Crane to lift minesweeper from coral reef
14 February 2013
A pipe-lay construction crane vessel will help dismantle a US Navy minesweeper from a coral reef in the Sulu Sea.
The USS Guardian hit the protected Tubbataha Reef off the south-western part of the Philippines in January 2013. Originally, the SMIT Borneo salvage vessel was contracted to lift the ship. Following difficulties with anchoring the crane another vessel, Jascon 25, was requested instead.
The main crane on Jascon 25 is from Huisman-Itrec. It has an 800 tonne lifting capacity at 30 metres, a whip hoist capacity of 120 tonnes at 35 m and an underwater capacity of 50 tonnes at 720 m. A heave compensation system is also fitted.
The vessel also has a TTS pedestal type auxiliary deck crane that has a 34 tonne lifting capacity at 20 m radius and a 22 tonne lifting capacity at 30 m.
Lt Antony Falvo, deputy public affairs officer for the US Navy’s 7th Fleet, stated to The Wall Street Journal that the USS Guardian will be broken into three parts before being lifted to prevent further damage to the coral reef.
Fuel and waste from the navy ship has already been removed to reduce damage to the surrounding reef and sea.
Jascon 25 reached the Tubbataha Reef on 16 February and the lifting and removal of the stranded ship is expected to be completed by late March.
