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Wreck Removal. Need experienced Salvors' Advice.
Hey all,
I am working for a salvage company in Malaysia, and were currently on a project to remove a wreck in deep in the Borneo jungles. Doesn't pay much but I am determined to do the job well, Attached are some photos of the wreck.
As you can see, there is absolute zero viz down there. and currents can be really strong.
I have tried inspecting the wrecks using standard scuba gear but I cannot go deeper than 3 meters. Probably with a KMB, more weights, and a shotline I could get to the bottom.
To make matters worse, these ships have been there for so long that the officials have lost all records of the vessel. So we do not know how the ship looks like underwater, and we cannot see it for ourselves either. Also, I do not know the depth, but I will soon.
I am inspecting the wreck again soon and I will be prepared this time.
The reason I wrote this is to find out if anyone else have done salvaging like this, or have any ideas to remove this wreck with a budget of only 30,000 USD.
My best bet is to secure the bow (above water) with either a pontoon or seal it completely.
I plan to use sonar imaging to find out what its like down there, but would it work in zero viz with strong currents?
Once the front is secured, we either plan to refloat the stern or pull it out using a tug boat. It all depends on the state of the vessel underwater.
My team and I also plan to use an airlift to remove whatever silt around the bottom that is causing it to be stuck.
It is relatively close to the riverbank, but previous efforts by other companies to pull it out using a crane barely moved it.
So this is a near impossible task for a small budget company like mine, but again I just gotta do this somehow.
So is there anyone out there with a brilliant idea to get rid of this wreck?
These are my best estimates : Length: 34m, Weight: <150 tons, Depth: 10m
any advice appreciated.
I am working for a salvage company in Malaysia, and were currently on a project to remove a wreck in deep in the Borneo jungles. Doesn't pay much but I am determined to do the job well, Attached are some photos of the wreck.
As you can see, there is absolute zero viz down there. and currents can be really strong.
I have tried inspecting the wrecks using standard scuba gear but I cannot go deeper than 3 meters. Probably with a KMB, more weights, and a shotline I could get to the bottom.
To make matters worse, these ships have been there for so long that the officials have lost all records of the vessel. So we do not know how the ship looks like underwater, and we cannot see it for ourselves either. Also, I do not know the depth, but I will soon.
I am inspecting the wreck again soon and I will be prepared this time.
The reason I wrote this is to find out if anyone else have done salvaging like this, or have any ideas to remove this wreck with a budget of only 30,000 USD.
My best bet is to secure the bow (above water) with either a pontoon or seal it completely.
I plan to use sonar imaging to find out what its like down there, but would it work in zero viz with strong currents?
Once the front is secured, we either plan to refloat the stern or pull it out using a tug boat. It all depends on the state of the vessel underwater.
My team and I also plan to use an airlift to remove whatever silt around the bottom that is causing it to be stuck.
It is relatively close to the riverbank, but previous efforts by other companies to pull it out using a crane barely moved it.
So this is a near impossible task for a small budget company like mine, but again I just gotta do this somehow.
So is there anyone out there with a brilliant idea to get rid of this wreck?
These are my best estimates : Length: 34m, Weight: <150 tons, Depth: 10m
any advice appreciated.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dive Diva on
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On a historical note...
Salvaging a Beached Destroyer with Polyurethane Foam
A bit off the foam-surfboard topic but an interesting foam-related story
In the early 1960s, Polytron developed and patented a method for raising sunken ships with urethane foam, which led us into some interesting projects for the U.S. Navy. Our largest project in 1965 was refloating the U.S.S. Frank Knox (DDR-742), which had run hard aground (at 16 knots) on Pratas Reef in the South China Sea.
The official U.S. Navy story and a brief third-party account of the salvage effort make interesting reading. Unfortunately, the Time and Newsweek articles about the gounding aren't available on the Web.
