Provide ROV and crew including sonar and CP probe to inspect approximately 25 items (targets) in 450 FSW off of the Hawaiian Islands. The inspection will provide updated positioning and depth of the items and provide a record of their current condition.
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.
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.
