News
Herbosch-Kiere and Multraship have started the salvage operation of SOLA GRATIA in the Scheldt River
Yesterday, Herbosch-Kiere N.V. and Multraship Salvage B.V. began removing the sea sand cargo from the sunken inland vessel SOLA GRATIA. Once the cargo has been removed from the vessel, further salvage operations will be carried out. This is expected to take several days.
The 86-metre inland vessel sank during the night of 17 to 18 April after colliding with mooring dolphins near the Royers Lock in Antwerp. The vessel, carrying approximately 1,600 tonnes of sand, went completely under. Fortunately, the crew was rescued in time. Multraship Salvage and Herbosch-Kiere have since been jointly contracted to carry out the salvage operation.
Complex operation
The vessel lies at a depth of 15 metres at low tide, with strong currents and tidal influences.
“The salvage of the SOLA GRATIA is therefore a complex operation requiring precise planning, close cooperation between our specialised teams, and a high level of expertise,” said Leendert Muller, CEO of Multraship Salvage. “Together with our partner Herbosch-Kiere and several specialised subcontractors, we are working step by step towards a safe and controlled recovery.”
The first step in this process is the removal of the sea sand cargo. This is being carried out from the pontoon SEADEVIL.
Benny De Sutter, CEO of Herbosch-Kiere, explained: “Thanks in part to the deployment of our pontoon SEADEVIL, the cargo can be unloaded accurately and in a controlled manner to ensure the vessel’s stability and to safely prepare for the next stages of the salvage, with our experienced team guiding each step through expertise and close cooperation.”
Lifting slings and steel cables
Once the cargo of the SOLA GRATIA has been fully removed, Multraship’s crane vessel CORMORANT and Herbosch-Kiere’s pontoon WAASLAND will arrive on site. From the crane vessel CORMORANT, work will begin on installing lifting slings and steel cables for the actual recovery. The tugboat FAIRPLAY 33 and the hired Hebolift 6 will also be deployed for this purpose. The diving operations, which form part of the salvage process, are being carried out by Antwerp Underwater Solutions, a specialised partner in underwater inspections and diving services.
The wreck is currently not causing any direct obstruction to shipping but must be recovered, partly because the Royers Lock, after its ongoing modernisation, will once again become an important connection between the Albert Canal and the Scheldt. The location has been marked with emergency buoys.
The salvage operation is being carried out by the partnership between Multraship Salvage and Herbosch-Kiere with the utmost precision, maintaining continuous attention to safety and environmental protection.