MV Tricolor

[JackFrobisher]

Does anyone know the exact position of the Tricolor? The one that sank whilst it was full of prestige cars and BMWs.

I'm due to sail a boat from Breskens to Chichester next week and I can't find it on any of my charts. It was reported to be 30 miles east of Ramsgate by the Scotsman, but that's the most detailed description of its location that I've been able to find on the web...

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[Evadne]

You could try the UK admiralty notices to mariners <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.nmwebsearch.com/> here</A>. You will need to know which chart you are looking at if you don't want to trawl through them all. Then again, you might learn something of interest you didn't know to look for.


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[Cobra]

<QUOTE>The one that sank whilst it was full of prestige cars and BMWs.


LOVE IT!!!!

<hr width=100% size=1>When God invented time he didn't give me enough of it.

 

[rich]

I think you will find that they cut it into sections and took it ashore, the pics were fantastic!

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.jersey-harbours.com

 

[malcp]

I think they are still working on it. Solent coastguard were still transmitting the position of the keep out area last w/e. I suppose they would be able to give you the position if you phoned them.

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[Oldhand]

51°22.1'N 002°12.9'E

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[AlexL]

its still there - if you are in the north sea you will get Navtex and VHF warnings about its position about every 10 minutes.
It is in one of the lanes (SW lane I think) near the Hinder 1 Lightbouy which is kind of on the Junction of the West Hinder TSS and the Main TSS.
I've sailed near it and you can't miss it, theres about a thousand salvage ships and usually a french warship itching to pop a shot across your bows should you get too close!
I agree than BMW should be categorised separately from prestige cars!

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[JackFrobisher]

Thanks all. It's well north of where I will be.

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[Twister_Ken]

Are they still at it?

Must be the same people who are working on the west coast main line.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[sailorman]

site
"tricolour salvage"
well worth a look

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[brianrunyard]

Re: MV Tricolor 20-10-04

Release date: 20 Oct 2003

According to Reuters, although salvage teams have finished cutting the Tricolor into 9 sections, only 5 of the pieces have so far been taken ashore at Zeebrugge. The salvage effort got under way in earnest in July, after being delayed by weather. Work was expected to finish in September or early October; it remains to be seen whether the rest of the wreckage can be cleared before the weather deteriorates.


<hr width=100% size=1>Brian
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/brunyard

 

[Stork_III]

NE bound lane.

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[sailorman]

M.V. Tricolour position/ details

Why is the TRICOLOR being cut into nine sections?
What will happen to the 2,871 cars within the TRICOLOR?
Is lifting a section of the TRICOLOR a difficult operation to perform?
What chances are there that any pollution will occur during the salvage operation?
What complications do divers face when working on the TRICOLOR?
Why is the ‘Giant 4’ barge being towed from the TRICOLOR location to the port of Zeebrugge in Belgium and back again.
Where exactly did the TRICOLOR sink and how deep is the water there?
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?
How long does it take to cut through a capsized vehicle carrier?
Is it likely that another collision with the TRICOLOR will occur?
How is the cutting wire placed underneath the TRICOLOR?
Is it possible to cut and lift sections of the TRICOLOR at the same time?
What is the cutting wire made of and how exactly does it work?
How many cutting wires are required for each cut?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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’.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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How many cutting wires are required for each cut?
The salvage team deploys one cutting wire for each cut.



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[Oldhand]

Re: MV Tricolor -current WZ

ZCZC EA87
WZ 1186
DOVER STRAIT TSS. HINDER 1 LIGHTBUOY NORTHEASTWARDS. AREA CLOSED TO
SHIPPING ESTABLISHED WITHIN 500 METRES OF VESSELS AND EQUIPMENT
CONDUCTING THE RECOVERY OF M/V TRICOLOR 51-22.0N 002-12.9E. THE
SOUTHERN LIMIT OF THIS AREA IS MARKED BY SOUTH CARDINAL LIGHTBUOYS
IN 51-21.61N 002-12.20E AND 51-21.67N 002-13.29E.
CANCEL WZ 1025 (EA49)(MA09).

NNNN


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