Donjon Marine Provides Salvage Services to Dredge New York

Sea Technology, Mar 2008

In late January, Donjon Marine Co. Inc. (Hillside, New Jersey) was contracted by owners of the 200-foot-long excavator style dredge New York to supply heavy lift, diving and related salvage services after the dredge was struck by the 669-foot vessel Orange Sun while working in Newark Bay, New Jersey.

The New York sustained considerable damage, including a loss of buoyancy at the excavator end, a fracture of the hull at the point of impact and the bending of two of the three and six-foot square, 100-ton spuds, effectively pinning the New York in place.

Over a seven-day period, Donjon mobilized six heavy salvage vessels, including its 1,000-ton capacity derrick barge Chesapeake 1000; pumps; and related support materials, as well as a salvage and dive team.

Upon Donjon's arrival onsite and after Donjon divers placed a lift sling around the hull of the New York, the Chesapeake 1000 provided a significant lift force to the vessel in an effort to provide stability during a subsequent dewatering effort.

Once the vessel was refloated, Donjon's dive and salvage teams cut away the damaged sections of the 100-ton spuds underwater so that the vessel could be freed from the bottom and delivered to a local shipyard for survey and repair.

Once the spuds were cut away, Donjon's 400-ton-capacity derrick barge Columbia New York recovered the spud tips and made delivery of them to the repair facility, the company said.

Donjon also removed the third, undamaged spud from its well on board the New York to increase vessel stability for the transit portion of the operation.

After seven 24-hour workdays, the dredge New York departed the site and was delivered to a shipyard without further incident.