May 16, 2023
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Responders completed the removal of Section Eight, the stern. The VB-10000 lifted the section on to the Barge 455-8 on Monday, followed by ballasting of the barge and sea-fastening operations overnight. The barge then transited with the section to Mayor’s Point Terminal on Tuesday morning.
The section will undergo further sea-fastening at the terminal before transiting aboard the Barge 455-8 to a recycling facility in Louisiana. On-water response teams recovered oil released from the wreck during lifting operations.
“Due to this cut’s proximity to the engine room, we expected to encounter residual oil/petroleum products inside tanks, piping and machinery which could not be accessed in the fuel removal phase of the response. The response team was fully prepared and in position to respond throughout the entire cut and lift.” said Incident Commander Chris Graff of Gallagher Marine Systems.
“What we observed during this operation is exactly why we have the protection barrier and a dynamic fleet of oil response vessels. The pollution response team has been refining their operations for months and that paid off with their swift response to the product released from the wreck during the lift.” said U.S. Coast Guard Commander Efren Lopez, Federal On-scene Coordinator.
“Shoreline teams are out every day to keep our beaches and marshes clear of debris and other impacts” said John Maddox, Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division, State On-Scene Coordinator. “A rigorous environmental monitoring program including water quality monitoring and wildlife surveys, is in place to ensure the continued health of St. Simon’s Sound.”
“This cut progressed much faster than the first cut to remove the bow section, but we still see some room for improvement and will continue to refine our operations” said lead wreck removal contractor T&T Salvage President Mauricio Garrido.
If you encounter what you believe is debris from the Golden Ray wreck, please do not handle the debris. Call the Debris Reporting Hotline at (912) 944-5620. Responders evaluate each report, survey the vicinity and recover any shipwreck debris in addition to their daily surveys of the water and the shoreline.
If you encounter residual oil on the shoreline or in the water, please call the National Response Center hotline at 800-424-8802.
The Unified Command (UC) developed a multi-layer approach for observing, surveying, documenting and mitigating any releases of oil or debris during cutting and lifting operations. Recovery personnel are on-station at the Environmental Protection Barrier (EPB), at the shoreline and on the water around the Golden Ray shipwreck. Responders are maintaining protective boom at sensitive locations around St. Simons Sound.
Reference: St. Simons Sound Incident response | Minorcan Mullet – YouTube
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