TECHNICAL
SALVAGE
Titan
Dredge Refloated on the Erie Canal
On July 9, TITAN Salvage refloated the 300-ton, 10-inch Cutter Head Dredge HD1 that sank in the Palmyra, N.Y. section of the Erie Canal. TITAN was contracted to do the job on July 8 and the work began the same day. Less than 24 hours later, TITAN had the dredge refloated. TITAN's next step is to redeliver
the vessel to the Canal Corporation's dry dock facility in Lyons, N.Y., about 13 nautical miles from the site of the incident. For this refloating project, a team of six TITAN salvage experts were mobilized. The dredge was carrying an estimated 2,000 gallons of marine diesel fuel onboard when it sank June 13. No pollu-
tion was reported during the refloating. TITAN completed the project by eliminating means of water ingress. With the cooperation of the New York State Canal Authority, the canal's typical water level of nine feet, six inches was pumped down to five feet using the Erie Canal's water management system. Once the water
level was reduced enough for hard back patches and a small cofferdam constructed out of sand bags to be effective, the hull was pumped out, re-floated and secured.
www.titansalvage.com
TECHFILE
Marine Flotation Products
Inflatable Lift
Submerged shipping containers and chemical drums and vessels, regardless of size, weight or depth, are safely brought to the water's surface with the SalvageLift from Marine Flotation Products. SalvageLift eliminates the need to position cables or chains. The patent-pending SalvageLift technology is based on the use of compressed air to inflate salt-water resistant, high tensile-strength flotation bags. Taking into consideration safety, the diverfriendly SalvageLifts weigh only 40 lbs per 10-ft unit. A single diver can easily attach a SalvageLift by using its handles, which contain a trigger-mechanism to adhere the suction cups or magnets simultaneously to the item to be salvaged. A sufficient number of SalvageLift units are placed in any configuration against the sides of the item. The bags are attached with either switchable magnets or suction cups and simultaneously inflated, raising the article above the surface. Two 10-ft SalvageLift units can raise a minimum of 3,000 lbs. The system utilizes a low-pressure, high-volume air inflator/deflator or a standard air compressor.
www.marineflotationproducts.com 62 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News