Tateyama Maru Salvage

Scope of Work

Background:

The Tateyama Maru was a 35m steel ex. Japanese longliner. The vessel was washed ashore on Bona Bay, Gloucester Island in the Whitsunday Group of islands, during Cyclone Debbie on 28 March 2017.

Project Brief:

To remove the Tateyama Maru safely and with minimal environmental impact from Queensland Coastal Waters, and dispose of it by scrapping at minimum cost to Queensland taxpayers.

Description of Works by PMG:

The salvage involved months of detailed design work and planning, then a mobilisation of the necessary tugs and barges to site, then a week of preparatory works on site – patching holes, removing weight, creating strong connection points for the tow, and installing lift bags under the stern to assist with the pull off.

PMG’s 24m tug Black Panther pulled the casualty off the beach when the preparatory works were complete, and the design salvage tide was reached, and then moved the casualty to deeper water to prepare for towing back to Townsville. PMG Divers were mobilised to check everything was OK and remove the lift bags, the tow preparations were made, and a tow surveyor gave the all clear to tow the vessel to Townsville.

Once the casualty arrived back in Townsville, removal of around 100T of steel and concrete was required to get the vessel within the range of the available travel lift, which is located next door to PMG's marine facility in Townsville. This was a very well planned and executed process performed by PMG's in-house boilermakers, and cranes and logistics teams, and the vessel was removed from the water.

Once removed from Queensland Coastal Waters, the vessel was placed on the hardstand and cut up and disposed of.