(Left) One of the vessels being lifted out of the water; (Right) A Resolve team member torch cutting one of the derelict barges





Lake Pontchartrain, LA - December, 2nd 2008




Resolve Marine Group, Inc. has finished an ongoing project in the waterways surrounding New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain, LA. The project, which had ran from August 14th through December 1st, entailed the removal of 13 derelict vessels that remained in and around Lake Pontchartrain after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.




The badly deteriorated vessels, which ranged from crane barges to shrimp boats, were partially submerged and had been posing pollution and/or navigational hazards where they were located.

Resolve's team removed the vessels from the waterways via a crane barge. Once they were removed and placed on the barge, they vessels were cut up and dismantled.




Making this 3 1/2 month project a success were Salvage Masters Tim McKinnis and Todd Duke, Asst. Salvage Master Ben Bailey, Crane Operator Danny Horning, Logistics Coordinator Jen Riefler, Dive Master Robert Tyson, Divers Bill Rittenhouse, Wes Woessner, Wayne Maichak, Ricardo Ormeno, Troy Caras, Trent Varnish, Adam Lincoln, and Daniel Ciotta, Salvage Techs Brad Bryars and Dirk McKinnis, and Capt. Robert Stamps.



Read the article associated with the video clip from The Times-Picayune at this link:


http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/fema_pays_to_clean_waterways_o.html





Marine Debris Cleanup
















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Resolve President Joe Farrell welcomes Capt. Rich Habib (pictured left) and CFO Bill Crothers (pictured right)





December 1st, 2008- Ft. Lauderdale, FL USA


Resolve Marine Group of Fort Lauderdale has announced that Capt. Rich Habib, Senior Salvage Master and Bill Crothers, Chief Financial Officer have joined the company.


Rich brings over 30 years of experience in the Emergency Response and Salvage industry. He is a 1977 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and has a degree in physical oceanography. He has successfully completed various significant salvages worldwide and is known throughout the industry as one of the premier Salvage Masters.


Bill brings 20+ years of financial and accounting experience with national and regional public accounting firms at a time when strategic plans for worldwide growth and unsteady economic times require careful planning and financial acumen. He is a graduate of Colgate University with a degree in economics and has been a Florida Certified Public Accountant since 1993. He spent the last three years at the firm McGladrey-Pullen prior to joing Resolve.


Resolve specializes in marine emergency response operations, contingency training and project management support to the marine shipping, offshore oil industries, the global marine insurance community, and the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy. Resolve is the named provider of salvage services in nearly half of the vessel response plans on file with the U.S. Coast Guard.

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(Left) One of the 35 nodes to be painted under the Beau Rivage; (Right) A diver's hat is taped up to keep it from getting painted during the project









A three man Resolve dive team consisting of Ricardo Ormeno, Trent Varnish, and John Hancock began the second phase of work at the Beau Rivage casino/hotel in Biloxi, MS today.

Utilizing a specialized underwater paint, the team will begin painting 35 nodes under the water line on two of the five submerged barges. (A node is the area where all the I-beams meet on the topside of the barge) The team will begin by pressure washing, then sandblasting before the paint can be applied to the nodes.





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(Both) The RMG 250 Crane Barge lifts the modules onto the ocean going barge.


Resolve Marine Group, Inc., was recently hired to load and secure 12 modules onboard an ocean going barge in Theodore, AL. The modules were actually side loading warping tugs for the Navy.

This project was completed using Resolve's heavy lift crane barge RMG 250 and 110 Ton crane barge KS 5002. Resolve's team, led by Oscar Lopez, included crane operator Danny Horning, riggers Chris Bailey, Frank Vaughn, Michael Newburn, Matthew Lucious, and Mark Workman.




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The barge is hard aground on the levee

Resolve Marine Group, Inc. was recently hired to refloat a large launch barge in Louisiana.



(Left & Right) The RESOLVE PIONEER pulling the barge off of the levee


The 245 foot barge was hard aground on a levee in the Michoud Canal, which is in the surrounding New Orleans area. There was a major concern that the barge might be pushed through the levee due to the possible threat of Hurricane Ike.


This time sensitive mission was led by project managers Todd Schauer and Troy Caras, salvage/dive technicians Wes Woessner, Bill Rittenhouse, and Rudy DeJesus, and Capt. Bill Stetcher, Robert Stamps, Marty Dempsey, Matt Logan, Andy Moon, Al Breed, and Ed Champagne of the RESOLVE PIONEER and tug LEWIS M.



Initially Resolve was going to secure the barge with multiple anchors. Instead the team ballasted her down on one side and refloated her. The RESOLVE PIONEER was used to tow the barge off of the levee and down the canal while the tug LEWIS M assisted at the stern.



(Left & Right) The Resolve Pioneer tows the barge away from the levee in the canal as the tug Lewis M assists at the stern


Once again, Resolve has proven that it has the equipment and staff to be readily available for any emergency response 24/7.

Click the link to view the vessel specs: RESOLVE PIONEER
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(Left) The container ship grounded at Government Cut; (Right) Lifting the pump onto the vessel





-Miami, FL U.S.A.


Resolve Marine Group, Inc. was called upon to refloat a grounded container ship at the entrance to the Port of Miami. The vessel lost power and steering capabilities which caused it to run hard aground just off the shipping channel at Government Cut at the entrance to Port of Miami, FL.
The vessel sustained a 1 inch by 2 inch hull breach in way of the engine room which was secured by divers. Although the breach had been secured, the engine room had suffered substantial flooding; a half meter above the engine room deck, and needed to be pumped out before the vessel could be refloated.

The Resolve team included Frank Leckey, Peter Robinson, Bill Novillo, Clay Backus, Sean McFadden, and Ryan Morrison. After several hours of pumping the engine room, the high tide came in and with the support of two tugs, the vessel was successfully refloated around 8:45 p.m. on Thursday the 14th of August.






















The vessel was then "pushed" via tug to a terminal at Port of Miami where the remainder of the water in the engine room and cargo hold, which had taken on water, was pumped out.

















Once the engine room and cargo hold had been pumped out, a clean-up team was sent to power wash and clean the polluted compartments.














































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(Left) The lower section of the platform is rigged for lifting; (Right) Two of the three platform sections on the barge


Mobile, AL-Oct. 11th 2008


A Resolve team recently completed dismantling a satellite platform in Mobile Bay.




The platform was taken apart in three sections, each weighing in at an estimated 100 tons. Resolve's crew used the RMG 250 Crane Barge to lift each section onto the barge after each pile had been cut.




Resolve's team included Crane Operator Danny Horning, Riggers Chris Bailey and Frank Vaughn, and Night Watchman Brad Jackson.





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(Left) The SEAWITCH prior to refloating; (Right) The SEAWITCH after refloating

On Sunday September 14, 2008 Resolve successfully re-floated the remains of the C/V SEAWITCH. The refloating of the SEAWITCH was divided into two shifts. The day shift was responsible for starting the process and removing the bulk of the water from the wreck. The night shift took over from where the day shift left off and stripped the tanks of any remaining water.










(Left) The hull of the SEAWITCH is full of water before refloating begins; (Right) The vessels hull is emptied of water after the refloating process


During the day it took about 10 hours to empty the water from the holds and forward ballast tanks. The refloat plan was developed by a joint team effort between Resolve engineers and Glosten Associates. Our team of engineers included Roger Guerard, Kody Kurtz, and Todd Schauer. Glosten Associates was represented by Brad Lamkin. The Pump sequence was designed to minimize the stresses incurred within the hull during the refloat. The pumping was divided into two teams; the forward pump team led by Ray Fortin, the project's salvage master, and the aft pump team led by Todd Schauer. The two teams were comprised of Peter Brause, Jeff Thompson, Ron Pushak, and Brad Jackson.


