Ehime Maru Salvagers Trying New Plan
Engineers Say New Method Is Safer
POSTED: 8:17 p.m. HST September 26, 2001
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PEARL HARBOR, Oahu, Hawaii -- The U.S. Navy said Wednesday that it will try a slightly different plan than it first intended when it attempts to raise the Japanese fishing vessel Ehime Maru from the ocean bottom.
Instead of rigging the Ehime Maru (pictured, right) with two cables, the Navy will string one thicker cable through the structure of the ship. The cable will be doubled-over, passed around the bow, and threaded through each of the vessel's hawsepipes, the pipes on each side of the ship through which the anchor chain passes.
Engineers have determined that the new method should be safer because it more evenly distributes the weight of the ship around the bow.
The Navy recently said that the raising operation will cost about $60 million, which is $20 million more than its first estimate. Officials attribute the higher costs to weather delays, engineered problems and new equipment brought in to fix those problems.
Instead of rigging the Ehime Maru (pictured, right) with two cables, the Navy will string one thicker cable through the structure of the ship. The cable will be doubled-over, passed around the bow, and threaded through each of the vessel's hawsepipes, the pipes on each side of the ship through which the anchor chain passes.
Engineers have determined that the new method should be safer because it more evenly distributes the weight of the ship around the bow.
The Navy recently said that the raising operation will cost about $60 million, which is $20 million more than its first estimate. Officials attribute the higher costs to weather delays, engineered problems and new equipment brought in to fix those problems.
Previous Stories:
- September 9, 2001: Japan Official Observes Recovery Efforts
- September 8, 2001: Navy Calls For Help Raising Ehime Maru
- September 2, 2001: New Setback In Ehime Maru Recovery
- August 31, 2001: Ehime Maru Raising Hits Snag
- August 30, 2001: Navy Trying To Lift Ehime Maru
- August 23, 2001: Ehime Maru Recovery Hits Snag
- August 21, 2001: Japanese Sub Joins Ehime Maru Salvage
- August 16, 2001: Divers Practice Ehime Maru Recovery
- August 8, 2001: Salvage Ship Arrives At Wreckage Site
- July 21, 2001: Teams Blast Ehime Maru's Mast
- July 14, 2001: Ehime Maru Recovery Ship Arrives In Honolulu
- July 2, 2001: Japanese Ship Helps Navy Salvage Operation
- June 16, 2001: Report: Ehime Maru Can Be Safely Raised
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