The CAMPBELL COVE wreck pictured high and dry as it is positioned to be lowered onto the deck of AAL MELBOURNE (IMO: 9498456) on a Friday afternoon.

Location: Devonport, Tasmania, Australia | Date: 12/08/2022

Incident

At approx. midday on the 28th of January, 2022, the cement carrier GOLIATH (IMO: 9036430) was manoeuvring to berth in its homeport Devonport - an undertaking the ship has been doing successfully for 29 years. During the berthing attempt, the ship had collided with the nearby berthed tug YORK COVE, consequently crushing a second tug the CAMPBELL COVE that was berthed alongside of it in the process. Both tugs sustained substantial damage and had sunk in the Mersey River within a few hours. A third tug (WILGA) had narrowly escaped the collision. The cement carrier GOLIATH suffered only minor damage at the bulbous bow.

Fortunately, there were no crew on board both tugs at the time, and no one was injured nearby during the incident.

The Salvage of CAMPBELL COVE

The first attempt at lifting the CAMPBELL COVE wreck commenced on the 10th of August. This lifting attempt had failed as the wreck was held unbalanced by the lifting slings - this would have made further lifting unsafe and necessitated that the tug be lowered back down into the river where realignment of the lifting equipment could then take place.

The second lift of the CAMPBELL COVE occurred the next day (11th of August) and was a very slow process; it wasn’t until nightfall when the wreck was lifted at approximately a metre above water. This allowed for the draining of what was largely sea water, mud, silt, and likely some oil.

Once drained, the wreck weighed around 450 tonnes – normally tugs the size of CAMPBELL COVE weigh around 310 tonnes. To make the lifting process safer, salvors worked overnight to reduce the weight of the wreck by removing 8 tonnes of fuel, mud and marine growth, and any remaining water trapped inside of the wreck. At 8am the next day (12th of August), the wreck’s weight was reduced - weighing around 360 tonnes. It was now considered safe enough to continue with the lifting operation. By afternoon, CAMPBELL COVE was successfully transferred onto the deck of the lifting ship AAL Melbourne.

CAMPBELL COVE

Type: Tug | Design: Pirate Class
Flag: Australian | Port of Registry: Sydney | Call Sign: VJT6270
IMO: 7606023 | MMSI: 503479000
Owner & Manager: TasPorts - Launceston, Australia
Year Built: 1976 | Country of Build: AUS | Builder: Carrington Slipways | Location of Yard: Tomago
Keel Laid: 2.2.1976 | Launch Date: 10.5.1976 | Date of Completion: 10.6.1976
Length: 26.35 m | Beam: 10 m | Draught: 4 m
GT: 266
Bollard Pull (tonnes): 34
Propulsion: 2x Fixed Pitch Steerable Nozzles
Speed: 11.5 knots