Development of a new refloating technique for special heavy-duty objects

The project consists in the development of a new methodology to allow the retrieval of submerged objects which due to their particular characteristics cannot be brought to the surface through the conventional techniques currently available.

For the design of the methodology a comprehensive study will be conducted concerning the current technologies used for the refloating of submerged objects. This study will help pave the way for the actual development of a new refloating technique.

For the validation of the designed methodology the company will carry out the refloating of a submerged object close to the quay of the Valencia Harbour as a result of an accident during the transportation of that object.      Given the special characteristics of the object it was impossible to retrieve it by employing the current available conventional techniques (cranes and lifters). For this reason this particular case was chosen to validate the methodology in progress.

The chosen methodology consists in establishing successive floating stages of the submerged object, by which the object will start to emerge to the surface and finally reach an acceptable degree of navigability.