Salvage teams deploy sheerlegs, crane barges and dive support to recover 86m SOLA GRATIA following April sinking
Herbosch-Kiere and Multraship Salvage have successfully completed the salvage of the inland vessel SOLA GRATIA from the River Scheldt on Sunday, 3 May.
The lifting operation commenced at approximately 13:00 and involved a coordinated deployment of two floating sheerlegs, crane barges, tugboats, auxiliary equipment and specialised dive teams. The recovery was carried out with a strong focus on safety, precision and environmental protection.
The 86-metre vessel sank overnight between 17 and 18 April following a collision with mooring posts near the Royers Lock in Antwerp. Carrying around 1,600 tonnes of sand at the time, the vessel was fully submerged. All crew members were safely rescued.
Multraship Salvage and Herbosch-Kiere were jointly appointed to undertake the salvage. Earlier in the week, marine sand cargo was systematically removed to stabilise the wreck. Salvage teams then installed heavy-duty lifting slings at three strategic positions along the hull, ensuring balanced load distribution and minimising structural stress during the lift.
“Salvaging a vessel like the SOLA GRATIA is a complex operation involving a large specialised team,” explains Leendert Muller, CEO of Multraship Salvage. “Installing the lifting slings and steel wires is precise and high-risk work, and the lifting itself also had to be carried out in a highly controlled manner. The weight had to be evenly distributed to prevent the vessel from breaking apart. Together with our partner Herbosch-Kiere and specialised subcontractors, we successfully completed this important phase of the salvage.”
The lifting operation started on Sunday 3 May at 13:00 and lasted several hours. The vessel lay at a depth of 15 metres at low tide, and strong currents and tidal movements in the Scheldt meant that the lifting window was limited. The operation was carried out safely and in a controlled manner within that timeframe.
Benny De Sutter, CEO of Herbosch-Kiere, said: “During the lifting operation, specialised assets were deployed. Thanks to our experienced teams and close cooperation with Multraship Salvage, every step of this operation was executed with great care and continuous attention to safety and the environment.”
Following the lifting operation, an attempt was made to remove all water from the vessel in order to refloat it. Inspection has shown that this may still be a lengthy process due to the extensive structural damage to the hull. Until this operation is completed, the vessel will remain stabilised in the slings of the floating sheerlegs. The vessel’s final destination has not yet been determined.
