Golden Ray: The final cut begins

Written by Nick Blenkey
Golden Ray wreck with VB-10000

Weight-shedding team uses a blue Fuchs materials handler to remove vehicles from Section Five of the Golden Ray wreck on Friday, prior to cut that will separate it from Section Four. [St. Simons Sound Incident Response photo]

Almost two years after the capsize of the then 660 foot long car carrier Golden Ray on September 8, 2020, efforts to dismantle the wreck of the vessel and remove it from St. Simons Sound, Ga., look to be nearing the final chapter.

Cutting operations to separate the remainder of the Golden Ray wreck into two sections commenced earlier today. Once the final cut is complete, each section will be lifted onto a dry-dock barge and stowed for transit out of St. Simons Sound,

REMOVAL UPDATE

Wreck removal personnel began cutting operations early today morning after completing a refit and maintenance period on the giant heavy lift catamaran VB-10000, which has been sawing the wreck into sections using a chain rigged between its twin gantries. Once the remainder of the wreck is separated into two sections, the VB-10,000 will lift Section Five onto a dry-dock barge for safe transit out of St. Simons Sound to a response facility south of Mayor’s Point Terminal. Section Four, the final section, will be lifted, stowed and transited following the same process as Section Five.

Anchor chain cuts into side of reck
The VB-10000 cycles grade 5 anchor chain along the pre-cut groove during cutting operations to separate the remainder of the Golden Ray wreck into two sections on Monday. [St. Simons Sound Incident Response photo]
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