Ammonia Bunkering Study Kicks Off in Savannah
An international group of maritime industry partners are conducting a feasibility study with the aim to establish a commercially viable green ammonia ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering network on the U.S. East Coast.The study, to be carried out at the Port of Savannah in Georgia, will cover the entire end-to-end supply chain of ammonia bunkering, which includes the development of a cost-effective green ammonia supply chain, the design of an ammonia bunkering articulated tug-barge (ATB)…
Over $241 Million in MARAD Grants Awarded for US Ports
More than $241 million in discretionary grant funding has been awarded for projects to improve U.S. port facilities, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced on Thursday.The grants, which will go to 25 projects in 19 states and one territory through the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), are intended to help strengthen America's supply chains to meet heightened demand and help address inflationary pressures, the DOT said.“U.S. maritime ports play a critical role in our supply chains,” said U.S.
Insurance Insights: Larger Vessels, Larger Exposures
The blocking of the Suez Canal by one of the largest container ships in service in the world – the Ever Given – in March 2021 caused huge delays to hundreds of vessels waiting to transit the canal, one of the biggest chokepoints on the critical East/West trade shipping route. The blockage was estimated to have affected an estimated $9.6bn of goods each day, or around 12% of total world trade.The latest in a growing list of incidents involving large vessels, the Ever Given has…
Final Section of Golden Ray Shipwreck Removed
The largest shipwreck removal project in American history is drawing to a close.On Monday, salvage personnel removed the final section of the overturned car carrier Golden Ray, which capsized in the St. Simons Sound near Georgia's Port of Brunswick in September 2019.The ensuing salvage project—considered to be the largest and most complex in U.S. waters—required more than 3 million collective manhours as crews cut the 656-foot ship into eight sections for lifting and barge transport to a local facility for partial dismantling.
Inaccurate Stability Calculations Caused Golden Ray Capsizing -NTSB
Inaccurate stability calculations caused the capsizing of vehicle carrier Golden Ray that resulted in $200 million worth of damages, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday.The Marine Accident Report details the NTSB’s investigation of the September 8, 2019, capsizing of the roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier Golden Ray as it transited outbound through St. Simons Sound near Brunswick, Ga. All 23 crewmembers and one pilot on board were rescued, including four engineering crew who were trapped in the vessel for nearly 40 hours. Two crewmembers sustained serious injuries.
Golden Ray Salvage Paused—Again
Salvage crews have once again paused operations to remove the Golden Ray wreck outside Georgia's Port of Brunswick, this time for "routine maintenance" on the equipment being used to cut and separate sections of the hulking overturned car carrier. Considered one of the most complex wreck removals in U.S. history, the project has been plagued by a number of setbacks since salvage operations commenced in 2019. Teams have already encountered delays relating to difficult environmental conditions…
Fire Put Out at Golden Ray Wreck Site
Engineers are assessing the condition of the Golden Ray wreck and salvage equipment after a fire ripped through the overturned and partially dismantled car carrier outside the Port of Brunswick, Ga. on Friday.The fire broke out on Friday afternoon aboard the Korean-owned Golden Ray, which has been aground on its side in the St. Simons Sound outside the nation's second largest car carrier port since it capsized shortly after departing the Port of Brunswick in September 2019.Firefighting…
Great Lakes Announces $60.9 Million in Dredging Contracts
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation on Monday announced the receipt of several major dredging awards in Georgia and Florida totaling $60.9 million which will be included in the year-end 2020 backlog number.The awarded work includes:North County Comprehensive Shore Protection Project (Coastal Protection, Florida, $21.2 million)U.S. Naval Station Mayport and Jacksonville Harbor Maintenance Dredging Project (Maintenance, Florida, $21.2 million)U.S. Naval Station Kings Bay Entrance Channel Maintenance Dredging Project (Maintenance…
Salvors Separate Stern Section from Capsized RoRo Golden Ray
Salvage crews completed cutting operations to separate the stern section from the Golden Ray wreck in St. Simons Sound, Ga., on Saturday night, and the giant piece of the overturned car carrier will be craned onto a barge and hauled away for recycling.Once lifting preparations conclude, the Barge 455-8 will move into position to receive the separated hull section for transit out of the environmental protection barrier (EPB) surrounding the wreck to nearby Mayor’s Point Terminal for further sea-fastening before transport to Modern American Recycling Services (M.A.R.S.) in Gibson, La.
Video: First Golden Ray Section Lifted and Removed
Salvors finished cutting and lifting the first section of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray on Sunday, and the section was carried by barge to a local site for further sea fastening before transport to Louisiana for recycling.Delays during the first round of cutting operations, including those caused by a passing tropical storm and equipment issues, are among a string of setbacks to impact one of America's most complex salvage projects. But the response team hopes that lessons learned along the way will help to streamline the work ahead.
Golden Ray Salvage: Cutting Operations Resume
The crew working to cut and lift sections of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray in Georgia's St. Simons Sound has resumed salvage efforts after suspending operations ahead of a tropical storm that traveled up the southern U.S. East Coast late last week.The team resumed operations to cut the first vessel section using the specialized heavy lift crane vessel VB 10,000 on Monday after the storm had passed and responders redeployed protective boom at the environmental protection barrier (EPB) surrounding the wreck site and at sensitive areas around St.
Golden Ray Salvors Brace for Storm Eta
The salvage team working to cut and lift sections of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray in Georgia's St. Simons Sound has suspended operations ahead of a tropical storm that made landfall in neighboring Florida on Thursday.The specialized heavy lift crane vessel VB 10,000 has paused work partway through the first cut, which began Friday, and has been secured inside the environmental protection barrier in advance of the approaching storm Eta, downgraded from a hurricane on Wednesday. Sections of floating boom vulnerable to severe weather have been removed, St.
