TITAN begins second phase of New Carissa Wreck in Coos Bay

(Coos Bay, Ore.; July 1, 2008) – TITAN Salvage began wreck removal operations of the New Carissa last week following weeks of preparation and mobilization in Coos Bay, Ore.

Favorable weather conditions on June 17 allowed TITAN to successfully position a second jack-up barge, the Karlissa B near the New Carissa wreck site. The first jack-up barge, the Karlissa A was positioned at the site in early June.

The recent positioning of the Karlissa B means TITAN has begun the second phase of wreck removal efforts – which includes using TITAN pullers, or hydraulic linear pulling machines, to lift up the cargo crane section, engine room and the 1,500-ton stern of the vessel from its partially buried position in the surf.

The New Carissa, a 640-foot wood-chip carrier, ran aground just north of Coos Bay during a February 1999 storm, and subsequently broke apart becoming a total loss. As part of the initial wreck removal plan in 1999, the bow section was refloated and scuttled 248 miles off the coast in about 10,000 feet of water after being successfully towed there by Crowley’s tugboat Sea Victory. Since then, several attempts by other companies to remove the wreckage of the stern, which later settled about 150 yards from the beachfront, have been unsuccessful. TITAN was contracted in 2007 to remove the remaining wreckage of the vessel.

Both 6-legged barges (the Karlissa A and Karlissa B) have been jacked approximately 50 feet out of the water. Due to consistent swells in the Pacific Ocean, work platforms are needed to conduct operations near the project site.

An 18-person team of TITAN salvage experts, including divers, engineers and naval architects are stationed at the New Carissa wreck site. David Parrot, managing director, and Phil Reed, director of engineering, are both project managers.

The salvage project is slated to last 80 days. Interestingly, TITAN has also unveiled a unique piece of equipment for use in this salvage project. The 1,000-foot distance from the jack-up barge and the beach is being negotiated by a Transponder.

Designed by TITAN Salvage Master Shelby Harris, along with the help of others on the salvage team, the TITAN Transponder is a self-propelled platform that is used to move personnel and equipment between the shore and the jack-up barge without disturbing wildlife on the beach (similar to a gondola or small cable car). Additionally, it allows personnel to safely get from the beach to the project site during rough seas, high winds and fog – all of which are conditions in which a vessel or helicopter cannot operate.

A shore-side tower erected on the beach supports one end of the wire cable that the Transponder suspends from. The other end of the cable is attached to one the legs on the Karlissa A.

“We understand and appreciate the environmental and engineering challenges posed by the project and have developed a highly-detailed salvage plan to successfully address each individual challenge,” said Todd Busch, vice president of TITAN. “As our team moves forward, residents near Coos Bay can be confident that we will handle this job with precision and professionalism.”

TITAN, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Crowley Marine Services, Inc. is a worldwide salvage company based in Pompano Beach, Fla. The company also has offices in Newhaven, UK and Singapore along with an equipment depot in Batam, Indonesia. Over the past 27 years, TITAN has performed more than 300 salvage and wreck removal projects worldwide. Titan responds to vessel emergencies around the world and is accessible 24 hours a day through the company’s main dispatch telephone number, 954-545-4143. Additional information about TITAN may be found at www.titansalvage.com.

Jacksonville-based Crowley Maritime Corporation, founded in San Francisco in 1892, is a privately held family and employee-owned company that provides diversified transportation and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean Liner Services, Latin America Liner Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Marine Services and Technical Services. Offered within these operating lines of business are the following services: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture; government services, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales. Additional information about Crowley its subsidiaries and business units may be found on the Internet at www.crowley.com.

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