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Port Of Brunswick News

06 Apr 2023

Ammonia Bunkering Study Kicks Off in Savannah

© feisty / Adobe Stock

An international group of maritime industry partners are conducting a feasibility study with the aim to establish a commercially viable green ammonia ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering network on the U.S. East Coast.The study, to be carried out at the Port of Savannah in Georgia, will cover the entire end-to-end supply chain of ammonia bunkering, which includes the development of a cost-effective green ammonia supply chain, the design of an ammonia bunkering articulated tug-barge (ATB)…

23 Dec 2021

Over $241 Million in MARAD Grants Awarded for US Ports

© Matt Gush / Adobe Stock

More than $241 million in discretionary grant funding has been awarded for projects to improve U.S. port facilities, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced on Thursday.The grants, which will go to 25 projects in 19 states and one territory through the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), are intended to help strengthen America's supply chains to meet heightened demand and help address inflationary pressures, the DOT said.“U.S. maritime ports play a critical role in our supply chains,” said U.S.

09 Dec 2021

Insurance Insights: Larger Vessels, Larger Exposures

Photo courtesy Boskalis

The blocking of the Suez Canal by one of the largest container ships in service in the world – the Ever Given – in March 2021 caused huge delays to hundreds of vessels waiting to transit the canal, one of the biggest chokepoints on the critical East/West trade shipping route. The blockage was estimated to have affected an estimated $9.6bn of goods each day, or around 12% of total world trade.The latest in a growing list of incidents involving large vessels, the Ever Given has…

27 Oct 2021

Final Section of Golden Ray Shipwreck Removed

The VB-10000 hoists the final section of the Golden Ray wreck out of St. Simons Sound. (Photo: St. Simons Sound Incident Response).

The largest shipwreck removal project in American history is drawing to a close.On Monday, salvage personnel removed the final section of the overturned car carrier Golden Ray, which capsized in the St. Simons Sound near Georgia's Port of Brunswick in September 2019.The ensuing salvage project—considered to be the largest and most complex in U.S. waters—required more than 3 million collective manhours as crews cut the 656-foot ship into eight sections for lifting and barge transport to a local facility for partial dismantling.

14 Sep 2021

Inaccurate Stability Calculations Caused Golden Ray Capsizing -NTSB

The stern view of the Golden Ray six hours after the heeling event. Flame and smoke emanate from cargo decks on the starboard side of the vessel. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard)

Inaccurate stability calculations caused the capsizing of vehicle carrier Golden Ray that resulted in $200 million worth of damages, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday.The Marine Accident Report details the NTSB’s investigation of the September 8, 2019, capsizing of the roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier Golden Ray as it transited outbound through St. Simons Sound near Brunswick, Ga. All 23 crewmembers and one pilot on board were rescued, including four engineering crew who were trapped in the vessel for nearly 40 hours. Two crewmembers sustained serious injuries.

15 Jun 2021

Golden Ray Salvage Paused—Again

(Photo: St. Simons Sound Incident Response)

Salvage crews have once again paused operations to remove the Golden Ray wreck outside Georgia's Port of Brunswick, this time for "routine maintenance" on the equipment being used to cut and separate sections of the hulking overturned car carrier. Considered one of the most complex wreck removals in U.S. history, the project has been plagued by a number of setbacks since salvage operations commenced in 2019. Teams have already encountered delays relating to difficult environmental conditions…

17 May 2021

Fire Put Out at Golden Ray Wreck Site

Multiple vessels cool the Golden Ray wreck using sea water on Saturday following a fire inside the wreck on Friday. (Photo: St. Simons Sound Incident response)

Engineers are assessing the condition of the Golden Ray wreck and salvage equipment after a fire ripped through the overturned and partially dismantled car carrier outside the Port of Brunswick, Ga. on Friday.The fire broke out on Friday afternoon aboard the Korean-owned Golden Ray, which has been aground on its side in the St. Simons Sound outside the nation's second largest car carrier port since it capsized shortly after departing the Port of Brunswick in September 2019.Firefighting…

11 Jan 2021

Great Lakes Announces $60.9 Million in Dredging Contracts

(Photo: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation)

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation on Monday announced the receipt of several major dredging awards in Georgia and Florida totaling $60.9 million which will be included in the year-end 2020 backlog number.The awarded work includes:North County Comprehensive Shore Protection Project (Coastal Protection, Florida, $21.2 million)U.S. Naval Station Mayport and Jacksonville Harbor Maintenance Dredging Project (Maintenance, Florida, $21.2 million)U.S. Naval Station Kings Bay Entrance Channel Maintenance Dredging Project (Maintenance…

04 Jan 2021

Salvors Separate Stern Section from Capsized RoRo Golden Ray

(Photo: St. Simons Sound Incident Response Unified Command)

Salvage crews completed cutting operations to separate the stern section from the Golden Ray wreck in St. Simons Sound, Ga., on Saturday night, and the giant piece of the overturned car carrier will be craned onto a barge and hauled away for recycling.Once lifting preparations conclude, the Barge 455-8 will move into position to receive the separated hull section for transit out of the environmental protection barrier (EPB) surrounding the wreck to nearby Mayor’s Point Terminal for further sea-fastening before transport to Modern American Recycling Services (M.A.R.S.) in Gibson, La.

