Flinterstar Wreck Removal

Location:

Zeebrugge, Belgium

Project Description:

Removal of the wreck of the vessel, after she sank close to the approach channel to Zeebrugge.

Our Role:

We were engaged by the consortium of contractors to provide engineering design and analysis for the wreck removal operation.

Activities:

We developed the engineering for the removal of the bow and stern sections of the vessel, working closely with the consortium of contractors as part of the team.  There was very little vessel data available and we were able to use our extensive experience to model the vessel sections for the lifts, accounting for all of the necessary uncertainties.  A risk-based design approach was used to design a practical lifting method that mitigated the risks involved.  Due to vessel availability and the need to remove the wreck sections quickly, we were able to complete the engineering work at short notice, including:

• Detailed weight estimates for the wreck sections to determine weight and position of the centre of gravity. The accurate prediction of centre of gravity (CG) allowed for the lifting point positions to be optimised thereby gaining additional lift capacity.
• Strength assessment (including Finite Element Analysis) of the wreck sections to ensure structural integrity during the lifts.
• Design of the rigging arrangements, including self-equalising slings to ensure an even load distribution due to the weight and CG uncertainties.
• Stowage plans and transportation analyses for the transport of the recovered cargo and wreck sections on a barge.