In addition to using pumps, Resolve also implemented chain pullers to stabilize the vessel during refloat. The chain pullers, one on each side of the vessel, were connected to chains that ran underneath the vessel. The purpose of the chains was to prevent the vessel from rolling during refloat. The chain pullers were operated by Mike Carista, Timothy Hartwick, Beau Hartwick, Ivan Perez, James Hartwick, and Tom Crawford. Each chain puller was assisted with a crane to help move the chain. Each crane was skillfully operated by Ken Bradford and Jeremy Pulliam. Other members of the crew were on site helping out where ever a helping hand was needed. Both the project manager, Mike Morris, and the Manager of the staging area, Sean McAleer, could be found helping the pump teams lifting pumps and securing lines. Leah Broadwater, the project

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(Left) The Resolve team prepares for roller bladder placement; (Right) A crane assists in moving a roller bladder


Oct. 11th 2008, Port Arthur, TX




Resolve Marine was hired to refloat a 297' tank barge which was forced ashore due to Hurricane Ike. Because the barge was mostly ashore on solid ground, the Resolve team was faced with the task of using roller bladders which were placed under the barge and filled with air.











(Left) The roller bladders in place under the barge; (Right) The barge, aided by the roller bladders, a tug, and a bulldozer is in the final stages of being refloated





The team refloated the barge using the roller bladders under the barge, along with a bulldozer which pushed the barge on land towards the water, and a tug which pulled the barge into the water.





Heading the Resolve team was Project Manager/Salvage Master Ray Fortin, Project Coordinator/Salvage Tech Clay Backus, and Diver/Salvage Tech Shawn Hampton.




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(Left) Resolve mobilizes equipment to Louisiana from its U.S. Gulf Response Facility in Mobile, AL; (Right) The 60 Ton American 7720 Crane lifts wreckage out of the water













Resolve was recently hired by the USCG to clean up a number of derelict vessels in the waterways surrounding New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. The vessels have remained in their current conditions since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Having removed hundreds of similar hurricane casualties, Resolve is very familiar with removing derelict vessels of the size, type, and number that are involved in the operation.







What makes this job so challenging is that the vessels are in very shallow waters, making it impossible for the larger tug to access. Therefore, Resolve is using a truckable sized tug of shallow draft that can be mobilized on the deck of the RMG 60 Crane Barge and deployed via the crane barge.












Resolve mobilized the RMG 60 Crane Barge using the tug Lewis M until it reached the draft area. Thereafter the tug Joey took the RMG 60 the rest of the way to the various job sites. All of the derelict vessels are currently posing pollution and/or navigational hazards where they are located.



















Resolve has continued to pull vessels and debris from the water over the past few months. After they are pulled out of the water, they are cut up onboard the support barge.








(Left) One of the derelict vessels is lifted onto the barge; (Right) A Resolve crewmember cuts a derelict vessel barge up with a torch.




Resolve is led by Project Manager Tim McKinnis, Project Coordinator Jennifer Riefler, crane operator Danny Horning, divers, Wayne Maichak, and Robert Tyson, and salvage technicians Brad Bryars and Dirk McKinnis.


Read the article associated with the video clip from The Times-Picayune at this link: http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/fema_pays_to_clean_waterways_o.html




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(Left) Abundance of marine life which Resolve has been monitoring; (Middle) Final resting place for cremated loved ones; (Right) One of the many sculptures at the project area













Resolve Marine Group recently sent a team of marine biologists and commercial divers to the Neptune Memorial Reef off of Key Biscayne. The Neptune Reef is a man-made memorial which serves as a final resting place for cremated loved ones and as a sanctuary for marine life.




(Right & Left) A Resolve diver drills on the Neptune Reef; (Middle) Eight inch holes Resolve has drilled out to facilitate stabilization of the reef structure




The Resolve team has been cutting, welding, and drilling to facilitate stabilization of the underwater structures, as well as conducting ongoing biological monitoring to assess the quality of the marine life surrounding the Neptune Reef.

The most recent dive included marine biologists, Dr. Mike Haley and Clay Backus, as well as members of our commercial dive team, Wes Woessner and Rudy DeJesus. Check back for updates as this is an ongoing project.

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(Left to Right) President Joseph E. Farrell welcomes Bob Umbdenstock to Resolve










Resolve Marine Group of Fort Lauderdale has announced that Mr. Bob Umbdenstock, marine response industry executive and consultant, has joined our team.



Bringing 30 years of management experience in heavy marine salvage, wreck removal, and spill response operations, Bob will focus on the development and marketing of the emergency response capabilities that Resolve offers to vessel owners and managers for compliance with national planning requirements as well as Resolve's worldwide strategic growth.



Resolve specializes in marine emergency response operations, contingency training and project management support to the marine shipping, offshore oil industries, the global marine insurance community, and the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy. Resolve is the named provider of salvage services in nearly half of the vessel response plans on file with the U.S. Coast Guard.

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(Above) Representing Resolve from left to right; Todd Duke, Ryan Morrison, President Joseph Farrell, and Todd Schauer


San Antonio, TX- Oct. 28th-30th 2008





Resolve Marine Group, Inc. attended the 18th Annual Clean Gulf Conference and Exhibition held at the Henry B. Gonzales Conference Center in San Antonio, TX last week.





The conference focused on Oil and Haz-Mat Spill Prevention, Response, Environmental, Port Security, and Marine Fire & Hazard issues as well as real challenges, trends, and solutions that are experienced in the industry.





Resolve impressed the 2,000 plus attendees by showcasing its wide variety of services and very unique portfolio that is growing every day.





Representing Resolve was President Joseph Farrell, Todd Schauer, Bob Umbdenstock, Todd Duke, and Ryan Morrison.

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(Left) Crane lifting piling; (Middle) Lowering piling for placement; (Right) Pilings in place





Resolve Marine Group was recently hired by a Louisiana firm to assist in an offshore project. The job requires the use of a Resolve support barge and the 110 Ton American 999 crane which were sent from Resolve's U.S. Gulf Coast Response Facility.




The crane will support in the loading and placement of pilings for an oil rig platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Among the Resolve team members are Danny Horning, Ben Bailey, and Chris Bailey who are currently working 24 hour shifts until the job is complete.

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Resolve's work on coral reef restoration (together with Coastal Recovery by Farrell), has so far yielded excellent results. Resolve has placed artifical ceramic structures on the ocean floor to restore 3 dimensional structure, and then transplanted live coral onto the artificial reef structures. Over time, the coral overgrows these structures, gradually transforming an artificial creation into a thriving natural coral reef .

Staff Marine Biologist Dr. Michael Haley has been working with University of Miami biologists to rehabilitate damaged corals and restore live corals to damaged sites in South Florida. Mike and his team have been harvesting corals growing on the Osborne Tire Reef off Ft. Lauderdale, which consists of more than 2 million tires put down in the 1970s, and which is slated for removal. Resolve/Coastal Recovery carefully removes the corals growing on top of these tires and transports them to the University of Miami's laboratory on Rickenbacker Cay, one of the only facilities in the country that can successfully rear and fragment corals. Resolve has now transplanted corals grown in the lab. back into the sea to study how this technique can help damage from ship groundings.


