Norwegian Salvage of the U-864

At a press conference the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, Helga Pedersen, announced that the Norwegian government will propose to parliament that the U-864, a German submarine which sank in World War II, should be salvaged rather than left on the seabed and encased to ensure the safety of people and environment. The Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) selected Mammoet Salvage for the potential salvage of the submarine which contains toxic mercury and explosives.

The proposal will be discussed in the Norwegian parliament in the near future. The salvage operation of the submarine will be undertaken in the summer of 2010. In the period leading up to that Mammoet will prepare dedicated equipment for the operation.

Mammoet Salvage completed the remote control salvage of the Runner 4 in the Baltic Sea last year. With the remote operated techniques with a surface controlled gripper and ROV support, Mammoet will raise the submarine and take away the source of pollution forever without the need for anyone working under water. The new Transport Safeguard will prevent mercury leakage during the lifting and transport of the wreck.

On November 28th last, the NCA and Mammoet Salvage B.V. signed the contract concerning the possible salvage of the German U-864 submarine.

On 9 February 1945, the German submarine U-864 was torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Venturer. The U-864 sank about two nautical miles west of the island Fedje, just north of Bergen, with the loss of all 73 on board. The submarine's cargo included approximately 67 tons of metallic mercury which is highly toxic. As the U-864 was on a mission it was also carrying a full load of weapons. The vessel's wreckage is considered to be a potential long-term threat to human health and the environment.

Mammoet Salvage B.V. and affiliated company Mammoet Norge AS are part of the Mammoet Holding B.V. (heavy transport and lifting specialists) which was awarded the contract of the salvage of the Kursk Russian nuclear submarine in 2001. Since then Mammoet Salvage has carried out a range of salvage projects throughout the world.

3. Project to Replace Old Alaskan Ferries
According to a Jan. 29 report from the Seward Phoenix LOG, the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) released its new Alaska Class ferry acquisition project summary and status report on Jan. 30, along with a website allowing for public involvement. The project calls for the design and construction of the next generation of ferries to begin replacing aging ships currently in the AMHS fleet.

(Source: Seward Phoenix LOG)