Salvage round-up (February 2022)

A complex wreck removal project has been completed by Scaldis Salvage after a 65m fishing vessel sank following a fire while alongside at Tromsø in Northern Norway. The crew were safely evacuated and the vessel settled on the seabed, its starboard side above the waterline.

Scaldis was contracted to recover the 1,800t vessel and the Antwerp-based salvor’s heavylift vessel Gulliver was mobilised from Flushing to Grøtsund in the Arctic Circle to prepare the rigging. Its lifting chains were installed around the wreck’s hull by raising the vessel’s stern with the main lifting blocks while simultaneously using both auxiliaries to install the chains. The wreck was lifted and moved to deeper water where after bringing it upright through parbuckling was lowered, patches applied until it was watertight and lowered further until the vessel was floating again.

Memories of previous disasters would have been at the forefront of the minds of French maritime authorities when the bulk carrier TBC Progress, laden with 15,000t of grain experienced propulsion problems in storm force 10 conditions, 25nm off Cap de la Hague. Les Abeilles emergency towing vessel Abeille Liberté was tasked under LOF with an assessment and response team along with towing crew placed on board by helicopter. If ever the value of readily available ETVs was to be proved it was here where TBC Progress was taken under tow just three miles from the coast avoiding grounding with certain total loss and substantial pollution. The vessel was re-delivered to owners in Le Havre, Les Abeilles modestly stating: “It’s been a tough one.”

CPT Remolcadores has reported deploying its oil spill emergency response teams after the 14m Algarrobo “had an accident” causing it to sink in Puerto Montt, Chile. The Chilean response company was tasked to contain the spill of hydrocarbons and in an operation over 30 days successfully controlled contamination with what the company said was “efficient and effective reaction times”. Using divers, a total of 2,700 litres of potential pollutants were recovered, CPT adding this type of work would enable it: “to position itself in the market as a reliable alternative in emergencies” adding it is the: “first and only tugboat company certified in oil spill response in Chile.”