SMIT Salvage was contracted to assist in locating the missing 18 seamen of the sunken tanker ‘
Bow Mariner’ in the U.S. SMIT will deploy an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) and specialized divers to locate the missing crewmembers of this accident. SMIT’s second task is to remove the bunker oil from the tanker that lies in the Atlantic Ocean at a depth of approximately 264 feet, 50 nautical miles off the coast of Virginia.
Until now heavy weather has prevented the ROV from being launched to begin the search for the missing seamen of the vessel and from making video footage to determine whether there remain recoverable quantities of ethanol and fuel oil in the vessel. SMIT will go to the wreck site as soon as possible and will use all its expertise to locate and try to recover the missing seamen.
PolRec
SMIT Salvage will deploy its pollution recovery system ‘PolRec’ to remove the vessel’s bunker oil. The PolRec system has been designed to remove oil and chemicals from vessels lying on the seabed in very deep water without the assistance of divers. It was developed by SMIT in co-operation with Norwegian pump specialist Frank Mohn. The system has been awarded the internationally acclaimed ‘Seatrade Award’ in the Countering Marine Pollution category. PolRec uses a combination of the ROLS system (Remote Offloading System) and ROV’s (Remotely Operated Vehicles). PolRec has proven its value in the successful recovery of oil from tankers in Korea and chemicals from the sunken tanker ‘Ievoli Sun’ in the English Channel.
At the moment the SMIT Salvage team is completing an on-site survey. Equipment is being mobilised and work on the pumping operation will start as soon as possible.