Dutch company using “chisel method” to remove wrecks from Demerara River

Oct 25, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – Koole Contractors, a company from The Netherlands, on Saturday begun the process of salvaging three sunken vessels from the Demerara River and is reportedly using the “chisel method”.

The 17.5 tonne Steel Plate that will be used to break the wreckages into small pieces. (DPI photo)

Guyana is paying the Dutch company some US$3.7M (GYD$787.6M) to remove the sunken vessels. The contract for the project was signed between Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Dutch company in early September.
In an interview with the Department of Public Information, Koole Contractors’ Project Manager, Marc Rooijakkers, said that Saturday was for his company to orient itself with the location of the first undersea wreckage. The first wreckage identified for salvage is a barge measuring about 50 metres by 12.5 metres.
Once the company is acquainted with the location, it will begin the process of salvaging the sunken barge by using the chisel method.
Rooijakkers explained that the chisel method is simply hoisting a 17.5 tonne steel plate by a crane about 22 meters high in the air then allowing it to free fall into the water to break a vessel into small sections.
Once the barge is broken up the company will then connect a grapple to the crane and remove the wreckage bit by bit.
Rooijakkers said that the removal of the barge will take some two weeks. He estimated too, that all three wrecks will be out of the river within two to three months’.
MARAD’s Harbour Master, Glanford Archer, told DPI that Guyana had tried to remove the three vessels in the past but were able do it.

The Grapple that will remove the broken pieces of the wreckages. (DPI Photo)

“We had tried to remove the wreckages in the past but we could not do it”, he said.
There are reportedly some 16 wrecks at different locations in the Demerara River.
Minister of Public Infrastructure, Juan Edghill, had stated in a previous media report that the wrecks have proven hazardous to traffic in the river. He said that they have made the channel narrow and with their removal and anticipated dredging of the river, Guyana could facilitate a two-way traffic in the Demerara River.
This he added will allow for unhindered access into Port Georgetown 24 hours every day.
Over the years, vessels have been maneuvering cautiously through the Demerara River to and from Georgetown. However, it noted that ExxonMobil has been increasing oil production offshore Guyana at a rapid pace and this has led to a significant increase of maritime traffic.
The oil company also intends to continue its high-paced operation in Guyana and it is expected that the volume of traffic in the Demerara River will continue to increase.

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