Golden Ray Salvors Begin Cutting Operations
A specialized heavy lift crane vessel began cutting the first bow section of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray on Friday as salvage crews enter the next phase of operations to remove the overturned vessel from Georgia's St. Simons Sound.The Korean-owned Golden Ray, which capsized after leaving the Port of Brunswick in September 2019, will be dismantled in place and removed in sections. Salvors have installed 16 lifting lugs on the wreck to provide connection points for the U.S.-flagged VB 10…
Video: Heavy-lift Ship Arrives at Golden Ray Wreck Site
The heavy-lift vessel VB 10,000 arrived Tuesday at the Golden Ray wreck site in Georgia's St. Simons Sound, where the specialized vessel will be used by salvage crews to cut and lift sections of the overturned car carrier. The Korean-owned Golden Ray, which capsized after leaving the Port of Brunswick in September 2019, will be dismantled in place and removed in sections. Salvors have installed 16 lifting lugs on the wreck to provide connection points for the U.S.-flagged VB 10…
Heavy Lift Vessel Heads to St. Simons Sound for Golden Ray Salvage
A specialized heavy-lift vessel departed the Port of Fernandina, Fla. Monday en route to Georgia's St. Simons Sound, where it will be used by salvage crews to cut and lift sections of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray.The U.S. flagged VB 10,000 is expected to reach the St. Simons Sound in the early hours on Tuesday and remain on scene for a minimum of eight weeks, plus any extra time required for weather stoppages or other unforeseen circumstances, Michael Himes, public information officer for the St Simons Sound Incident Response told MarineLink.The Korean-owned Golden Ray…
Golden Ray Salvage Facing More Delays
Operations to remove the overturned car carrier Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound, Ga. are facing further delays after new engineering challenges surfaced relating to the mooring system of a specialized heavy-lift crane vessel that will be used for the project.The complex salvage project had been paused earlier this year due to coronavirus concerns and Hurricane Isaias, and now the cutting and lifting operations will be pushed back several weeks to allow engineers to modify the VB-10…
Golden Ray Salvage Operations Resume
Salvage operations to remove the overturned car carrier Golden Ray from St. Simons Sound in Georgia have resumed after work was paused due to coronavirus concerns and Hurricane Isaias.Due to the potential impact of the Hurricane to the St. Simons Sound area, the Unified Command (UC) response team implemented its Heavy Weather Plan which required the repositioning and securing of all response assets in advance of the storm’s passing.“Our advanced planning for heavy weather paid dividends.
Golden Ray Salvage Paused Due to COVID-19, Hurricane Season
Operations to remove the overturned car carrier Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound, Ga. have been suspended due to a coronavirus outbreak among responders and safety risks relating to hurricane season, the wreck removal unified command team announced Friday.To date, 10 responders have tested positive for COVID-19 and more than 50 responders, out of approximately 300 personnel, have been quarantined due to contact tracing, according to the St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command.
Video: Heavy Lift Ship Moors in Florida Ahead of Golden Ray Lift
The twin-hull heavy lift vessel VB-10,000 moored at the Port of Fernandina, Fla., July 3, 2020, for final modifications and function checks prior to heading to St. Simons Sound in early to mid-July. The two 255-foot tall gantries will use lengths of chain to cut the capsized RoRo vessel Golden Ray into eight pieces and lift them onto barges for eventual transportation to Louisiana for recycling.Golden Ray, a Korean-owned roll-on, roll-off vessel that ran aground and overturned near the Port of Brunswick in Georgia in September…
Third and Fourth Lifting Lugs Installed on M/V Golden Ray
T&T Salvage on Friday installed the third and fourth lifting lugs on the M/V Golden Ray, a roll-on, roll-off vessel that ran aground and overturned near the Port of Brunswick in Georgia in September.In total, 16 lugs will be installed: two on each of the eight sections of the South Korean car carrier, which rests on its side in St. Simons Sound.The 656-foot, 20,000-deadweight-ton Golden Ray will need to be dismantled in place and removed in pieces because the vessel, in its current position and condition…
Eighth Lifting Lug Installed on Golden Ray Wreck
T&T Salvage installed the eighth lifting lug on the M/V Golden Ray, a roll-on, roll-off vessel that ran aground and overturned near the Port of Brunswick in Georgia in September.In total, 16 lugs will be installed: two on each of the eight sections of the Korean-owned car carrier, which rests on its side in St. Simons Sound.The Golden Ray will need to be dismantled in place and removed in pieces because the vessel, in its current position and condition, would not be able to support…
Final Lifting Lug Installed on Golden Ray Wreck
T&T Salvage installed the final lifting lug on the M/V Golden Ray, a roll-on, roll-off vessel that ran aground and overturned near the Port of Brunswick in Georgia in September.The 16 lugs welded to the frame of the Korean-owned car carrier will provide connection points for the 255-foot tall Versabar VB 10,0000 twin-gantry crane catamaran to fasten to in order to secure sections of the hull as they are cut from the wreck during the Golden Ray’s removal from St. Simons Sound.Weighing over 38 tons…
Salvors Building Protection Barrier Around Golden Ray Wreck
Salvors are continuing work to remove the wreck of a South Korean car carrier vessel that ran aground and overturned near Brunswick, Ga. in September 2019.Last week, unified command contractors started driving the first of 70-80 piles that will be used to hold an environmental protection barrier (EPB) in place around the MV Golden Ray wreck in St. Simons Sound, the unified command response team said in a statement.The pile-driving work is being performed by Weeks Marine during daylight hours only and is expected to last about a month, said the unified command for the St.