Recent projects undertaken by Williams Shipping saw the Marine Division supporting both the recovery of a dredger’s lost drag head and an anchor change for a cruise ship during a tightly scheduled port call.

Recovering a Lost Dredger Drag Head
Following the loss of a dredger’s drag head in the Nab Anchorage area, Williams Shipping mobilised the Willdiscover, Willsupply and Wilcarry 504, together with specialist dive equipment, to support the recovery operation.

After locating the drag head at a depth of 32 metres, the barge was moored in position, allowing commercial divers to rig the recovery equipment. Using the Willdiscover’s 70-tonne deck winch and Heila crane, the 20-tonne, 20-metre-long drag head was successfully recovered to the deck.

Following the recovery, Williams Shipping provided berthing and craneage at its Southampton Marine Base, enabling the ship operator to carry out repairs before the dredger returned to normal dredging operations.

Supporting a Cruise Ship Anchor Change
In a separate operation, Williams Shipping was asked to assist with an anchor change for a cruise ship during a limited port call in Southampton.

With only a small window available while the vessel was alongside, the replacement anchor was delivered to the Marine Base at Berth 21 before the Willdiscover and Wilcarry 300 were mobilised to support the change-out. The operation made full use of the Willdiscover’s Heila 170-tonne crane, enabling the anchor change to be carried out within the vessel’s limited time alongside.

Supporting the Marine Industry
Although every project presents different technical challenges, both operations relied on the same approach: careful planning, experienced crews and the ability to mobilise the right vessels and equipment at short notice.

Whether supporting subsea recovery, heavy lifting or planned vessel maintenance, Williams Shipping works closely with customers to provide practical marine solutions that help minimise downtime and keep operations moving safely and efficiently.