So far, this study has yielded excellent results. The branching coral transplanted on the ceramic structures has increased in size by more than 67% in three months, a rate of growth that equals corals kept in the laboratory under ideal conditions, and actually exceeds the growth of the same species growing in the wild nearby. At current growth rates, the artificial reef structures will be overgrown by live coral in 1-2 years, and therefore this technique shows that coral reefs can be restored using this technique. Resolve and Coastal Recovery are the only private companies in the US that has now demonstrated the ability to restore coral reefs after they have been damaged.

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RESOLVE PIONEER at the project The Offshore Jetty

Resolve Marine Group recently finished yet another challenging job that was met with many engineering feats featuring the recovery and repair of the BORCO Offshore Jetties.




(Left) A piling being lowered; (Right) One of the catwalk supports




Resolve was hired by BORCO (Bahamas Oil Refining Company) to dismantle existing bridge supports of the Old Small Jetty offshore platform and then to fabricate and install new leg braces.





(Left) The RMG 300 and American 11320 placing a catwalk section; (Right) A vessel docked at the jetty

The Old Small Jetty was submerged and was resting atop several supply pipelines. The estimated dead weight of this platform was 1,423,236 lbs and an unknown amount of additional burden from accumulated sand, sediments, marine growth, etc. The salvage included chain cutting and recycling the segments.Resolve also removed nine damaged pipelines in the vicinity of the Old Small Jetty.

Once the Old Small Jetty portion of the project had been completed, Resolve installed 15 catwalks on the New Large Jetty. This was accomplished by using the RMG 300 Barge and the American 11320 Crane to support and lift the catwalks and pilings into place. The operation, though difficult at times proved to be another Resolve success.

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(Left) An arial view of the SEAWITCH; (Right) The SEAWITCH seen from the the dock







Resolve Marine Group, led by Project Manager Todd Schauer, recently began a challenging job assessing and remediating the derelict vessel SEAWITCH at the site of the former Kurt Iron and Metal facility in Baltimore, Maryland. The SEAWITCH was used for oil storage during the scrapping of naval and commercial vessels while the facility was in operation.







(Left) The Lana Rose mobilizing from The Bahamas to Baltimore; (Middle) The 450 Ton American 11320 Crane lifts a piling out of the water; (Right) A Resolve diver following an assessment dive







The remediation plan calls for a systematic refloating and surface cleaning of the vessel to bring it to a visually clean and verifiable condition. Before this can be accomplished multiple dive assessments and water tests will be conducted to ensure the most environmentally friendly outcome.




With a 100% success rate, Resolve is known as the industry leader in site remediation and derelict vessel cleanup. This will prove to be another success we can add to our resume.







Below is an interesting bit of history about the SEAWITCH


From Professional Mariner Magazine:






Loss of steering led to fiery collision in New York's Verrazano Narrows






The SEAWITCH before her collision





After the collision, the crude oil aboard the tanker caught fire, creating a ball of flames that licked the car deck of the bridge 228 feet above the water's surface. [Associated Press photos]

John Delach






Just before midnight on May 30, 1973, CV Sea Witch left Staten Island, N.Y., carrying 445 containers below deck and 285 containers above deck. Built by Bath Iron Works in 1968, it was small by today's standards. Sea Witch had a length of 610 feet overall and a gross tonnage of 17,902. The bridge and officer's quarters were located forward of the holds, while the machinery spaces and crews' quarters were aft, giving the ship the appearance of a fat Great Lakes boat.


John T. (Jack) Cahill, the pilot, active since 1948, took charge as the ship sailed east toward St. George, Staten Island. In addition to Cahill, Capt. John Paterson and three other members of the vessel's crew occupied the compact bridge. Paterson had also positioned the chief mate and two seamen on the forecastle to help spot other marine traffic and to be ready to lower the anchors should an emergency arise.


Twenty-nine minutes after midnight, Cahill ordered the speed increased to full harbor speed of 13.4 knots. With the ebb tide traveling at approximately 2 to 3 knots, Sea Witch's actual speed was about 15 knots. As the ship passed the ferry terminal at the tip of St. George, he directed the helmsman to bring the ship to a heading of 167_ in order to begin transiting the Narrows separating Staten Island from Brooklyn. Seven minutes later he corrected the course to 156_.


When the ship did not respond as expected, the helmsman told the captain that Sea Witch was no longer steering. Paterson remarked, "That damn steering gear again." He attempted to correct the problem by transferring steering control from the starboard system to the port system. Cahill also took corrective action ordering, "Hard left rudder."


Both the captain's and the pilot's attempts proved futile. The port and starboard units fed into a single mechanism controlled by a faulty "key," a device similar to a cotter pin that had come undone. Without it, all steering control was lost, and Sea Witch was being forced out of the channel toward Staten Island.


Cahill immediately ordered the engines to full astern and the crew on the bow to let go the port anchor. He blew a series of short rapid blasts on the ship's whistle signaling that Sea Witch was in distress and ordered the general alarm bell rung to alert the crew, many of whom were in their quarters.


The tanker Esso Brussels lay anchored in the southernmost Narrows anchorage just north of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The tanker carried 319,402 barrels of light Nigerian crude destined for Exxon's Bayway Refinery. Esso Brussels was a handsome ship built in 1960. At 25,906 grt, it retained classic tanker lines with its bridge and the officer's quarters located amidships, while the engines and aft deckhouse were located toward the stern.


Capt. Constant Dert commanded a mixed European crew of 36 men and one woman, Gisele Rome, the first steward.


The bow crew on Sea Witch couldn't release the port anchor. By now, it was closing in on Esso Brussels and Cahill locked the whistle to sound continuously. The first mate ordered his men to release the starboard anchor. They freed the windlass, but the chain would not run. Cahill and Paterson ordered them off the bow, and they retreated behind the forward superstructure. Only two and a half minutes after the pilot and captain realized the ship was out of control, Sea Witch was a mere 200 feet from the starboard side of Esso Brussels. Cahill advised Paterson to clear the bridge, and they made it as far as the boat deck behind the forward superstructure when the night exploded.


About two minutes before impact, the mate standing watch on Esso Brussels's bridge heard Sea Witch's whistle. His first thought was that the disabled ship would pass astern of his tanker, but as it continued to veer in his direction he sounded the alarm, awakening the crew.


Sea Witch rammed its reinforced bow into the starboard side of the tanker between the midship and aft deckhouses, piercing three cargo tanks. The conflagration was instantaneous and flaming oil began to spread rapidly. Capt. Dert supervised the crew as they lowered the motorized aft port lifeboat. Despite the chaos, the crew managed to launch the boat, only to have trouble releasing it from its lines. That accomplished, a mate tried to turn a hand crank to start the engine, but the space needed was filled with terrified crew, making this impossible. A last attempt to row away from the advancing fire was thwarted by the engines of Sea Witch, now in reverse, which pulled both ships down the Narrows despite the resistance from the tanker's anchors. The movement created suction, pinning the lifeboat against the tanker and forcing the crew to jump in a desperate hope of escaping the flames that rounded the stern.


The fireboat Firefighter arrived minutes after the collision. The Firefighters could not tell that two ships were involved as both vessels were enveloped in a sea of flames that extended 3,000 yards in front of them.


The inferno began to create havoc on board Sea Witch as the contents of the on-deck containers quickly caught fire and began to explode. Aerosol cans of hair spray, shaving cream and spray paint exploded, turning into lethal projectiles that tore through the air.