30 Nov 2020

Video: First Golden Ray Section Lifted and Removed

(Photo: St Simons Sound Incident Response)

Salvors finished cutting and lifting the first section of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray on Sunday, and the section was carried by barge to a local site for further sea fastening before transport to Louisiana for recycling.Delays during the first round of cutting operations, including those caused by a passing tropical storm and equipment issues, are among a string of setbacks to impact one of America's most complex salvage projects. But the response team hopes that lessons learned along the way will help to streamline the work ahead.

30 Nov 2020

Golden Ray Salvage: Cutting Operations Resume

(Photo: St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command)

The crew working to cut and lift sections of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray in Georgia's St. Simons Sound has resumed salvage efforts after suspending operations ahead of a tropical storm that traveled up the southern U.S. East Coast late last week.The team resumed operations to cut the first vessel section using the specialized heavy lift crane vessel VB 10,000 on Monday after the storm had passed and responders redeployed protective boom at the environmental protection barrier (EPB) surrounding the wreck site and at sensitive areas around St.

12 Nov 2020

Golden Ray Salvors Brace for Storm Eta

(Photo: St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command)

The salvage team working to cut and lift sections of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray in Georgia's St. Simons Sound has suspended operations ahead of a tropical storm that made landfall in neighboring Florida on Thursday.The specialized heavy lift crane vessel VB 10,000 has paused work partway through the first cut, which began Friday, and has been secured inside the environmental protection barrier in advance of the approaching storm Eta, downgraded from a hurricane on Wednesday. Sections of floating boom vulnerable to severe weather have been removed, St.

09 Nov 2020

Golden Ray Salvors Begin Cutting Operations

(Photo: St. Simons Sound Incident Response Unified Command)

A specialized heavy lift crane vessel began cutting the first bow section of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray on Friday as salvage crews enter the next phase of operations to remove the overturned vessel from Georgia's St. Simons Sound.The Korean-owned Golden Ray, which capsized after leaving the Port of Brunswick in September 2019, will be dismantled in place and removed in sections. Salvors have installed 16 lifting lugs on the wreck to provide connection points for the U.S.-flagged VB 10…

28 Oct 2020

Video: Heavy-lift Ship Arrives at Golden Ray Wreck Site

(Photo: Michael Himes / St. Simons Sound Incident Response / U.S. Coast Guard)

The heavy-lift vessel VB 10,000 arrived Tuesday at the Golden Ray wreck site in Georgia's St. Simons Sound, where the specialized vessel will be used by salvage crews to cut and lift sections of the overturned car carrier. The Korean-owned Golden Ray, which capsized after leaving the Port of Brunswick in September 2019, will be dismantled in place and removed in sections. Salvors have installed 16 lifting lugs on the wreck to provide connection points for the U.S.-flagged VB 10…

26 Oct 2020

Heavy Lift Vessel Heads to St. Simons Sound for Golden Ray Salvage

The twin-hull heavy lift vessel VB 10,000 at the Port of Fernandina, Fla. in July for modifications and function checks. The two 255-foot tall gantries will use lengths of chain to cut the capsized vessel Golden Ray into eight pieces and lift them onto barges for eventual transportation to Louisiana for recycling. (Photo: John D. Miller / U.S. Coast Guard)

A specialized heavy-lift vessel departed the Port of Fernandina, Fla. Monday en route to Georgia's St. Simons Sound, where it will be used by salvage crews to cut and lift sections of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray.The U.S. flagged VB 10,000 is expected to reach the St. Simons Sound in the early hours on Tuesday and remain on scene for a minimum of eight weeks, plus any extra time required for weather stoppages or other unforeseen circumstances, Michael Himes, public information officer for the St Simons Sound Incident Response told MarineLink.The Korean-owned Golden Ray…

08 Oct 2020

Golden Ray Salvage Facing More Delays

File photo: Golden Ray sits grounded in St. Simons Sound, Ga. in February 2020. The vessel will be cut into eight large sections, removed and recycled. (Photo: Brian McCrum / U.S. Coast Guard)

Operations to remove the overturned car carrier Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound, Ga. are facing further delays after new engineering challenges surfaced relating to the mooring system of a specialized heavy-lift crane vessel that will be used for the project.The complex salvage project had been paused earlier this year due to coronavirus concerns and Hurricane Isaias, and now the cutting and lifting operations will be pushed back several weeks to allow engineers to modify the VB-10…

11 Aug 2020

Golden Ray Salvage Operations Resume

A crane transfers the final lifting lug to be welded to the hull of the Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound, Georgia, June 3, 2020. The 16 lifting lugs will provide connection points for the 255-foot tall Versabar VB 10,0000 crane to fasten to in order to secure sections of the hull as they are cut from the wreck during the Golden Ray’s removal. (Photo: St. Simons Sound Incident Response)

Salvage operations to remove the overturned car carrier Golden Ray from St. Simons Sound in Georgia have resumed after work was paused due to coronavirus concerns and Hurricane Isaias.Due to the potential impact of the Hurricane to the St. Simons Sound area, the Unified Command (UC) response team implemented its Heavy Weather Plan which required the repositioning and securing of all response assets in advance of the storm’s passing.“Our advanced planning for heavy weather paid dividends.