As mentioned in the official account, use of explosives to free the vessel resulted in blowing much of the foam back out of its hull. Thus, Polyton made multiple air/sea shipments of more than 100,000 pounds of foam components for the project. The Navy's final challenge was chopping and scraping the foam out of the vessel at Subic Bay prior to a trip to Japan for remaining repairs.
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Permalink Reply by Reto on
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"I myself would not want to dive in there because of safety reasons"
Statements like that worry me.
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Permalink Reply by Jon Stephen Tibok on
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They worry me too man, that is why I am asking for advice to minimise diver use.
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Permalink Reply by A.. Parnell on
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Todays remedy hook up the tug, Rig up the barge with the tidal lift method as best you can plug in Fred Johnsons methods along with at least one air lift pipe on each side of the hull get all of that going and with the tugs prop wash,the rivers current and the air lift pipes on both side of the hull working and removing mud all at the same time you have a program going on with min diver exposure and there you go your on your way. Of course if your somehow able to utalize some land based big equipment of some kind for pulling and stability all the better.
Why shoot Jon before long I would expect you to be saying I love being a diver too.. Send us some photos when you get started and finish. Stay safe and Good Luck.
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Permalink Reply by Ed Shippen on
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Jon, You didn't mention what equipment your company has. Do you have a dive boat with compressors and water jet pumps? Work barge with A frame lift? Under water cutting equipment? Is there a tidal surge where you could dive at slack water? Would think hand jetting would be more effective than air lift, but both have their use. Would not use SCUBA on this job. Even if you get boat to move, it may be too heavy to beach if you don't get mud sediment out. Maybe you could cut it in sections and lift it out in pieces.
Ed
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All we have is a dive boat with compressors, and divers with unbelievable guts. We also have broco cutting equipment. The barges and cranes we could rent, and there is a tidal surge. The tidal lift method is already on the list of plan b.
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Permalink Reply by Joseph on
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"Jon Stephen Tibok wrote and posted;
[SNIP}...divers with unbelievable guts.{SNIP]
There are old divers and there are bold divers - but there are no old, bold divers!
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We know better thats why we are still around.
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Permalink Reply by KMarshall on
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Jon,
First off nice pictures they are helpful in understanding your job. I worked offshore in Brunei for 2.5 years living in Kuala Belait. I also did a couple of wheel jobs in the Belait River and went up the Baram River a day past Marudi so I've some idea of the kind of water you're looking at.
Fred C. Johnson has some good ideas and my suggestion is use massive brute force. It looks like there is a lot of logging going on in the area and that means there is, or at least should be, lots of cats. You said that "a" D7 was tried and failed, maybe it wasn't rigged correctly. Try putting big(100T) blocks on the wreck and running the wire rope out through the block and back to a dead man. The block should be on the far side of the wreck so as you pull the wreck wants to roll, this helps break any suction. also rig to the highest point above water. Use D8's if available and use at least two, as you know when you put those blocks on the wreck you are doubling your pulling streight, or at least nearly, so go slow.
I guessing that this is just debris removal to clear a navigational hazard and you aren't trying to save anything of the wreck, so cut off anything that is above water that you aren't going to be pulling on, it will lighten the pull and might make the strain a bit less. I would not do any scuba diving on this wreck, do everything you can above water. If you find that you require a dive get a hose diving spread, with 300' hoses, helmets, manifold box, air radio, 325 quincy, backup HP etc. and a very good diver, standby and supervisor. Also get a signed contract for any work you company is doing or promised. One last thing stay clear of those wire ropes once they take a strain. Good Luck!
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News Flash : If any of you guys are up for this job. My company has agreed to pay 10,000 USD to manage this wreck. If you are up for it please e-mail me at mosundu@gmail.com . If you are willing to work with us and if we successfully complete this job, its yours. No cure, No Pay.
E-mail for more details.
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Permalink Reply by Koba Tsaava on
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Hi There mate. I see that thing has caused you a big trouble. Do the company pay transportation to and back?
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yup, work permits and everything. You don't have to dive, just be in charge.
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