The crew first took shelter near the stern, outside the aft deckhouse, but the heat, smoke and blast effects of exploding containers drove them inside. Their cabin of refuge had a half-inch fire hose that they used to spray the bulkheads, deck and overhead. They watched in horror as the water evaporated into steam. Without the fire hose, they would have been baked to death, because the fire department didn't find them for almost an hour and a half. The hose kept them alive, but they had to endure a hurricane of noise and pressure that assaulted their senses and sanity as containers, their cargoes and the ship's own gear erupted.


By then the life and death struggle of Esso Brussels's crew had played itself out. Tugs rescued the survivors, but 13 of the crew were lost.


Flames from the burning oil radiated 200 feet out from both ships and rose so high that as the ships passed under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, they scorched the bottom of the bridge, 228 feet above the water's surface. Fortunately, the wreck passed under the bridge quickly, preventing the steel from suffering heat damage. South of the bridge, the ships grounded in Gravesend Bay.


Firefighters tackled the fire blazing on the port side of Esso Brussels. Amazingly, despite the intensity of the blaze, none of the oil that remained in the vessel's intact tanks caught fire. It was only when the Firefighters extinguished the fire on the port side that they realized the bow of Sea Witch was embedded in the starboard side and that two vessels were involved in the inferno. They then proceeded along the port side of the container ship toward its stern.


Fires onboard Sea Witch continued to spread as the contents of more and more containers caught fire or exploded. Breathing was an ordeal even though the trapped crew covered their faces with wet towels and knelt down on the deck. Sensing that their desperate plight was not improving, Cahill took the initiative to signal rescuers. He grabbed a blanket, had it soaked with the hose, wrapped it around himself and stepped outside waving his flashlight toward Firefighter. The crew spotted Cahill and, using their water cannons, fought through the flaming water to reach the stern. Two ladders were raised from the fireboat, allowing the 30 trapped men to descend to safety.


The fires on Esso Brussels were mostly under control once daylight arrived and the Coast Guard and fire department agreed to have tugs separate the vessels. After the tanker was refloated, the fireboats easily extinguished what little oil continued to burn.


Sea Witch was in much worse condition, as almost all the on-deck containers were still burning. Four fireboats were ordered to use maximum water power to put out the fires. This caused a list of 25_ and forced the firefighting crews to reduce their efforts to two nozzles from a single fireboat. Containers burned or smoldered for several days before the fire was declared under control.


Exxon worked with the Coast Guard and fire department to unload the remaining cargo from the tanker into barges that carried it to the refinery. Once empty, Esso Brussels was towed to the Bethlehem Shipyard in Hoboken, N.J., to await disposition.


The Coast Guard estimated that of the 319,000 barrels of oil the tanker carried, 16,000 barrels escaped after the collision. What didn't burn washed up on Staten Island, Bay Ridge and Coney Island, but the same low flash point that made this crude so volatile also caused most it to evaporate.


Salvage of the containership was far more complicated. It wasn't until June 14 that a salvage crew was able to pump out enough water from below decks to bring the vessel back to an even keel. CO2 was pumped into the holds to stabilize the contents of the containers stored under deck, and the remaining fires in the on-deck containers were extinguished. Sea Witch was offloaded, and then towed to a pier at the former Brooklyn Navy Yard, where it would remain for eight years.


Coast Guard hearings opened on Monday, June 4, and it quickly came to light that Sea Witch had had frequent steering problems. The investigation revealed that 10 incidents involving the steering had occurred since 1969. The immediate response from the Coast Guard was to advise all operators of vessels with similar steering systems to modify the mechanics to prevent a failure.


Exxon sold the tanker to the Greek ship owner John D. Latsis on an "as is where is" basis. He had the vessel towed to Piraeus, Greece, where it was rebuilt and sailed under a variety of names for several of his companies until it was withdrawn from service and scrapped in 1985.


Various American maritime firms expressed interest in salvaging the stern sections of Sea Witch. It was finally towed to Newport News Shipbuilding's yard in Virginia. All spaces forward of the engine room deckhouse were cut off and scrapped. They were replaced by a new fore body built at the yard. Converted to a Jones Act U.S.-flag chemical carrier, it was renamed Chemical Discoverer and still sails today as Chemical Pioneer.


John Delach worked in the marine insurance industry for over 30 years as a claims agent, steamship representative, surveyor and broker. Since retiring in 2000, he has been pursuing a second career as a writer.

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(Left) The FRANCES STEVENS being lifted out of water; (Middle) The tug being moved towards the dock; (Right) The tug being lowered to blocks on the dock




Resolve Marine Group, Inc. was contracted by Construction Solution to assist in dry docking the tug FRANCES STEVENS earlier today.







Resolve used its crane barge RMG 250 to lift the tug out of the water and place it on blocks located on the dock so that the vessel could have work done on its hull.







The Resolve team of Ben Bailey, Chad Bennet, and Chris Bailey made this operation a success.

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(Left) The silos prior to lowering;(Middle) A silo being lowered; (Right) A silo is layed down in preparation for loading on the barge














Led by Frank Leckey and Ray Fortin, Resolve was hired to transport two cement silos, which are 90 feet tall and weigh approx. 90 tons each, from Paradise Island to Arawak Key, Bahamas where they were to be reinstalled on a new foundation.











(Left) The 450 Ton crane is seen walking off of the RMG 300 barge; (Middle) A silo be raised for final installment; (Right) The second of two silos being set on the new foundation














The job consisted of walking the 450 Ton 11320 American Crane off of the RMG 300 barge and utilized a second crane to assist in lowering the silos on their sides so they could be set on the barge for transport to Arawak Key. Once they arrived at Arawak Key, they were unloaded from the barge and successfully set upright on the new foundation.

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Resolve Marine Group, Inc. recently sunk the 473 foot, 7,000 ton U.S.T.S. TEXAS CLIPPER. Built by Bethlehem Steel in 1944, she was first named the U.S.S. Queens, after the New York City borough. Over six decades, she sailed some 1.3 million miles, including to Japan in World War II. She was then named the S.S. Excambion and was used as a luxury liner. She was then reaquired by the federal government and then loaned to Texas A&M. For the next 30 years of her life she was a merchant marine training vessel for Texas A&M students.





The Texas Clipper is also the first vessel ever sunk with Resolve's ceramic artificial reef modules. The modules are meant to replicate Antler Coral and will help the local marine life ecosystem. In fact, within 48 hours of her sinking, Pinfish were seen on her.

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Resolve Marine Group, Inc. and their partners SvitzerWijsmueller, mobilized to assist a 170 meter Bulk Carrier which grounded on a protected coral reef off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The team conducted an assessment of the vessel and her cargo. An engineering and environmental protection plan was developed by Resolve, the vessel was lightered of 2,000 metric tons of cargo and refloated.

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The Texas Clipper prior to cleansing


In October 2006, Resolve Marine was awarded a contract from the State of Texas for the remediation and prepartion for sinking of the Texas Clipper, a retired Texas A&M University Training Vessel, off the coast of south Texas. Resolve will tow the vessel to Brownsville, Texas where she will undergo remediation in accordance with the EPA's Best Management Practices, to remove all hazardous materials including PCB's, asbestos, hydrocarbons, mercury, etc. The vessel will also be made safe for divers and will be prepared for sinking without the use of explosives. Upon final approval of the State of Texas and the US Environmental Protection Agency, the vessel will be towed off the coast of Texas for sinking as a diving and fishing attraction.

