Global Diving & Salvage,Inc was the prime contractor / project manager responsible for the modification and cleaning of the SeaLife Center’s intake lines. The first phase of the project was to install a pig launcher system; tasks included dewatering the Center’s wet well,installing an isolation valve between the well’s chambers,and saw cutting new access holes in the pump room floor.
The second phase of the project consisted of the dive crew cutting a 24 inch HDPE pipe and lifting it out of the soft bottom material to allow for an ROV inspection of the intake pipe. The inspection was short lived as the pipe was impassable due to marine growth and sediment. In order to clean the lines,several cleaning pigs were launched to remove the blockage. A new intake screen and support structure was installed along with a remotely operated pig catcher.
Dive crews worked off of a barge with a 150 ton crane and four point mooring system that was strategically anchored over the buried intake support functions. A deep gas dive system was utilized to accommodate dive operations in up to 260′ of seawater. The final quality control inspection was performed by an ROV flying over 200′ up the pipe to inspect for marine growth and debris.
In preparation of a new pipeline being brought to an oil platform in the Long Beach area,we were contracted to replace the existing 1″ pull wire with a new 1 1/4″ pull wire. Our Saab Seaeye Cougar XT ROV with LARS (Launch and Recovery System) was mobilized aboard the DP Ocean Pioneer from which all ROV operations were carried out.
Crews working on the platform mounted winches and rig-in pulleys to assist with the removal of the old wire and installation of the new. As part of this operation a pipe pig was sent down the existing j-tube to ensure that it was clear of growth and properly prepared to receive the new pipeline.
Our California region was contracted to assist with repairs to a 30” low level dam outlet gate. Phase 1 of the project included silt relocation efforts and a ROV inspection to monitor the progress. During phase 2,divers removed and replaced the existing cylinder after repairs to the gate.
Diving depths were in the range of 100 ffw at an elevation of 3000 ft. Due to this elevation and water depth combination surface decompression was utilized.
Global Diving & Salvage has been hired to locate a sunken vessel in Lake Don Pedro. The vessel sank in approximately 400 foot of water in steep underwater terrain. To locate the vessel Global will utilize Side scan sonar and an ROV equipped with scanning sonar. After locating the vessel a video inspection will be conducted to determine the vessel condition.
On January 24,1909,three years before the Titanic tragedy,another “unsinkable” White Star Line vessel sank in 270 fsw of the Atlantic’s most treacherous water. The steam ship,RMS Republic (qualified as a Royal Mail Ship) collided with the SS Florida in a dense fog during the early morning of January 23rd. Over 1,500 passengers and crew were rescued but the vessel sank under tow on January 24,1909 fifty miles off the coast of Nantucket. For more than a century,rumors of the vessel’s precious cargo have persisted.
With the increase in available technology,interest in recovering the rumored treasure of the RMS Republic has grown. Global crews and equipment were mobilized to Groton,CT for an exploratory condition survey of the vessel. The gear was set up onboard the University of Connecticut (UConn) research vessel CONNECTICUT. After 13 hours and 118 miles of sailing,the research vessel established dynamic position above the wreck of the RMS REPUBLIC. Global’s ROV team deployed the Stingray ROV and conducted a video and sector scan survey of portions of the wreck. The results of the ROV survey,combined with other side scan and multibeam sonar surveys conducted,will be used to formulate a plan to access the vessel.
Our work class ROV,the SAAB Seaeye Cougar,will be performing a video and acoustic survey of Admiralty Bay in preparation for a prototype kinetic hydro-power energy project. The survey goals include scouting an acceptable location for the turbine and a cable route to shore.
On September 7,1952,while operating in bad weather,the 369-foot passenger vessel S/S PRINCESS KATHLEEN grounded on Point Lena,a rocky outcropping north of Juneau,AK. Approximately 10 hours later,with all passengers and crew safely ashore,she slipped from the shore and sank. The vessel lay on her port side at a depth ranging from 52 feet at the bow to 134 feet at the stern. Since her sinking periodic releases of fuel oil were observed in the vicinity. The amount of fuels remaining onboard the liner was unknown.
In February,2010 the US Coast Guard contracted Global Diving to assist with an investigation to determine the source of oil sheen observed in the area of the wreck. Using divers and remotely operated vehicles (ROV’s) Global identified the wreck as the source of the pollution. An assessment of the wreck was made to determine her condition and an estimation of the amount of fuel oil remaining aboard.
Working from physical measurements and old ships drawings a 3D computer model of the wreck was created. This allowed engineers to develop a pumping plan to access the tanks through hot tapping in order to remove as much of the oil as possible. Using hot water circulation through the tanks more than 130,000 gallons of fuel oil was recovered from the S/S PRINCESS KATHLEEN. Divers also penetrated into the ship and recovered an additional 218,000 gallons of oil and contaminated water that had migrated from the corroded fuel piping system into other areas of the wreck.
Vessel History:
Built by John Brown & Co.,Glasgow,The Princess Kathleen was launched in 1924. Her maiden voyage was from Glasgow to Vancouver via Panama. From there she entered the Vancouver-Victoria-Seattle coastal service for which she was built.
Taken over as a troop transport in September 1939,she returned to Canadian Pacific in 1947 and resumed service on her old route. Two years later,she was transferred to Canadian Pacific’s Vancouver-Alaska cruise service. On 7 September 1952,north of Juneau,she went aground at low tide. When the tide rose,the bow remained aground while the stern was swamped. She then slid into deep water as the tide rose further and was a total loss. There were,however,no fatalities.
We operated two ROVS,liveboating off a DP vessel in Chukchi Sea,to accomplish the safe recovery of all buoys without any equipment setbacks.
We used of a Phantom ROV,220′ anchor handling supply vessel,and 150′ landing craft to complete the project in 8 days. Mooring system is used to secure the Alyeska Spill Response Barges.
Global Diving & Salvage,Inc. and Mammoet Salvage of Holland performed a highly technical deep-water recovery of a fuel-laden tanker trunk in the sensitive waters of the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve at the northern end of Vancouver Island,British Columbia. The reserve is considered critical habitat for the resident Orca (Killer Whale) populations along Canada’s west coast. The work was performed directly for the Ministry of Environment,British Columbia.
Working at a depth of 1,165ft using Global’s Cougar Work Class ROV,divers,and a specially engineered Deep Water Recovery Casing (DWRC),the team carefully and successfully recovered the sunken tanker truck laden with diesel fuel as well as a container containing assorted oils and hazardous materials from the sea floor. The operation was completed safely and with no additional impact to the environment. How it happened.
