Georgia's Sunken Ship: A Leaking Risk?

The shipwreck in Brunswick, Georgia, involved the MV Golden Ray, a South Korean automobile carrier that capsized on September 8, 2019, shortly after leaving the Port of Brunswick. The incident resulted in a slow and challenging demolition process, with efforts to remove the shipwreck in giant chunks and address environmental concerns, particularly oil leaks. The final section of the wreck was removed in October 2021, marking the completion of the largest wreck removal operation in United States history.

The shipwreck in Brunswick, GA, leaked oil in June 2021

In June 2021, crews on the water and nearby beaches were busy cleaning up an oil leak from the remains of a shipwrecked cargo vessel, the MV Golden Ray, off the coast of Georgia. The South Korean automobile carrier had capsized in September 2019, shortly after leaving the Port of Brunswick.

The multi-agency team overseeing the demolition and cleanup was alerted to the oil leak on Monday, with Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Himes, a spokesperson for the team, confirming that they were "looking for these kinds of impacts every day". Although oil leaks were not a common occurrence, Himes assured that the team was well-equipped to handle such situations.

The Golden Ray was being dismantled and removed in eight giant chunks, a process that began in November 2020. By June 2021, roughly half the ship remained partially submerged off St. Simons Island. Most of the fuel on board had been siphoned off long before the demolition commenced, but engineers suspected that the oil leak came from residue inside severed pipes in the submerged section of the wreck.

Some of the leaking oil escaped the environmental protection barrier surrounding the shipwreck, but workers in 15 boats were able to clean up the oil and sheen from the water using absorbent booms. On the shoreline, responders used shovels to remove oil globules and contaminated sand.

Fletcher Sams, of the Altamaha Riverkeeper conservation group, expressed concern about the leak, stating that it highlighted the limited effectiveness of the floating barrier in containing oil spills, especially amid the strong tidal currents in the sound. He noted that while the barrier could slow the spread of oil, it was "definitely not foolproof".

The Golden Ray shipwreck was caused by an officer's error

On September 8, 2019, the Golden Ray, a cargo ship carrying around 4,000 automobiles, capsized near the Port of Brunswick in Georgia, United States. The ship ran aground and listed heavily, eventually settling at a 90-degree angle. All 24 people on board, including 23 crew members and one pilot, were rescued, although four crew members were trapped and had to be rescued the following day.

The direct cause of the shipwreck was found to be the chief officer's error in entering ballast quantities into the ship's stability calculation program. This mistake resulted in the ship having less stability than the officer calculated. The operator of the ship also had no procedures in place to verify the officer's calculations, so the instability went unnoticed.

Additionally, two watertight doors had been left open, which caused the vessel to flood after it capsized, further contributing to the incident.

The Golden Ray was eventually declared a total loss and was removed and scrapped. The salvage operation was challenging and resulted in a significant amount of oil leaking from the ship, causing environmental concerns and requiring cleanup efforts.

The shipwreck was cut into eight giant pieces for removal

The shipwreck of the Golden Ray in Brunswick, Georgia, was cut into eight giant pieces for removal. The Golden Ray was a 656-foot-long cargo ship that capsized in September 2019, carrying 4,200 to 4,300 cars in its cargo decks.

The decision to cut the ship into pieces was made due to the complexity and challenges of recovering a sunken vessel. Ships become heavier and more brittle when they sink, making them difficult to salvage intact. By cutting the ship into sections, the removal process becomes more manageable, and the pieces can be transported to a scrap metal company for disposal.

The process of cutting the Golden Ray involved using a towering crane to drag a long anchor chain through its hull, acting as a blunt-edged saw. This method, known as the cutting wire method, is a common technique used in ship salvaging. The chain is made of abrasive materials, such as ceramic and synthetic diamond, and is passed under the shipwreck. The chain is then stretched between two platforms and moved back and forth with a significant amount of force to slice through the ship.

The cutting process for the Golden Ray began in November 2020 and was completed in September 2021. Each cut took approximately 24 hours to complete. After the ship was cut into eight giant pieces, the sections were lifted and placed on barges for transport to a salvage yard in Louisiana.

The entire salvage operation, including the removal of debris and cleanup, took several months and involved the efforts of multiple agencies and organisations. Despite the challenges, the removal of the Golden Ray shipwreck was successfully completed, marking a significant achievement in wreck removal operations.

The shipwreck's removal was the largest of its kind in US history

The removal of the shipwreck in Brunswick, Georgia, was indeed the largest of its kind in US history. The shipwreck in question was that of the MV Golden Ray, a 200-metre-long cargo ship that capsized in September 2019 in St. Simons Sound, near the Port of Brunswick, shortly after its departure. The ship was carrying approximately 4,200-4,300 cars at the time of the accident, and while all the crew members were rescued safely, the ship was declared a total loss.

The removal of the shipwreck was a complex and challenging operation that took two years to complete. It required more than 3 million collective man-hours and the expertise of professionals from around the world. The salvage operation involved disassembling the wreckage and removing it in giant chunks. A towering crane was used to straddle the wreck, dragging a length of anchor chain through its hull to cut it into eight sections. The final giant chunk of the shipwreck was removed in October 2021, marking the end of the wreck removal phase.

The salvage operation was not without its challenges and setbacks. There were issues with the cutting chain, fires that broke out on the wreck, and leaks that resulted in oil spills and pollution. Despite these difficulties, the removal of the Golden Ray shipwreck set a record in the US for the largest wreck removal operation.

The multi-agency response to the incident included cleanup efforts to address the environmental impact of the oil spills and other pollutants released from the wreck. The Coast Guard and other agencies worked together to remove debris and contain the spread of contaminants. The total losses from the shipwreck and its aftermath were estimated to be over $200 million.

The shipwreck's removal was expected to take several months

The removal of the shipwreck was a complex and messy operation. The salvage team had to cut the ship into eight giant pieces for removal. This was done using a towering crane that straddled the wreck, using a long anchor chain powered by winches and pulleys to slowly saw through the hull.

Even after the last giant chunk was removed, the salvage job was not over. Big pieces of the ship's side and other debris still needed to be removed, and this process took several more weeks. Additionally, crews had to recover cars and other debris that had fallen into the water during the cutting process. The giant mesh barrier installed around the site to contain debris also had to be taken down.

The entire salvage operation, from the initial capsizing of the ship on 8 September 2019 to the completion of the wreck removal on 25 October 2021, took over two years to complete.

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