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At 207 feet the RESOLVE PIONEER is not a small vessel by any means and is the first of five in a strategic plan to place these vessels in key response locations around the continental US. To put it simply, the Resolve Pioneer is not a typical anchor handling tug supply vessel. In fact, this vessel is a true multi-purpose response and salvage vessel. The Resolve Pioneer is extremely maneuverable and capable of providing emergency towing and firefighting response. Additionally, this vessel can be used to house personnel and serve as a base for dive / salvage operations, utilizing the four point mooring system. Yet, there is still plenty of open space on the back deck to load essential equipment.

The Resolve Pioneer was originally built for service in the extreme conditions of northern waters. The vessel is currently Ice Classed and the hull is constructed of reinforced steel plate, measuring 1-1/4" thick, and extending from the main deck elevation, down to the 19' waterline. The Resolve Pioneer holds a current COI and meets all the requirements of the ISM code. Additionally, the vessel carries a full complement of electronics, including satellite communications. The Resolve Pioneer is a truly versatile vessel, capable of working in the most demanding conditions.

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Joe Farrell III (A 2006 graduate of Mass Maritime Academy-licensed Third Asst. Engineer), son of the Resolve President, is seen testing and perfecting his underwater control lift program with which he will earn his Master's Thesis at Florida Institute of Technology. Clay Backus, a recent graduate of FL Inst. of Tech, and who has his Master's degree in Biological Oceanography assisted Joe. Clay has joined Resolve Marine Group on a full-time basis.





During the same dive Resolve's coral expert and Phd. Doctor Michael Haley can be seen inspecting and measuring coral that we have transplanted to compare against the growth rate of these same corals we have under a controlled environment in the Univ. of Miami Lab.


Also on the same dive event our R.O.V. team of Eric Shelley and Troy Caras operated the company's newest R.O.V. on a training mission by recording all events with the vehicle.

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Resolve divers practice underwater welding techniques at a recent certification course


Resolve Marine recently sent a group of its underwater welding team to Miami for welding certification. The course which took place within a 36,000 gallon indoor tank, certified each diver in Welder Performance Qualification (WPQ) and AWS D3.6-93 Specification for Underwater Welding as recognized by Lloyd's Register of Shipping.









The dive team, which traveled from Resolve's U.S. Gulf Response Facility in Mobile, AL, consisted of Ed Yenni, Bill Rittenhouse, Aaron Nahapetian, T.J. Hartwick, and Michael Carista.


WATCH THE VIDEO

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Resolve diver working inside a 45 inch steel piling





A Resolve Towing and Salvage dive team recently completed a challenging underwater repair project in Freeport, Bahamas. The repair was accomplished to a damaged 48 inch diameter steel dock support piling.




Resolve diver performing underwater welding





In order to assure a proper repair was made to this load bearing piling and with no access from above, the divers had to build an entire 20 foot high internal steel cage made of 1 1/4 inch steel rebar. This cage, which weighed approx one and a half tons had to be hand built and welded up inside the damaged pipe by divers. Then the 3/4 inch steel plate patch, approx 10ft x 6ft, had been contoured, rolled, lowered, fitted, and then welded to the exterior of the pile. Once this was accomplished, 12 yards of concrete was pumped into the piling.

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Resolve Marine Group, Inc. was recently hired by Transocean, one of the largest offshore deep water drilling companies in the world, to provide support for a challenging offshore project.



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(Left) Resolve Pioneer fully loaded, Celtic Sea seen behind; (Right) The Celtic Sea


The fully crewed 10,000 HP AHTS Resolve Pioneer set out from Resolve

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When the world's largest offshore drilling company needs last minute fabrication and engineering design Resolve delivers.

Transocean contracted Resolve Marine Group to assist with removing six thrusters from the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Celtic Sea using Resolve's newly upgraded AHTS Resolve Pioneer

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The Beau Rivage was the only casino left standing in Biloxi, MS after Hurricane Katrina


The Beau Rivage, a waterfront casino in Biloxi, MS, is a very unique structure in that it sits on five submerged barges that are 300 ft long by 100 ft wide. The barges, which are empty of water, are actually held under water by an ingenious array of moorings.




(Left) A Resolve supporter lowering the Toyo underwater hydraulic submersible pump; (Middle) Resolve Team Members strategize at the com station; (Right) A Resolve diver prepares to dive under the casino


As a result of Hurricane Katrina, there was a substantial amount of debris that settled under the casino barges. The Resolve Dive Team consisting of divers Bill Rittenhouse, Ricardo Ormeno, Wayne Maichak, and Project Manager Tim McKinnis will utilize our 6 inch submersible pump to dredge 22,000 cubic yards of the silt and mud that has settled under the barges.





Resolve fabricated the dual chambered pontoon flotation device


Due to the weight of the pump, approx. 3,000 lbs, coupled with the fact it needed to be floated under the barge, Resolve fabricated a dual chambered pontoon flotation device with controlled buoyancy which allowed the pump to be accessed under the casino's barges. Check back for progress reports on the job!

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Resolve Marine recently attended the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium which was held at the Broward County Convention Center from July 7th to July 10th.

The world's major coral reef science meeting, the International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS), is held every 4 years. The last time it was held in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale was in 1977.

Resolve made a great impression on the 3,000 plus attendees by showcasing its artificial reef making capabilities, which include sinking decommissioned vessels and the use of ceramic modules used to remediate coral reefs damaged by grounded vessels. Of the five largest vessels intentionally sunk in the United States, Resolve has been responsible for three of them: the USS Oriskany, the USS Spiegel Grove, and the USTS Texas Clipper; which received praise from all who have dove on them. Resolve looks to build from this conference and continue to grow its reputation as the leader in artificial reef creation.

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Resolve Marine Group is happy to announce that it has successfully hosted its first Royal Caribbean Cruise Line class at the new Joshua James Response Center. The class taught was "Train The Trainer". This is only the first of many classes that Resolve will teach at it's new facility. Doing away with the old dry-erase board, the use of the new technologically advanced "smart board" enables the instructor to teach his class more efficiently by creating presentations and course materials that can be directly downloaded to each students computer. This state of the art technology and expert instructors help make the Joshua James Response Center the #1 maritime shipboard training facility in the United States. If you are interested in crew training, please don't hesitate to contact Mike Holloway at 954-463-9195.


Joshua James Center Brochure (Printable)

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Resolve Marine Group sent four individuals to the 2008 Posidonia Shipping Exhibition in Greece from June 2-June 6th and proudly represented the American Pavilion. Industry leaders from around the globe attended this year's show making it a huge success. Posidonia is the Int'l Shipping Exhibition which occurs every other year and is the show of all shows. Resolve plans on attending the 2010 exhibition and will hope to improve on this year's success.

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05 May 2008


Dear Mrs. Anderson,

I would like to extend my personal gratitude to you for the superb support you provided to me , my staff, and our ships during Fleet Week 2008 Port Everglades, 28 April-2 May 2008. I am particularly appreciative of your positive attitude and outstanding initiative.

The assistance you provided with coordinating the Damage Control Competition was nothing short of outstanding! I know our Sailors enjoyed the different drills which included hose rigging, dress-out, and search and rescue to name a few. As you know, DC Training is a vital part of the Navy and Coast Guard.

Karen, this week would not have been a success without you and your expertise. You can be justifiably proud of that. Your hard work and dedication is noted and appreciated. I commend you for a job exceptionally "well done!"


