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| The derrick Barge "Century" situated in place to begin the four day salvage operation of the Morton S. Bouchard, Jr. with the tug "Matthew Tibbitts". SALVAGE OF THE TUG MORTON S. BOUCHARD, JR. CAPE COD CANAL - APRIL 1983 The ocean tug was tripped by its tow while passing under the Bourne Bridge at the south end of the Cape Cod Canal, forcing closure of the canal. Donjon immediately mobilized the derrick Century and a salvage crew to the site. The Century was towed from NJ and arrived on site 26 hours later. The next four days were spent diving on the sunken tug at each slack water period to render four slings under the tug. The Century with its three working falls first rotated the tug upright, and then lifted it decks-to-the-surface. Salvage was made more difficult due to a 6-knot current in the area, thus forcing the crew to prepare all wires and dive gear meticulously to take best advantage of down time. The tug was salvaged in four days. Steven G. Newes - Vice President DonJon Marine Company, Inc. 1250 Liberty Ave. Hillside, NJ 07205 USA 908 964-8812 ph / 908 964-7426 fax http://www.donjon.com Additional Information from Mr. Newes on the Derrick Barge "Century": The Century was lost approx. 500 miles east of Savannah while under tow to a salvage project in Puerto Rico during a hurricane on October 13, 1990. The Century basic description was an A-Frame derrick-barge (hull dims. 100' * 60') powered by a diesel-fired steam boiler; 500 ton lift capacity. Merritt, Chapman and Scott was the original builder of the Century, and two other A-Frame derrick-barges; Constitution and Monark. The later two were powered by steam boilers, which were coal-fired. Merritt, Chapman sold the derricks to Hoffman Equipment Co. (date?), who eventually sold them to the Port Authority of NY/NJ (date?). Donjon Marine Co., Inc. was founded by our owner; John Arnold Witte in 1964. Donjon incorporated in 1966. Donjon is a non-union company. Donjon commenced lease of the Century from the Port Authority in the mid 1970's. Prior to Donjon's lease, the operating engineers unions; locals 14 & 15, and the United Marine Div. of the ILA; local 333 manned the derricks. This continued under the Donjon lease of the derrick, but our owner wished to maintain Donjon as a non-union company for our salvage activities. So that is why Witte Heavy Lift was formed; separate company - separate payroll. That has all changed, and now all of our activities except dredging are non-union. |