In addition to chengkp75's insightful question for the NAIB, my questions for Viking are:
when and how will Viking reinforce the windows on Polaris and Octantis ?
for the repairs already completed, did they install stronger windows in the damaged staterooms ?
By reading the report, I learned that Octantis and Polaris are the first ships to install SOMEC's Automatic Vertical Sliding Window (AVSW) on a lower deck, closer to the waterline than any other cruise ship. For use on the lower decks of Octantis and Polaris, the windows were redesigned to be stronger. This stronger window design did comply with DNV's classification rules for use on a lower deck. The windows were tested and installed properly. Unfortunately, the classification rules resulted in windows that were damaged by the weather conditions that day. The NSIA report found that these windows were not designed to be strong enough to survive the breaking wave on the day of the accident. The report states that, "IACS rules, international requirements and standards give too low values to withstand the pressure loads from breaking waves."
The report states that SOMEC is the company that "supplied the windows for ‘Viking Polaris’ and manufactured, tested, delivered and installed the windows on deck 2." The report also states, "According to the window supplier, similar windows have been installed on a number of other cruise ships. With the exception of the sister ship ‘Viking Octantis’, all of these windows were installed on higher decks and have a design pressure of 2.5 kPa. The design was based on a previous version that used many of the same components, but the window frame had been reinforced and a stronger motor was used to lift the heavier window. The weight of the window increased because of the thicker glass intended to withstand greater loads."
