Salvage of the Maurienne

On the 7th of February in 1942, the master of the 3,259 GRT freighter Maurienne was dealing with some frozen pipes in one of the holds. He subsequently directed a worker to use an acetylene torch to thaw said pipes, and a fire later erupted in that same location. When conventional efforts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful, the master ordered the scuttling of his vessel, which in turn resulted in the almost total loss of the cargo after she capsized at the pier (as noted on page 21 of International Maritime Conventions: Volume 1, which also details a legal action brought against the shipping firm by the owners of three crates and one drum of shoe leather). 

Built in Denmark in 1938 as a refrigerated vessel to transport bananas, and only taken over by the Canadian Government at the beginning of the war, Maurienne was a new vessel . Coupled with the fact that the 324-foot vessel was also blocking the use of a portion of Pier 27/28 in the wartime Port of Halifax, her salvage would presumably have been a priority, and therefore she was subsequently salvaged by Foundation Maritime. 

The capsized freighter Maurienne.

Another view of the capsized ship, with the superstructure facing the pier. I'm assuming these photos were taken right after the sinking, such that reserve air in the hull was keeping the hull barely afloat, as later images suggest the hull was farther below the surface during the salvage work, and these photos do not appear to me to have been taken at low tide.

The salvage of the Maurienne was undertaken by Foundation Maritime in two main phases: righting, and then refloating. To begin, at least two cofferdams were constructed on the side of the ship to allow work to continue in the dry - two righting masts had to be attached to the side of the ship.

By June 24, 1942, Cofferdam #2 was ready to accept the righting mast. The two legs of the righting mast will go into the two openings marked with an "X". The "No.1" in the corner of the image refers to the image number, and not that of the cofferdam (which I got from the image caption).

A pontoon supports a diving platform alongside Cofferdam #2 - the platform seems to be slung from the two arms. At least two divers sit in their suits on the platform. 

Cofferdam #1 (background, with mast installed) and Cofferdam #2 (foreground). A support pontoon lies alongside each cofferdam, presumably carrying the pumps to keep each cofferdam dry. Foundation Scarboro, without her shear legs installed, is to the left of the image.

Foundation Scarboro starting to lift the righting mast into place in Cofferdam #2.

The righting mast being installed in Cofferdam #2.

Workers help drop the righting mast into place within Cofferdam #2, as seen from atop the rotating crane cab on Foundation Scarboro.

Cofferdam #1 with the righting mast installed. A bridge (without railings!) extends back to the Pier at the right of the photo. So much for Health and Safety.

Righting masts installed, but with cofferdams removed, to show how the masts are attached to the side of the ship.

By July 26, 1942, the ship was ready to be righted. Tension was taken up on the cables attached to the two righting masts, and the ship was slowly righted. Presumably the hull was anchored to the bottom in some manner to ensure the hull rotated, and was not simply pulled away from the pier. 

Note: Mac Mackay of Shipfax was kind enough to tell me that this type of salvage is properly referred to as "parbuckle salvage", or "parbuckling". The "righting masts" as I call them above are properly called "bents".

Righting the Maurienne.

Just past 45 degrees.

Once righted, there was a release of air trapped in the ship.

Righted, but not yet refloated.

Believe it or not, this appears to have been the easy part of the salvage. Maurienne was still sitting on the bottom of Halifax Harbour, and needed to be refloated. Foundation Maritime elected to build a new, larger, cofferdam around the majority of the ship's deck. The cofferdam extended above the surface of the water at high tide (you can see the stains from the tidal cycles on the side of the cofferdam) so that the interior of the ship could be pumped out. 

Construction of the new cofferdam proceeds around a forward mast, ahead of the bridge which appears to the left of the image.

The view from inside the cofferdam, taken looking forward from aft of the funnel. To the right is a wooden frame that appears to be used to handle a couple of pumps. This may have been positioned over one of the ship's holds. 

The view from the deck of the ship itself, within the cofferdam.

Two of the Jaeger engines used during the salvage - I'm assuming these were diesel engines used to power centrifugal pumps.

The pumping operation is underway, and a deckhouse at the stern has just broken the surface.

Pumps running from inside a cofferdam to bring Maurienne to the surface.

Pumping continues. Taken on the port side this time, the ship's nameboards can be seen displaying "Maurienne". 

The cofferdam support framework on the starboard side next to the funnel, with the pumps running.

Some of the array of pumps that was used to bring Maurienne back to the surface. 

In conjunction with the pumping operation, barges with shear legs also appear to have been lifting at the bow, ahead of the cofferdam. These may have helped to keep the ship on an even keel during the refloating operation.

Pumps running from the cofferdam, with the bow gunwale appearing to the right. The barges with shear legs can also been seen lifting here. 

Returning to the surface, though still with a list to starboard.

With pumps still running, Maurienne arriving at the surface. The deckhouse from Image #120 above can be seen here, just behind the cofferdam.

