Mammoet To Clean Up Ship Graveyard In Mauretania
Mammoet Salvage, part of Mammoet, specialisedin heavy lifting & transport, recently received the official order for the salvage of seventy shipwrecks in Nouadhibou Bay, Mauretania. The European Union has made EUR 28,8 million available for removing the wrecks. The salvage operation will start in April 2011 and will run for 22 months. Mammoet Salvage and eleven other international salvage companies bid on this project in Africa.
The project was awarded to Mammoet on the basis of the solution offered and the company’s expertise in salvage and environmental protection. Mammoet Salvage will commit 25 salvage personnel and a range of equipment to this job. Nouadhibou Bay (average water depth 10 meters) is a busy area used by industrial shipping and fishing vessels. The shipwrecks, ranging from 200 to 1,200 t, form obstacles and hazards to shipping. Due to the wrecks, shipping has dropped off greatly in recent years, with an adverse economic and social impact. Furthermore, the shipwrecks pose a hazard to the environment and their surroundings (physical and chemical contamination). The wrecks contain oil residues, insulation, asbestos, etc. Removing the wrecks will protect the bay against pollution by chemicals in them. This will return the area to its original state and allow nature to develop fully. The accessibility of the port will also be greatly improved.
Mammoet Salvage is part of Mammoet Holding B.V. the worldwide specialist in heavy lifting and transport, who successfully recovered the Kursk, the Russian nuclear submarine, in 2001. Since then, Mammoet Salvage has undertaken a number of challenging projects throughout the world. The company has distinguished itself by developing innovative solutions for a wide range of salvage projects. These always aim to improve safety, protect the environment and reduce costs.