Sincerely,


D.P. Holloway, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy

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Issue Date: Issue #114, Jun/Jul 2008
Resolve Marine to open $3.2 million training center in Florida

Rich Miller




Resolve Pioneer is the first of five vessels Resolve Marine plans to place strategically around the United States to better respond to maritime incidents.

Responding to the increasing demand for qualified personnel across the industry, Resolve Marine Group will expand its maritime training division by christening a $3.2 million classroom facility in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

The Joshua James Response Center will be located in a 43,000-square-foot building that houses the company's ship salvage and marine firefighting equipment. Named in honor of a renowned 19th-century maritime lifesaver, the facility has been completely renovated and will include the latest in university-style network technology.
"Joshua James is really an unspoken hero among mariners, and Resolve looks to follow his example with this new training center," said Joseph Farrell, president and founder of the company. Resolve Marine specializes in marine salvage, wreck removal and fire and hazard response.
Courses will include "Train the Trainer" and "Fast Rescue Boat," along with instruction in "Standards of Training Certification" and "Watchkeeping - Basic Safety Training." Resolve will expand into another high-demand area of the industry by providing training for cruise-ship personnel.

Todd Butler, marketing coordinator for Resolve, said the company is planning to construct a 360-degree bridge simulator with an interface system that will incorporate multiple cruise-ship designs.
"We also have mock lifeboat and escape-chute training done in a simulated environment within the safety and control of our facility," he said.
Courses will run from one day to slightly longer than one week, with up to 24 hours of hands-on field instruction depending on the course. Participants will receive certification or licensing upon the successful completion of their program of study, Butler said.
Joshua James, whose mother and sister died in the sinking of the schooner Hepzibah off the New England coast when he was a boy, is credited with helping to save more than 600 lives in the 60 years he patrolled the shores of Hull, Mass.

James participated in his first rescue at age 15 as a member of the Massachusetts Humane Society. He died in 1902 at age 75 while on duty with the U.S. Life-Saving Service. He received many medals of commendation, including the Congressional Gold Lifesaving Medal for his actions during the Great Storm of 1888.

"Out of respect for Capt. James and his legacy, we have gone to great lengths to ensure the authenticity of our dedications to him," Farrell said. "Our signs above the building have been hand-carved using true Nantucket artisans, the colors of his medals have been matched and confirmed by local maritime historians, and all who train here will be taught the story of this facility's namesake. This training center will truly be a model for future maritime safety facilities."

A christening ceremony for the new center will be held in the fall. Officers from the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard are scheduled to be among those in attendance.

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May 10, 2008


Dear Mrs. Anderson,


On behalf of the Officers and Crew of USS RAMAGE (DDG 61), I wanted to personally send a hearty Thank You for your kindness and generosity in setting up the Damage Control Olympics during Fleet Week. We all enjoyed Fort Lauderdale's hospitality and appreciated all the hard work that goes into making a successful Fleet Week. We look forward to returning to Fort Lauderdale if the opportunity comes again.


Again, thank you for supporting our Sailors.


Sincerely,

R.W. Dykes, Commander, US Navy, Commanding Officer

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On April 29th Resolve Marine Group hosted its annual Damage Control Olympics. This year was the best yet! Featuring the newly introduced Resolve Fire Girls. Each girl represented one of the six Navy and Coast Guard vessels and helped cheer them on throughout the day. They were an instant hit with the Damage Control participants and all in attendance. The six vessels that participated included the USS Iwo Jima, the USS Mitscher, the USS Vella Gulf, the USCGC Reliance, the USS Ramage, and the USS Carter Hall.



This years First Place Winner was the USS Iwo Jima, who scored an impressive 46. They also broke a Resolve record in the firefighting event, finishing the event in 3:41 which beat the previous record of 4:00. In Second Place was the USS Mitscher, finishing with a score of 27. Third Place was the USS Carter Hall with a score of 25, Fourth was the USCGC Reliance with 14, Fifth was the USS Vella Gulf scoring 8, and Sixth was the USS Ramage which scored 6 points.


We hope all that attended enjoyed the day and the events and we look forward to continually improving the DC Olympics. See you in 2009!

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In 2008 Resolve plans to make its presence known across the board. Between our newest vessel (Resolve Pioneer), our new training facility (Joshua James Response Center), our new Augmented Reality Fire Trainer, and our many coastal recovery and environmental projects; Resolve is taking its business plan to the next level and wants its worldwide introduction to be met with as much enthusiasm as had by those who helped bring Resolve to where it is today.


This year we will be attending several big shows and would love to see you there!


Below is a list of shows being attended by Resolve this year:


UNDERWATER INTERVENTION
1/29/2008


C-PORT
2/1/2008


INDUSTRIAL FIRE
2/6/2008


CRUISE SHIPPING
3/10/2008


CMA (shipping) 2008
3/17/2008


FDIC
4/7/2008


INTERNATIONAL OIL SPILL CONFERENCE
5/4/2008


INTERNATIONAL TUG & SALVAGE
5/19/2008


POSIDONIA
6/2/2008


CLEAN GULF
10/29/2008

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Resolve Marine is pleased to announce it is moving into the ROV era with our new Video Ray Pro III XE GTO. The acronym ROV stands for Remotely Operated Vehicle and is a valuable tool that can assist divers or even eliminate the necessity for a diver when conducting underwater surveys in a potentially dangerous environment.

Five Resolve employees, Darrell Wallace, Troy Caras, Eric Shelley, Aric Barker and T.J. Hartwick (Pictured), were chosen for the initial operators training course and have since been called to several jobs requiring its use. The course was proctored by Steve Van Meter and has been operating Video Ray ROV's since they were first introduced 7 years ago. The training included basic operating instruction, deployment exercises and maintenance education.


The unit is based in Resolve's Ft. Lauderdale facility with the capability to be deployed anywhere at any time. Even though five members were chosen to become designated operators, this unit is easily transported and operated with 1 to 2 people. With the ability to operate from a multitude of power sources, and its compact design, this ROV can go anywhere Resolve will go.


If you wish to inquire about our rates for hiring our ROV (+ Operator) Please call us today! +1 954-764-8700

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Resolve Marine Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that we are now a member of SECOORA (Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association) and hold a seat on the first Board of Directors. Membership encompasses North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida and is comprised of various members of academia, research laboratories and private industry.


SECOORA is one of eleven regional associations under the Integrated Ocean Observing System. The integrated system under SECOORA will function as a regional System of Systems that will effectively link ocean observing system elements operated by separate entities and funded by a variety of sources within the southeastern United States. System links will enable detecting and forecasting oceanic climate variability; safe and efficient marine operations; national security; managing resources; preserving and restoring marine ecosystems; predicting and mitigating against coastal hazards and ensuring public health. Government Agencies involved include NOAA, Navy, USCG, etc.

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Resolve Marine Group, Inc. has deployed crews and assets to the Gulf Coast region in response to hundreds of vessel casualties resulting from the onslaught of Hurricanes Katrina/Rita. As soon as just days after the Category 4 storm plowed through the Louisiana/Mississippi coastlines, Resolve crews were on hand to respond to a 198-meter vessel grounded in the Mississippi River.


Due to the high volume of vessel casualties, Resolve has planned to be very busy in the Gulf region for several weeks to come. Aside from the hundreds of thousands of people Hurricane Katrina left homeless in the region, the storm has crippled shipping operations in the Mississippi River, causing spikes in the gasoline prices and other goods reliant upon the steady flow of the river.


