Offshore staff
BREDA, Netherlands -- Dockwise has contracted SMIT Salvage to salvage the Mighty Servant 3, which sank Dec. 6, 2006, offshore Angola. The vessel is in 53 m (174 ft) of water.
For several weeks, SMIT Salvage conducted a diving survey to investigate the situation and to remove the vessel's bunker oil and pollutants that were on board. With the bunker oil removed, the salvage operation can get under way.
TheMighty Servant 3 will be recovered by pressurizing the various compartments of the vessel with compressed air. The sheerlegs crane barge Taklift 7 will carry out the salvage operation, which will take 6-7 weeks, the company says.
The cause of the incident will be further investigated once the vessel is lifted. When the vessel is fully recovered, Dockwise intents to award a repair contract to a yard that has not yet been named.
Dockwise expects to have the vessel back in operation by 1Q 2008.
1/31/2007
