Aberdeenshire-based Aleron Subsea has deployed AUXROV subsea system as a part of a wrecks salvage project in the Atlantic Ocean.
Aleron’s AUXROV was selected by James Fisher Marine and Britannia’s Gold to assist with the salvage operation, targeting wrecks that were sunk during the WWI and WWII.
During both wars, some 7,500 merchant ships were sunk of which approximately 700 were identified as carrying shipments of gold under UK Government direction.
Britannia’s Gold has been established to finance the recovery of targeted cargoes and return them to the UK.
The AUXROV work scope comprised over 850 lifts, moving over 500 tonnes of debris with three different hydraulic grabs, and providing real time information on the grabbed materials. During simultaneous operations with two work class ROV systems, it then provided power and assistance in dredging operations on the wreck.
Aleron Subsea technical director Mike Bisset said: “This was a complex working environment within which the AUXROV has been able to demonstrate its value and efficiency. The system can be used for a vast range of subsea excavation, clearance, survey and tooling tasks and on this project, was able to demonstrate its capability.”