THE 'UNO' SALVAGE

Summer 2002, the Coaster UNO, laden with 2,400 tons of scrap, suffered engine failure in Germany's Kiel Canal. Colliding with a push barge and holed badly below the waterline, she capsized almost immediately partly blocking this critical waterway. Recovery team of SVITZER Salvage and Bugsier Hamburg were ordered by local authorities to urgently remove the vessel. The two-phase salvage plan involved cargo removal followed by vessel righting and re-float. Divers assisted in the process of patching the hole and having massive lifting slings inserted under the hull for the cranes. The need for speed was emphasized by the threatened congestion. The first attempt was succesful, the UNO being delivered to authorities for inspection with no unnecessary delay and without hindering canal traffic.