Page 48: of Marine News Magazine (June 2014)

SALVAGE & RESPONSE The ß at deck scows were 24 feet long and 10 feet wide and fabricated from lightweight aluminum with a raised edge coaming around the perimeter that provided 300 gal- lons of containment volume in case any residual liquids were contained within the recovered material from the HUI FENG. The scows were designed to be highly ma- neuverable while carrying 10 tons of material while only drafting 2 feet of water. The Curtin Maritime tug SARAH C, derrick and mate- rials barges would be moored in the open water of West la- goon and would serve as the base of operations throughout the project. Both the tug and crane barge are EPA Tier lll environmentally compliant. The derrick is ABS man rated with a complete galley and accommodations for the crew. All diving and specialized salvage equipment was as- sembled and shipped from GlobalÕs headquarters in Seattle to the Curtin Maritime facility in Long Beach, California where the gear was loaded onto the barge. Palmyra is one of the most remote locations on Earth and the impact of a forgotten tool or spare part could spell disaster as air trans- port from Honolulu to the Atoll comes with a $50,000 price tag. Transport by sea meant a minimum of 8 days de- lay for parts to arrive. Reliability and redundancy were cru- cial elements in the planning and execution of the project. The salvage ß otilla sailed from Long Beach, CA for Ho- nolulu, HI on September 17 with a planned voyage of 20 days en route. Upon arrival in Hawaii, the ß otilla under- went Þ nal mobilization of equipment, groceries and fuel. In this case and in an effort to maintain the pristine envi- ronment in the Refuge every vessel bound for Palmyra must undergo a thorough hull cleaning to remove marine growth and mitigate the potential for invasive marine organisms. Vessels are also subject to an extensive, inspection to certify them free of vermin. Rats on the atoll were a big problem in the past; severely impacting the ß ora and fauna on Palmyra. Eradicating the problem required seven years of research and planning along with extensive and costly measures. Salvage in ActionUpon arrival Palmyra on October 29 where they were met by the research staff and the balance of the salvage crew who had been transported to the island by chartered aircraft. The 14 person team composed of divers, riggers, equipment operators and a coral reconstruction expert, along with two USFWS Refuge Managers, immediately commenced work on the recovery project, which, with the exception of shortened workdays on November 28th and Coral Transplants - Global Diving?s coral restoration special- ist carefully relocates live corals from the HUI FENG #1. 48 MNJune 2014MN June14 Layout 32-49.indd 48MN June14 Layout 32-49.indd 485/20/2014 10:25:05 AM5/20/2014 10:25:05 AM