Projects
SMIT’s experts are active all over the world, using innovative technology and state-of-the-art equipment to make sure all salvage projects are carried out safely and sustainably. No challenge is too large or too complex. We have a vast fleet of dedicated vessels and specialist equipment available and experienced salvage experts in every discipline.
Project highlights
Projects
China shipping container lines' Indian Ocean grounded
On February 3, 2016, CSCL’s Indian Ocean grounded in the River Elbe, Germany.Falling tides in the River Elbe, meant that the grounded vessel required salvage assistance to free her from the river bank. To enable the container vessel to pivot, prior to towing her back into the river, a significant volume of sand had to be removed. Dredging capacity was provided by Boskalis by way of two hopper dredgers, one backhoe dredger and a water injection dredger. For the refloat, significant pulling force was required. To this end, two large 200 TBP Anchor Handling Tugs from Boskalis Offshore were mobilized from Rotterdam, in addition to ten local harbor tugs. The Salvage Master had in excess of 1,000 TBP at his disposal to refloat the vessel. As a result, the vessel was safely refloated in line with the salvage plan and within the set time frame, with a minimum shut-off time for the river waterway.
Wintershall RAVN and A6-A
Wintershall Noordzee B.V. installed a new remote platform RAVN as a crude production tie-back to A6-A. RAVN is a remote and unmanned crude well unit. Utilising a dry-tree design, all control, power and metered injection for the well will be via the 18.2-km control umbilical between the new satellite platform RAVN in the Danish sector and the operational platform A6-A in the German sector. The umbilical forms the entire link between the remote platform, supplying and controlling all functions and ensuring continual feedback and monitoring of RAVN. The umbilical supplies all the necessary input data, control and feedback to eliminate the usual day-to-day requirements of direct human contact. The umbilical was installed from RAVN first end to second end pull-in at A6-A end. Platforms are located in the Danish territorial waters in the North Sea (RAVN) and German territorial waters in the North Sea (A6-A). The umbilical was connected/pulled into RAVN via a J-tube and internal conductor to the RAVN topside -TUTA. RAVN - first end with pull-in to topside deck via a J-tube - was laid in corridor separate from the 8-inch pipeline between RAVN and A6-A and second end pull-in using the quadrant method at the A6-A platform. SCOPE OF WORK Prepare project planning for Boskalis’ scope of work. Survey work, including post-burial survey. Perform route engineering and installation engineering to optimize the performance of the installation scope, including Orcaflex analysis for laying, pull-ins, loads and dynamics, as well as a detailed burial assessment study (BAS). Prepare platform on RAVN and A6-A. Define umbilical length together with the client. Umbilical load-out at Hartlepool (UK) onto the installation vessel Ndurance. Installation and hang-off of umbilical termination heads – topsides. Crossing 36- & 40-inch live gas pipelines. Pull-in at RAVN & A6-A platforms – direct from vessel as part of SIM-OPS. Umbilical lay and bury scope – minimize on seabed exposure. Mobilize and demobilize all installation spreads for Boskalis’ scope. Provide engineering support during the offshore umbilical installation, including simultaneous burial. Provide QHSE management for Boskalis’ scope. Process and deliver as-built data. Mobilize and demobilize all installation spreads for Boskalis’ scope.
Cabrera wreck removal
On Christmas Eve 2016, the cargo vessel Cabrera grounded on the rocks off the Greek island of Andros. The vessel broke into pieces, sinking to a depth of 34 meters.SMIT Salvage - and its Greek partner Megatugs of Piraeus - immediately removed the oil from the vessel and recovered part of the cargo. Subsequently, SMIT and Megatugs were contracted for lifting up the stern. This included lifting the accommodation, as well as the remaining cargo, from the seabed. The floating sheerleg Taklift 4 - with a lifting capacity of 2,200 Mt - was mobilized for the lifting work. Once detailed engineering plans had been set out, salvage divers placed the lifting chains to enable the Taklift 4 to lift the aft section from the seabed and safely load it onto a barge.
