BISSO MARINE SALVAGES SURVEY VESSEL

BISSO MARINE recently completed the salvage of a 480 ton survey vessel which purportedly sank after striking a platform which was toppled following Hurricane Rita.

The vessel sank in 148’ of water in the South Marsh Island area and was lying across an 18” gas pipeline. The BISSO MARINE salvage team utilized a DP2 DSV to conduct the survey and rigging operations of the vessel during the winter and returned to the location at the first available opportunity with the D/B BOAZ and the 600 ton capacity D/B LILI BISSO in early May to lift the vessel off of the pipeline and to the surface.

The vessel was lifted upside down, rather than upright, to mitigate the risk of pipeline damage during a righting attempt. Once off of the pipeline the vessel was moved away from the pipeline and lifted in the water column to the maximum capability of the D/B LILI BISSO. The vessel was transferred to two bolstered brackets on the D/B LILI BISSO where it hung until the lifting rigging could be shortened. Once the rigging was changed the vessel was removed from the bolstered brackets and lifted out of the water and placed on to a materials barge for delivery.