coastline.

  • Not true. Finnjet did however suffer from minor fires and of some more challenging ones, but these were always swiftly handled by the well-trained crew.

2. Claim: Finnjet had a large gash/tear in her hull.

  • True. This damage was first recorded in the early 1980's. The tear was located at the stern elevator towers. It reached from the top downwards to the fourth deck. Hence this was a tear in the aluminum superstructure. The steel hull was flawless.

3. Claim: While in drydock for the final time in Finland, her hull squatted/squashed down several centimeters.

  • Not true.

4. Claim: One or both of the main diesels were in a damaged state in 2008.

  • True. Both main diesels were at the very end of their service life. The engines were early models of a highly successful series of power plants, and they had also endured a high number of running hours in a very demanding environment.

5. Claim: One Baltic operator had arranged an advance deal with the breaker in order to harvest fresh spares from Finnjet.

  • Not true and labeled as absurd. This has not taken place.

6. Claim: During her time in Louisiana, Finnjet picked up a dangerous form of bacteria into her air conditioning system. Despite efforts, this was not overcome.

  • This claim is completely unheard of.

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