Wintershall L8-P4
Wintershall Noordzee B.V. installed a new remote platform at L6-B as a gas production tie-back to L8-P4. L6-B is a remote and unmanned gas well unit. Utilising a dry-tree design, all control, power and metered injection for the two wells will be via the 19.5-km control umbilical between the new satellite platform L6-B and the operational gas platform L8-P4. The umbilical forms the entire link between the remote platforms, supplying and controlling all functions and ensuring continual feedback and monitoring of L6-B. The umbilical supplies all the necessary input data, control and feedback to eliminate the usual day-to-day requirement of direct human contact. The umbilical was installed from L8-P4 first end to second end pull-in at L6-B remote end. Both platforms are located in Dutch territorial waters in the North Sea. The umbilical was connected/pulled in to L6-B via a J-tube and internal conductor to the L6-B topside - TUTA. The umbilical will be installed from L8-P4 - first end with pull-in to topside deck via a J-tube, laid in corridor separate from the 8-inch pipeline between L8-P4 and L6-B. FACTS AND FIGURES Water depth 30-35 meters Challenging North sea conditions. Challenging soft seabed. Fast-track project, with a short lead-time between award and installation – Feb 2014, July/Aug installed. Stepped phase process of pull-in, laying and burial ops. Completed on time, with no incidents. Umbilical loaded quickly and safely. Umbilical length 19.5 km. Burial scope of single pass burial of umbilical minimum requirement of 1m TOC (top of cover). SCOPE OF WORK Prepare project planning for Boskalis’ scope of work. Survey work, including a pre-burial, as-laid and post-burial survey. Perform route engineering and installation engineering to optimize the performance of the installation scope, including a detailed burial assessment study (BAS). Prepare platform on L8-P4 and L6-B. Define umbilical length together with the client. Umbilical load-out at DUCO Newcastle (UK) onto the installation vessel Ndurance. Hang-off of umbilical end. Crossing 36-inch live gas pipeline Callantsoog. Pull-in at L6-B & L8-P4 platforms – direct from vessel as part of SIM-OPS. Mobilize and demobilize all installation spreads for Boskalis’ scope. Provide engineering support during the offshore umbilical installation, including burial. Provide QHSE management for Boskalis’ scope.
Oil and wreck removal JBB Derong 19
In September 2017, dredger JBB DE RONG 19 collided with a tanker in the Singapore straits.After the collision, the dredger capsized and was partially submerged. SMIT Salvage was contracted for the initial response to recover any pollutant material as well as for the complete wreck and debris removal. After detailed engineering a plan was drafted, the dredger was cut into five pieces and lifted by sheerleg SMIT Cyclone on to barges. The sections were delivered to a scrap yard in Singapore for further safe dismantling.
Salvage of the Maersk Honam
On 6 March 2018, a major fire broke out in one of the forward cargo holds of Maersk Honam, a 2017-built Ultra Large Container Vessel with a capacity of 15,262 TEU.At the time that the fire broke out, the vessel was in the Arabian Sea at approximately 900 nautical miles southeast of Salalah, Oman and on its way from Singapore to Suez with a cargo of 8,000 containers. SMIT and its partners responded immediately and mobilized tugs and specialized fire fighters from their respective response centers in Rotterdam and Singapore. The team from Singapore was mobilized from Mumbai, India, whereas the team from the Netherlands boarded a tug in the Middle East. Once the fire was under control, a towage connection was established at the stern of the vessel (as the forward part of the vessel was damaged by the fire and still smoldering). Given the size of the vessel and her increased draft, options for a suitable port were limited. In collaboration with the ship owners, the vessel was towed to the port of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates. It appeared that 65% of the containers on board had not been damaged by the fire. Once offloaded, these containers were discharged and transported to their final destinations.
