18/01/2018

The dry cargo ship Commoros-flagged, 3150 DWT-capacity river-type dry bulk carrier M/V BERRA G., which drifted in waves after the violent storm in Eregli district of Zonguldak, drifted on the ground.

The vessel, which departed from İzmir to go to Rostov port of Russia, started to drift near Ereğli district on Black Sea coast of Turkey. With the effect of rough waves, the ship divided into two near Kdz. Ereğli district shipyards area. While the 12 crew members were rescued safely, the ship was also severely damaged.

Med Marine is currently conducting the vessel’s wreck removal operations.

A 4,000 GRT Turkish Ro-Ro vessel had burnt and partially sank in Vlora, Albania with a containerised cargo in the spring of 1988. Refloated by underwater patching, pumping, and altering her ballast; the rudder then was locked for onward towage.

Although the actual operation took only a week, Omur spent a great deal of time aboard a sister ship studying plans and layout of the tanks, engine-rooms etc. in order to be certain that the stability calculations would be correct when she refloated. This was a wreck-removal contract with her P&I club.

A general cargo vessel laden with a sand-like by-product of iron which, in 1989, sank at Karadeniz Eregli in the Black Sea because of stability problems. Cargo discharged and hatches closed and sealed, sealing the hatch-covers with tarpaulins. Then refloated using compressed air. This was a private contract undertaken for local underwriters. She went on to be repaired.

A 20,000 DWT Turkish bulker that sank in 45ms of water off Yemen with 19,000 tons of iron ore. We discharged the cargo, cut the vessel in two, made these sections air-tight and refloated them using compressed air. These parts were then scuttled in deep waters. This wreck-removal was undertaken on behalf of her P&I Club and took a total of 12 months to complete through 1991/1992.

A Saudi tanker of about 2,000 GRT which sank after hitting a reef off Jeddah, laden with HFO/Gas oil. The ship had broken in two just forward of the accommodation. The forward part, containing the cargo, had sunk in about 25 meters of water and the after half in about 40 meters.

Omur discharged the cargo from the seabed into a bunkering barge using portable pumps and pumped the holds dry. Then refloated the forward part and towed it to water of about 200 meters of depth where she was resunk. Again, this was on a private contract with the ship-owner. This operation lasted some 20 days.

A Greek general-cargo / bulk-carrier which ran aground near Bozcaada in the Dardanelles with about 21,000 tons of direct-reduced iron, a highly volatile cargo that heats up quickly upon contact with water. Holds No.3 and 4 and the double bottoms in the way were ruptured and the cargo burning.

Omur discharged about 10,000 tons into barges, stemmed the seawater ingress by patching, refloated her and towed her to Tuzla. The performed on a wreck-removal contract with her P&I Club.

Wreck-removal and refloatation at Tuapse, Russia. Major pollution prevention measures undertaken. Vessel had broken into two pieces and both sections sealed and patched for separate refloating. Compressed air used to refloat parts and these towed to Turkey for scrap.

A 17,000 DWT Turkish bulk-carrier that went aground in chalk and flint off Kostrup in Denmark in September 1995 while carrying 16,000 tons of phosphate. She was lightened by discharge, and her anchor was retrieved and was finally refloated some five days after the grounding. This was performed under Bimco Wreckcon.

An 11,540 DWT Bahamanian Reefer that was declared a constructive total loss following a violent collision with the m.v. "Samia" in Zeebruge at the end of summer 1995. Her accommodation block was entirely ruined and she was holed in her port-side by way of frames 68 to 76, this hole being 14ms by 5ms. Her engine-room was flooded and she held some 1,200 tons of oily water on board, representing a substantial pollution risk.

She was sold for scrap and we undertook to prepare her for towage to the scrapyard. We patched her by welding, both under over water, and, having deployed oil booms, discharged the slops and remaining bunker. She was then certified fit to be towed by Lloyd's Register and was issued with a towage certificate by her Hull & Machinery Insurers' surveyors. This operation took about four months.

A 4,550 DWT Russian tanker that, fully loaded with approx 4,360tonnes of fuel oil was broken into two pieces from her tanks #5 and #6 in Florya/Istanbul on 29th December, 1999. Aft part grounded nearly 1yrd from the shore and fore part sank at nearly 37ms some 1,5 miles from the shore. Operation has been completed at 4 stages. At first stage, approx 1,000M/T fuel oil was discharged from tanks #7 and #8 and delivered to the owners.

At the second stage aft part was refloated by dredging and delivered at Aliaga Scrap Yard. At the third stage approx 2,000tonnes heavy fuel oil was discharged from sunken fore part by using a special steam system designed by our Salvage Master.

At the last stage, sunken fore part was divided into two and taken out by a-frame lifter "KOCA YUSUF", one part towed and the other part loaded on a barge and delivered at Aliaga Scrap Yard. Operation, which was performed under Wreckstage '99, was completed on June, 2000.