Leveraging the strength of Titan's 300-metric ton linear hydraulic pullers, Titan safely refloated the Monongahela, a decommissioned tanker ship on the James River in Virginia last week.
The salvage team, led by Capt. Guy Wood, executed several test pulls on the tanker before last week's successful refloating to verify the holding power of the anchors being used and to help with the determination of refloating calculations. The three pullers were secured to the Monongahela's flight deck with 1,900 ft of 76 millimeters K4 anchor chain run from each puller to plate anchors previously installed in the James River by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD). The K4 chain is one grade above the Oil Rig Quality (ORQ) chain and is the highest grade of chain available, with regard to breaking strength.
The Monongahela, which is part of the James River Reserve Fleet (JRRF), was affected by a severe storm and unusually high water surges on the James River on Nov. 12 when it broke loose from its moorings and was wind driven aground on soft soil, approximately one-half mile downstream of the JRRF near the western bank of the river.
"The team was able to capitalize on shifting winds and high tides for refloating of the vessel," said Gage Parrot, Titan director, Americas. "These elements, coupled with the strength of the Titan pullers and experience of our salvage crew, allowed us to refloat the Monongahela."
Titan's 300-metric ton linear hydraulic pulling machines, otherwise known as "Titan Pullers" have been used in a variety of manners including dragging vessels off the beach or onto barges, parbuckling vessels, rolling vessels onto barges or onto breakwaters or vertically lifting sunken vessels.
Titan Salvage worked alongside MARAD, the U.S. Coast Guard and other state and local authorities, to ensure the safe recovery operation.
(www.titansalvage.com)