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Work Resumes on Warship Oil Removal
01 Sep 2003
Briggs Marine have resumed work on a UK Ministry of Defence contract to remove oil from the tank of a sunken battleship off Scapa Flow, Orkney. The Royal Oak wastorpedoed by a German U-boat in 1939 while she lay at anchor, with the loss of 833 lives.
The contract, in its third year, calls for considerable engineering skills as the vessel is completely submerged and all operations are conducted underwater, often in marginal weather. It also requires sensitive handling because the vessel's status as an official war grave means that no diver can enter or disturb the interior.
Briggs resumed work in late July with the dive support vessel MV Cameron , other support vessels, an ROV and a specially trained crew of 14. The work is being project managed on behalf of the MoD by a specialist team from the Salvage and Marine Operation organisation, with the diving work being carried out by a team of 17 from local firm Leask Marine.
The challenging engineering project, which has been the subject of several television news and documentary items, involves removing the fuel oil trapped within the hull by pumping and 'hot tapping' techniques.
Briggs Marine has developed in-house machinery based on hot tapping methodology which involves cutting into the hull of the vessel, which is lying upside down on the seabed, and removing furnace oil from the bunker tanks.
MJ Information No: 18630
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