Resolve is committed to helping those ship owners who have entrusted us to with the salvage of their vessels and we remain devoted to doing our part in ensuring the timely resumption of shipping operations in the area.

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Resolve Towing and Salvage, Inc., a division of Resolve Marine Group, Inc., deployed its assets in response to a grounded vessel near the Texas coast. The 691-foot Integrated Tug and Barge (ITB), which was transporting 330,000 barrels of premium and regular unleaded gasoline to Port Everglades, Florida ran aground 1.5 miles from the Sabine Pass Jetties.


Upon arrival of Resolve's Salvage crews, surveying and engineering assessments were made and it was determined that nearly a third of the cargo needed to be carefully removed from the vessel in order to refloat it. Under the guidance of Resolve Salvage Master, Frank Leckey, the nine man team transferred the product, developed the refloat plan and hired additional floating assets. The seven-day evolution resulted in the successful transferring of 100,000 barrels of gasoline to a barge, after which five tugboats towed the grounded ITB back into the Sabine Pass Channel.


Upon refloating the ITB safely, Resolve's Salvage Master returned custody of the vessel to the ship's pilots. Integrated Tug and Barges are barges that are pushed by specially-configured tugboats. When the tug and barge are connected, the two form a single unit that functions as a ship. There were no reports of accidents, injuries or discharges of pollution as a result of the incident. Inspectors determined the vessel showed no signs of damage as a result of the grounding.


The cause of the incident is being investigated by the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office of Port Arthur, Texas. Resolve Marine Group, Inc. has been in business nearly 25 years and offers such services as emergency marine salvage, towing and lightering services. The company also facilitates dozens of marine special projects annually, including the sinking of artificial reefs.

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Resolve Marine is fishing for boats that Hurricane Katrina deposited at the bottom of one of the city's largest marinas where as many as 200 boats are submerged at Municipal Yacht Harbor. Resolve Marine is expected to finish the job in about a month.



The city of New Orleans did not ask for help at the marina until last summer, and it has taken until now to complete the environmental assessments and get through the state bidding process, Hammatt said.



Resolve will also remove an estimated 300 tons of debris from wood pilings to refrigerators to splintered boat parts from the harbor bottom.

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A crew from Resolve Marine Group, Inc., from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., successfully recovered a Caterpillar 777D Off-Highway Truck from a lake on Pennsuco Quarry in Medley, Florida. The 777D, an 80 ton haul truck, ended up at the bottom of the lake after a driver lost control of the vehicle.


The lift came on the heels of a comprehensive plan which included underwater dive surveys and fashioning a specially-made device to lift the truck. The means by which the truck was lifted was especially important, due to the fact that the truck's steering mechanism had to remain undisrubed at the request of officials investigating the cause of the accident.


Given these demands, the Resolve team quickly went to work to design the device, which had to be made sturdy and large enough to fit over the truck's front and rear ends. The appliance was built by Resolve master welder, Jim Hartwick at the Resolve warehouse in Fort Lauderdale. The massive vehicle, which sank upright on a rock bed, was sitting in an estimated 80 feet of murky water. The jagged rocks lining the lake, coupled with the lack of visibility due to the depth and cloudiness of the water, made the project more difficult than what was initially assessed.


Conditions further worsened with the passing of Hurricane Katrina on Aug. 25, but the crew of commercial divers, marine salvage technicians and crane operators persevered. Just four days after returning to the worksite, the crew, demonstrating exceptional teamwork, successfully extracted the vehicle with the steering mechanism unscathed. The truck was then returned to the owners for further investigation.

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Fleet Week 2007 once again began with the Resolve Fire & Hazard D/C Olympics. As with all good ideas, that receive the commitment they deserve, it soon becomes a tradition and the Damage Control Olympics are no exception. With the continued support of Joe and Mary Beth Farrell and the Resolve Family, the Olympics have celebrated their 6th year.


A widely anticipated and appreciated intramural event; the D/C Olympics are open internationally to all Naval and Coast Guard Damage Control Teams during Fleet Week USA. The competition consists of 6 scored events which incorporate various skills from the damage control disciplines.


Results of the 2007 Olympics were as follows: 1st Place - USS Forrest Sherman 2nd Place - USS Gunston Hall 3rd Place - USS San Jacinto Damage Control teams from the USS Kearsarge, USS Ponce, and the USS Memphis also participated in the Olympics.


Despite the fierce but good natured rivalry each of the teams was willing to share their best tips and techniques with the competition. Congratulations and thanks to all participants!

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Joseph Farrell, President of Resolve Marine Group, Inc., was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2005 award for Florida in the "Services" category. The award recipients and finalists were celebrated for their skill, influence, farsightedness, and ability to be creative and successful at their distinctive business ventures. Ernst & Young acknowledged the finalists as being "the back bone to our country's economy and the successors to our nation's long tradition of business innovation."

The Florida awards banquet was held at The Peabody Hotel in Orlando, Florida on June 23, 2005. It was a black tie affair with a cocktail reception prior to dinner and an awards presentation ceremony. There was a Champagne toast honoring the Finalists and a dessert reception following the award presentations.

H. Wayne Huizenga of Huizenga Holdings Incorporated Ft. Lauderdale Florida, and the 2004 World Entrepreneur of the Year Winner, attended the awards dinner. Mr. Huizenga was named the 2004 World Entrepreneur of the year on May 28th, 2005 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. He generously extended an invitation to Joe and his guests to fly to and from Orlando with him on his personal executive jet for the Florida EOY awards.

This EOY award is a tremendous honor for Joe. The Judging process is pretty intense: Seven to ten award recipients are selected in several award categories by Ernst& Young's independent panel of judges. The Judges look for a nominee who shows accelerated growth, leadership, a good business plan, high morals and ethics, innovation and a certain level of personal risk.

Joe will move on to strive for the next prestigious honor in this class: the Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur of The Year Award, which will be held in Palm Springs, California (November 17-20, 2005). The overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year winner will join other Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year winners from around the world next May in Monte Carlo for the annual World Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

The Staff of Resolve Marine Group and Resolve Fire and Hazard sends Joe an immeasurable amount of best wishes.

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Firefighters from Resolve Fire & Hazard Response, Inc. led a fire attack team from the US Coast Guard and a municipal fire department to extinguish a smoldering wood pulp fire aboard the M/V Star Eagle off the coast of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The fire occurred on April 8, 2005 at 1300 hours in the ship's number one cargo hold. The Star Eagle is a 589-foot Norwegian flagged, open-hatch single deck bulk carrier that was headed for Japan.


It took four days to completely extinguish the fire. The cargo hold was filled with wood pulp, the final raw product before made into paper. The tough, cardboard-like sheets were baled together into wired bundles, packed 80 feet deep in the 40 x 80 foot cargo hold. The Star Eagle was built in 1981 for Star Shipping, a Norwegian forests products carrier and has nine holds with combined pulp bale capacity of 42,000 cubic meters.


Resolve sent a response team of three firefighters on April 9. Resolve's responsibility was to make sure the fire was completely out, leaving the ship in a safe manner. Todd Duke, Vice President of Resolve Fire & Hazard Response, acted as Marine Fire Officer and Chief of Operations on the Star Eagle fire. "We met with the United States Coast Guard (USCG), local officials, and ship crew," Duke said. Then we created an operational plan to begin temperature monitoring to determine the temperature of the cargo hold. Resolve utilized equipment and personnel to fight the fire provided by the Unalaska Fire Dept (UFD) and the damage control team from Coast Guard cutter Morgenthau, a California based 378-foot high endurance cutter, on patrol in the area to fight the fire.