In November of 1942, while Maurienne was once again afloat, work was ongoing and the ship still looked much the worse for wear.

The refloated Maurienne. What I assume are the remains of the attachments for Righting Mast #1 can be seen just above the waterline just forward of the bridge.

Maurienne from aft.

After the war ended, Maurienne was returned to her original owners and refitted once against for refrigerated cargo. She was sold several times after 1953 (and renamed), and suffered another fire in 1963 in Hong Kong that led to her scrapping.

The entire gallery of photos of the salvage operation can be seen here:

https://smcclearn.smugmug.com/Nautical/Foundation-Maritime-storage/4064-Maurienne/n-xh3bMC/i-4WGpSCS/A

Some of the photos appearing here came with captions explaining the procedure, but most did not, and I have interpreted (e.g. guessed) them to the best of my ability.

Bibliography & Acknowledgements:

Berlingieri, Francesco. (2014). "International Maritime Conventions: Volume 1 - The Carriage of Goods and Passengers by Sea". Informa Law, New York.

Bertke, Donald A; Smith, Gordon; Kindell, Don. (2013). "World War II Sea War - Volume 5". Bertke Publications, Dayton, Ohio, USA. Viewed online.

Nova Scotia Marine Heritage Wreck Database

Wrecksite.eu https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?35482

Photos from the AECON collection.

Salvage of the Maplebranch

On August 13th 1934, the Royal Navy's Danae-class cruiser HMS DRAGON was entering the Market Basin in the Port of Montreal. While trying to avoid contact with a third vessel, the also-maneuvering Saguenay Trader, DRAGON came into contact with the oil bunkering tanker Maplebranch, causing the latter to sink. At least, that was the defence provided by DRAGON's commanding officer, Frederic Wake-Walker, when he was later sued (successfully) by Maplebranch's owners. 

A partially-sunken Maplebranch sitting alongside in the Market Basin, with the offending HMS DRAGON in the background.

Maplebranch viewed from aft. 

The salvage was contracted to Foundation Maritime. Already sitting on the bottom and completely full of water, the salvage was somewhat involved. As the wreck was taking up valuable space in the port, there would presumably have been considerable pressure to remove it quickly. 

Salvage crews went about building a cofferdam around the ship so that the wreck could be pumped out and re-floated. 

With a cofferdam constructed around the aft end of Maplebranch, pumping begins. 

A barge consisting of a platform constructed on two large pontoons supports what I assume is an air compressor used in the salvage.

Another view of the cofferdam around the aft end of the ship and ongoing pumping operations.

Maplebranch returning to the surface as pumping continues.

The view from the other side of the channel. The deep sea salvage tug Foundation Franklin can be seen to the right of the image, behind Maplebranch. 

Once refloated, Maplebranch was taken in tow by two smaller harbour tugs.

Maplebranch now afloat, and being moved by two tugs.

Unfortunately, I am unable to find any further online information on Maplebranch herself, neither photos of her from before the sinking, nor whether she returned to service after this incident or was subsequently scrapped. 

In searching, however, I did learn about HMS DRAGON's then-commander, Frederic Wake-Walker. (links go to Wikipedia). The collision with Maplebranch did not end his career; on the contrary, from 1938-39 he was in command of the battleship HMS REVENGE, and he achieved flag rank as rear-admiral commanding the 12th Cruiser Squadron. He was later appointed rear-admiral in command of all vessels off the Franco-Belgium coast during the evacuation of Dunkirk, and later still was appointed commander of the 1st Cruiser Squadron, during which time he was deeply involved in the hunt for the Bismarck. He was promoted to admiral in May 1945, but died unexpectedly in September of that same year. 

Unconnected to all of this, but of local interest, REVENGE was a frequent visitor to Halifax over the years, and in 1940 (under a subsequent commander) she managed to run down (and sink) the Battle-class trawler HMCS YPRES, then being used as a gate vessel for opening and closing the submarine nets across the mouth of the harbour. 

Goodbye to schooner "Sorca"

The Nova Scotia-built wooden schooner Sorca is reported to have sunk today about 287 kilometres southeast of Halifax, while on her way to Bermuda. The CBC is reporting that all four crew members were rescued after the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre received a distress call around 12:30 a.m.

(CBC has an updated story after interviewing the rescued crew.)

Built in Lunenburg in 1978 by Murray Stevens, Sorca was scheduled to participate in the RDV2017 Tall Ships regatta, which will stop in Halifax between July 29 and August 1.

I believe I first managed to photograph Sorca in June 2013.

In the harbour, with the Georges Island (left) and McNab's Island (right) lighthouses in the background.

Alongside at Bishop's Landing.

I'm a sucker for nice reflection.

I think the last time I managed to photograph Sorca was in July 2015, when she was alongside in front of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax.

The sky was grey, and conditions for photography weren't quite as nice as in 2013.

These photos will just have to do, because it doesn't look like I will get another opportunity.