26 Jul 2020

Golden Ray Salvage Paused Due to COVID-19, Hurricane Season

The final lifting lug was placed onto the Golden Ray hull in St. Simons Sound, Georgia, June 3, 2020. The 16 lugs will be used to stabilize the vessel for cutting and removal by the 255-foot tall Versabar VB 10,0000 floating crane. (Photo: St. Simons Sound Incident Response)

Operations to remove the overturned car carrier Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound, Ga. have been suspended due to a coronavirus outbreak among responders and safety risks relating to hurricane season, the wreck removal unified command team announced Friday.To date, 10 responders have tested positive for COVID-19 and more than 50 responders, out of approximately 300 personnel, have been quarantined due to contact tracing, according to the St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command.

06 Jul 2020

Video: Heavy Lift Ship Moors in Florida Ahead of Golden Ray Lift

VB-10,000 uses its dynamic positioning system to maneuver into its mooring at the Port of Fernandina, Fla., July 3 (U.S. Coast Guard photo by John D. Miller)

The twin-hull heavy lift vessel VB-10,000 moored at the Port of Fernandina, Fla., July 3, 2020, for final modifications and function checks prior to heading to St. Simons Sound in early to mid-July. The two 255-foot tall gantries will use lengths of chain to cut the capsized RoRo vessel Golden Ray into eight pieces and lift them onto barges for eventual transportation to Louisiana for recycling.Golden Ray, a Korean-owned roll-on, roll-off vessel that ran aground and overturned near the Port of Brunswick in Georgia in September…

20 Apr 2020

Third and Fourth Lifting Lugs Installed on M/V Golden Ray

(Photo: St. Simons Sound Response)

T&T Salvage on Friday installed the third and fourth lifting lugs on the M/V Golden Ray, a roll-on, roll-off vessel that ran aground and overturned near the Port of Brunswick in Georgia in September.In total, 16 lugs will be installed: two on each of the eight sections of the South Korean car carrier, which rests on its side in St. Simons Sound.The 656-foot, 20,000-deadweight-ton Golden Ray will need to be dismantled in place and removed in pieces because the vessel, in its current position and condition…

07 May 2020

Eighth Lifting Lug Installed on Golden Ray Wreck

(Unified Command photo by USCG Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow)

T&T Salvage installed the eighth lifting lug on the M/V Golden Ray, a roll-on, roll-off vessel that ran aground and overturned near the Port of Brunswick in Georgia in September.In total, 16 lugs will be installed: two on each of the eight sections of the Korean-owned car carrier, which rests on its side in St. Simons Sound.The Golden Ray will need to be dismantled in place and removed in pieces because the vessel, in its current position and condition, would not be able to support…

05 Jun 2020

Final Lifting Lug Installed on Golden Ray Wreck

A crane positions the 16th and final lifting lug onto the Golden Ray hull in St. Simons Sound, Ga. (Photo: St. Simons Sound Incident Response)

T&T Salvage installed the final lifting lug on the M/V Golden Ray, a roll-on, roll-off vessel that ran aground and overturned near the Port of Brunswick in Georgia in September.The 16 lugs welded to the frame of the Korean-owned car carrier will provide connection points for the 255-foot tall Versabar VB 10,0000 twin-gantry crane catamaran to fasten to in order to secure sections of the hull as they are cut from the wreck during the Golden Ray’s removal from St. Simons Sound.Weighing over 38 tons…

03 Mar 2020

Salvors Building Protection Barrier Around Golden Ray Wreck

A Weeks Marine crane prepares to drive a pile using a vibratory hammer on February 26, 2020, near St. Simons Island, Ga., as part of the construction of the environmental protection barrier (EPB) around the motor vessel Golden Ray. (Photo by Tyler Drapeau)

Salvors are continuing work to remove the wreck of a South Korean car carrier vessel that ran aground and overturned near Brunswick, Ga. in September 2019.Last week, unified command contractors started driving the first of 70-80 piles that will be used to hold an environmental protection barrier (EPB) in place around the MV Golden Ray wreck in St. Simons Sound, the unified command response team said in a statement.The pile-driving work is being performed by Weeks Marine during daylight hours only and is expected to last about a month, said the unified command for the St.