Marine Technology Reporter, May 2006

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Shortly after deploying VideoRay, the MSST saw dramatic images as the robot swam under the vessel and revealed that a large boulder had actually punctured the hull. The salvage team had initially thought the vessel was on smooth sand, but the video footage from the ROV showed that the original flotation plan could be catastrophic. The team imme- diately worked out a new refloating plan, which was ultimately successful. An official commendation to those involved from the Coast Guard by Captain Patrick G. Garrity, Commanding Officer of Sector Portland, included "The underwater video provided by MSST Seattle's ROV proved very helpful in planning the sal- vage operation." During the process of investigating the hull, the VideoRay was tossed about "as if we were in a washing machine on the super spin cycle" according to the MSST operating team. This was due to the swift currents - over four knots at times - in the very tight space under the hull. However, this unit was recently upgraded with GTO (Greater Thrust Option) propulsion and, along with expert operators, accom- plished its mission. The Empress of the North ran aground Friday, March 24 on the Columbia River, near Washougal, Wash.. Aground, it sat at an 8 to 10 degree list. All of the 233 passengers and most of the ship's non-essential crew were safely transferred off the vessel. www.seadiscovery.com Marine Technology Reporter 7 news ��?�À�i�Ê�Ì�?�>�?�Ê�Ó�x�Ê�Þ�i�>�À�Ã�Ê�>�v�Ì�i�À�Ê�?�?�Ì�À�?�`�Õ�V�?�?�}�Ê�?�Õ�À�Ê�?�?�}�?�Ê �«�i�À�v�?�À�?�>�?�V�i�Ê�º�?�?�À�?�?�}�»�Ê�`�i�Ã�?�}�?�]�Ê�-�Õ�L�V�?�?�? �Á �Ê�V�?�?�Ì�?�?�Õ�i�Ã�Ê�Ì�?�Ê ��i�>�`�Ê�Ì�?�i�Ê�Ü�>�Þ�Ê�?�v�v�i�À�?�?�}�Ê�Ì�?�i�Ê�?�?�Ã�Ì�Ê�À�i��?�>�L��i�Ê�V�?�?�?�i�V�Ì�?�?�?�Ã�Ê �«�?�Ã�Ã�?�L��i�Ê�?�?�Ê �Ü�i�Ì�Ê�i�?�Û�?�À�?�?�?�i�?�Ì�Ã�° �,�i��i�?�Ì��i�Ã�Ã�Ê�Ì�i�Ã�Ì�?�?�}�°�Ê�1�?�V�?�?�«�À�?�?�?�Ã�?�?�}�Ê�µ�Õ�>��?�Ì�Þ�°�Ê ��?�`�Ê�>�Ê�Ü�?�À��`�Ü�?�`�i�Ê�À�i�«�Õ�Ì�>�Ì�?�?�?�Ê�v�?�À�Ê�?�Õ�Ì�Ã�Ì�>�?�`�?�?�}�Ê�`�i��?�Û�i�À�Þ�Ê �>�?�`�Ê�Ã�i�À�Û�?�V�i�°�Ê�7�?�Ì�?�Ê�`�i�«�i�?�`�>�L�?��?�Ì�Þ�Ê�>�Ì�Ê�i�Û�i�À�Þ�Ê��i�Û�i��]�Ê�?�Ì�½�Ã�Ê �?�?�Ê�Ü�?�?�`�i�À�Ê�Ã�?�Ê�?�>�?�Þ�Ê�?�>�Û�i�Ê�V�?�?�i�Ê�Ì�?�Ê�Ì�À�Õ�Ã�Ì�Ê�Ì�?�i�Ê�?�À�?�}�?�?�>��° �/�?��Ê��À�i�i�\�Ê�£�Ê�n�n�n�Ê�Ó�{�x�Ê�£�£�ä�{�Ê�Ê�Ê�U�Ê�Ê�Ê��?�Ì�i�À�?�>�Ì�?�?�?�>��\�Ê�³�{�x�Ê�Ç�È�£�Î�Ê�Ó�ä�ä�ä�Ê�Ê�Ê�U�Ê�Ê�Ê�Ü�Ü�Ü�°�Ã�Õ�L�V�?�?�?�°�V�?�? Visit www.maritimeequipment.com/mt & Click No. 209 Empress of the North. (Photo Credit: Seattle USCG MSST) MTR#4 (1-16).qxd 5/8/2006 9:32 AM Page 9