Why is the TRICOLOR being
cut into nine sections?
The TRICOLOR is simply too large and
too heavy to be lifted or returned to an upright position
in one piece. Moreover, the ship is severely damaged to such
an extent that her structure would be too weak to allow such
a salvage method.
» top
What will happen
to the 2,871 cars within the TRICOLOR?
Each and every car will be removed
from the wreck and completely destroyed in an environmentally
friendly manner.
» top
Is lifting
a section of the TRICOLOR a difficult operation to perform?
Yes. There are a number of complications that make this part
of the salvage particularly challenging for the salvage team.
For instance, it takes two very powerful floating cranes to
lift just one severed section of the TRICOLOR from the seabed.
Tandem lifts like these are always difficult because they
require two big floating cranes to work in close proximity
to one another. The sections themselves are very large and
weigh approximately 3,000 tonnes each. Moreover, the structure
of the sections is weak due to the collisions the ship had
to endure and her stay on the ocean floor in a capsized condition
for half a year.
» top
What chances are there
that any pollution will occur during the salvage operation?
The majority of the oil in the TRICOLOR
has already been pumped out in January and February 2003.
However, it is an established fact that a small amount of
oil remains within the wreck of the TRICOLOR, in spots that
couldn’t be reached in her current condition/during
the oil recovery operation. Therefore, the salvage team has
taken sufficient measures to counter this threat in close
co-operation with the relevant authorities. The oil pollution
vessel ‘Union Beaver’ is continuously on standby
in the area. This vessel is specially equipped to clean up
oil from the sea. Furthermore, agreements have been reached
stating that no attempt to lift sections of the TRICOLOR will
be made when strong winds and/or high swell are reported in
the area. The ‘Union Beaver’ would not be able
to perform effectively in such conditions, if indeed required.
» top
What complications
do divers face when working on the TRICOLOR?
Due to the relatively shallow water in which the TRICOLOR
lies, currents are extra strong in this part of the English
Channel. In addition, the swell in the area causes problems
as well. For the divers, it feels like working in the breakwater.
It is only possible for the divers to work in between high
tide and low tide and only for one hour per dive due to the
exhausting conditions below water level.
» top
Why
is the ‘Giant 4’ barge being towed from the TRICOLOR
location to the port of Zeebrugge in Belgium and back again
with a section of the wreck still on board?
After the first section of the TRICOLOR
was cut, it was lifted, loaded and seafastened to the deck
of the ‘Giant 4’ barge, after which it was towed
to the port of Zeebrugge in Belgium. Immediately upon arrival,
demolition contractors commenced with the dismantling of the
section and the disposal of the cargo in an environmentally
friendly manner. A large quantity of cars have already been
removed. Once the salvage team can commence with the lift
of the second section, the ‘Giant 4’will be directed
back to the location of the TRICOLOR. The first section of
the TRICOLOR remains on the ‘Giant 4’ due to it’s
size and weight, which render it practically not feasible
to be removed within a short period of time. Naturally, the
dismantling of the first section and the disposal of the cargo
in it will be postponed until the ‘Giant 4’ returns
to Zeebrugge with both sections. Upon arrival, she will stay
in port for a longer period of time, enabling the demolition
contractors to complete their work. The ‘Giant 4’
barge has enough capacity to carry a total of three sections
from the TRICOLOR.
» top
Where exactly
did the TRICOLOR sink and how deep is the water there?
The exact location of the TRICOLOR is 51° 21.9" North
and 02° 12.65" East, which is in the English Channel
at approximately 55 nautical miles from Dover in England,
and 25 miles from Zeebrugge, Belgium. The sea is 30 meters
deep at this location.
» top
Is the cutting
wire used on the TRICOLOR the same as the one deployed to
cut the bow of the submarine ‘Kursk’ in October
2001?
No, the wire is not identical to the one deployed during the
salvage of the ‘Kursk’, but the principle remains
the same. The TRICOLOR is being cut with an adapted and improved
version of the wire used on the ‘Kursk’.
» top
How long does
it take to cut through a capsized vehicle carrier?
The first cut took approximately 48 hours of actual cutting
time and the second took 52 hours. Naturally, the duration
of a cutting operation is dependent on the structural integrity
and condition of the section that is being cut. The first
cut posed the additional challenge of the very thick propeller
shaft being located in the first section.
» top
Is it likely
that another collision with the TRICOLOR will occur?
All possible measures, as stipulated by international shipping
regulations have been taken. These measures include: the deployment
of numerous buoys, the broadcast of frequent warnings on several
radio frequencies and the constant monitoring of the area
with radar and patrol vessels. In addition, both the Belgium
and the French coastguard are on a constant alert for the
duration of the salvage operation.
» top
How is the
cutting wire placed underneath the TRICOLOR?
Firstly, holes are drilled into the seabed under the TRICOLOR
in order to accommodate pipes. Then, by means of messenger
wires the cutting wire is pulled into the pipes underneath
the TRICOLOR.
» top
Is
it possible to cut and lift sections of the TRICOLOR at the
same time?
Yes, it is possible to cut and lift
at the same time, but only in very favourable weather conditions.
It would require the jack-up rigs and floating cranes to work
rather close to one another and therefore the salvage team
prefers to do this separately.
»
top
What
is the cutting wire made of and how exactly does it work?
The cutting wire consists of a series
of grit-covered bushes mounted along a high-tension steel
cable. In essence, the bushes consist of three layers. The
inner layer, around the hole that accommodates the steel cable,
is composed of mild steel. The second layer is hard steel.
The outer layer is the grit coating, which consists of a material
called WIDIA. It is a mixture of several types of steel, comparable
in hardness to real diamonds. The grit gives the bushes a
very hard and rough surface, which is perfect for cutting
purposes.
The bushes mounted along the steel cable form a chain of
approximately 70 meters long. At each end of this chain, an
additional 40 meters of steel cable is attached, which is
wound around the drums of the winches that drive the cutting
wire. The winches are located on jack-up rigs, which in turn
are positioned alongside the wreck of the TRICOLOR. Once the
jack-up rigs are in position and the cutting wire is in place
underneath the TRICOLOR, the winches start pulling the cable
back and forth. When one winch pulls the cable, the other
unwinds. Thus a sawing movement is generated strong enough
to cut through ship’s hulls, machinery, cargo, propeller
shafts, etc.
»
top
How
many cutting wires are required for each cut?
The salvage team deploys one cutting
wire for each cut.
»
top
|