Duke assessed the scene with the USCG, made recommendations to fight the fire, and provided a salvage plan. "Safety was always our first priority. We took it slowly, and the ship remained at Hog Island anchorage most of the time." The attack team included Duke and two other Resolve firefighters, in addition to two firefighters from Morgenthau, and two firefighters from UFD. Resolve conducted a visual survey of the exterior of cargo hold #1, and a visual survey of the hold from the port ballast tank utilizing confined space entry techniques on April 10. Resolve conducted atmospheric monitoring of the port and starboard tunnels, measuring oxygen levels, explosive gases, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide. "We made sure the oxygen levels were safe for our personnel, and that the flammable gases would not create a bigger fire. Then we released eight more cylinders of carbon dioxide and continued temperature monitoring through the night," Duke said.


Resolve continued putting more carbon dioxide in the cargo holds on April 11 to smother the still smoldering pulp. Duke's team loosened access on the cargo holds for entry the next day. Then dock space was identified to set up operations and open the hold up, to completely extinguish the fire and remove all the burnt products. The Star Eagle was brought alongside on April 12 for another site safety briefing with the Morgenthau's damage control team and the local fire department. Duke established a unified command on the bridge of Star Eagle, which included the USCG federal on scene coordinator, Frank Leckey, Resolve salvage masters, the vessel's master, the chief of the UFD and the Morgenthau's engineering officer.


In the spirit of cooperation, the UFD provided the engine and ladder company, as well as a medical unit. The Morgenthau damage control team conducted boundary cooling on port and starboard sides of cargo hold to cool the steel. The water supply was established with the ladder truck set to the #2 cargo hold. "We utilized compressed air foam (CAFS) and pumped the foam up the ladder pipe and down through our nozzles," Duke said. CAFS was used because it has very little water in it. Wood pulp absorbs water. Upon swelling, it could have burst the sideshells of ship. As the small access hatch in the cargo hold was opened, no flames or combustion were observed and the atmosphere was tested. The small access hatch was replaced and a larger inspection hatch was opened, providing a better view of the area with char marks on the bulkhead, closer to where the fire was.


Upon observation, visible damage was present but only a few hot spots were detected. Then the hatch was safely lifted. With no visible flame or combustion inside, the hatch was taken off cargo hold #2. "We entered the cargo hold, checked the bundles for hot spots and then removed them," Duke reported. The attack team checked the thermal engine temperature monitor as the bundles were removed. There was a 60 degree temperature difference between the outside air (25 degrees Fahrenheit with sleet) and the bundles (80-90 degrees Fahrenheit). Duke said the bundles were still warm two days after cargo hold opened. The warm bundles provided the potential for tunnel, where slow combustion can occur due to the slow smoldering generating heat in the middle of the bales. "We couldn't be sure the fire was 100% out unless the bundles were disassembled," Duke said. The USCG removed the damaged bundles from the cargo hold and placed them in a container on deck for transport to their final destination. About 100 bundles were ruined and removed from the cargo hold.


According to the USCG, the cause of the fire was determined to be clad welding in an adjacent ballast tank. At an impromptu debriefing to Dutch Harbor's city council and other public officials, Duke reiterated that the team spent significant time dumping carbon dioxide before opening the cargo hold. "We wanted the fire out before opening cargo hold," Duke said. The carbon dioxide soaks into the cargo and let the fuel cool down. It takes time to extinguish a fire, as the carbon dioxide displaces the oxygen. "We don't want a reflash," Duke said. "It takes time, even though it was a small incident." Duke reported that everything went safely and according to plan with no injuries or problems.


Over 5000 ships are under contract with Resolve to formulate vessel response plans in the event of an emergency or fuel spill as required by the USCG under OPA 90. Resolve Marine Group employs a staff of 100 marine damage control professionals providing salvage, firefighting, wreck removal, pollution control, artificial reefing of large ships, and training services to the maritime community, with a majority of its operations taking place in the Caribbean. It responds to the highest profile disasters, including the 1996 search and recovery of ValuJet Flight 592, which crashed in the Florida Everglades. It was lauded as the most difficult recovery in the history of aviation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSA).


Certified by a host of flag states including the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the United Kingdom's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Resolve's Port Everglades based training center is approved by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) as a Certified Marine Safety Training Facility. Resolve brings real experience to its world class training facilities and offers a full marine firefighting and emergency response curriculum to professional mariners and firefighters around the world. Resolve recently expanded that curriculum to include onboard training for the crews of yachts, cruise ships and commercial chemical tankers. The company also has response equipment in Los Angeles to provide rapid response to the west coast based marine incidents.

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Resolve Towing & Salvage, Inc. responded to a 712 foot cargo ship which ran aground in the Chesapeake Bay near Sharps Island, Maryland. The vessel was carrying 74,000 metric tons of coal. Resolve responded with tugs, barges and cranes to remove several tons of coal to refloat the vessel which was successfully accomplished March 7, 2007.


Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard.

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May 17th, 2006 will mark the one year anniversary of Resolve's successful efforts to sink the first U.S. Aircraft Carrier (ex-Oriskany CV-34) as an artificial reef. The ex-Oriskany was built after World War II and had decorated service in the Korean War and Vietnam War eras. This vessel was chosen by the US Navy's Inactive Ships Program as the first of its kind to be disposed of as an artificial reef in accordance with the EPA's Best Management Practices for reefing ships.

Resolve, along with a partner company, was chosen as the contractor to perform this important environmental remediation and sinking support. This project was truly ground breaking and the first of its kind as a large scale US Navy funded artificial reef project. For more details see our "Projects" Page.

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Resolve Towing and Salvage completed the removal of 11 miles of natural gas pipeline from the sea floor of the Gulf of Mexico under the direction of Mr. Todd Duke, Vice President of Operations. Working from shoreline to 11 miles offshore in up to 48' of water, Resolve crews endured many days of poor weather as cold front after cold front passed across southern Texas and the Gulf of Mexico.


Weather ranged from freezing rain, sleet, lighting, tornados in the area, high winds and seas, dense fog and even an occasional sunny day. Resolve designed and built a custom removal device that was used aboard the derrick barge RMG-400 to pick up the pipe, cut it into 40 foot sections recover any contents in the piping, and load it on to another Resolve barge for storage and transport ashore.


Due to the significant amount of live pipelines in the immediate vicinity of the obsolete line, Resolve had to pinpoint every mooring deployment, thus each relocation of our recovery barge required us to deploy 4 anchors with each anchor being placed on an exact latitude and longitude to avoid fouling of rupturing live pipelines. Additionally since this pipeline had been down for over 30 plus years we had to remove it from under four live pipelines. This was done by finding the pipeline crossings and cutting both ends of the dead pipeline and pulling them out from under the live or hot ones. These live pipelines where passing gas and oil thru them.


Working with Fugro, we were able to safely accomplish this nerve wracking aspect of the operation without incident. The operation also involved running our diver teams around the clock which involved hundreds of dive hours without diver injury. A total of 90 people were employed by Resolve on this project at one time or another including boat crew and maintenance personnel. In addition to various subcontractors, Resolve provided a total of 4 vessels, 2 derrick barges, and one deck barge which were used in support of the project. Once again, Resolve completed its contracted mission safely and without any pollution incidents.

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