US-based salvage company Resolve Marine Group has concluded the project to remove the wreck of bulk cement carrier MV Raysut II, which grounded off Salalah, Oman, last year.
The partially loaded vessel departed Port of Salalah in May of last year when the port was evacuated due to adverse weather conditions. The vessel lost headway and steerage and subsequently grounded on Fazayah Beach on May 26, 2018.
At the time of the grounding, the vessel was laden with approximately 6,750mt of dry powdered cement. After the initial responder’s failed attempt to refloat during the Monsoon season, the carrier was defueled and declared as a constructive total loss.
Image courtesy: Resolve Marine Group
As a result, in November 2018 Resolve Marine Group was awarded the contract for removal and disposal of the vessel and cargo. After being awarded the contract Resolve mobilized their crane barge RMG 1000 and Resolve Monarch from Singapore, two of its specialty owned salvage and wreck removal support vessels.
The assets arrived in Salalah early January, and the vessel was patched up and refloated with cargo on board in early February 2019. This was determined to be the most environmentally sound method to carry out the operation. The other methods proposed by salvors such as cutting in situ would have posed considerable delays, the company said.
The vessel was towed by the Resolve Monarch to the port of Salalah, Oman, where the bulk of the cargo was discharged by Resolve.
For the voyage, seven submersible pumps were set up in the engine room and cargo void spaces with automatic start-up activated by a high-level sensor. The feed was sent to the towing vessel Resolve Monarch by wi-fi so that salvors could monitor the status of vessel remotely. The vessel was successfully delivered on April 11 and subsequently recycled.
Image courtesy: Resolve Marine Group
Resolve Marine Group was also involved in the refloating of bulker Solomon Trader in the Solomon Islands . The operation was completed on May 11, 2019, and the 73,592 dwt ship was anchored in deeper waters, enabling divers to assess hull damage.