Donjon Serves as Lead Salvage Contractor in Gulf Recovery

Donjon Marine is serving as the lead salvage contractor for the Katrina/Rita Response as a result of its competitively bid U.S. Navy Salvage and Related Services Contract with the U.S. Navy, Supervisor of Salvage and Diving . Donjon has held this contract, uninterrupted, since 1979, after a competitive bidding process approximately every five years. As such, Donjon supplies equipment and personnel in support of the needs of the Federal Response Team (FEMA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Coast Guard who task and direct SUPSALV), and also has a 10-person management team in place in Alexandria, LA, to manage the salvage response effort. Donjon arrived in the region on September 3 and remains there performing nearly round-the-clock salvage and land clearance work with the United States Navy and other subcontracted marine salvors to Donjon. The company is also employing pollution control and remediation contractors in support of the overall response. Donjon equipment being utilized for the New Orleans operations is the 1,000-ton-capacity derrick barge the Chesapeake, the largest floating crane on the East coast, as well as the 7000 hp Attendant Tug Atlantic Salvor. The Chessy has a 4four-man operating crew and four- to six-person salvage crew. The Salvage Master for this effort is William Kratz, III. Another Donjon Salvage Flotilla currently in-region is the 400-ton capacity D/B Columbia New York and its attendant tug, the 8000-HP AHTS Powhatan and 1200-HP push tug Herbert P. Brake. The Columbia New York has a six- to eight-man operating crew; the Salvage Master is Dale Springer. Between these two salvage crews, Donjon also has a five-man dive crew, as well as approximately 10-12 local contractors assisting in the recovery effort.