Golden Ray to be Disassembled on Location

The Unified Command handling the salvage of the car carrier Golden Ray have determined that it is not possible to safely right and refloat the vessel in a fully intact condition. 

Plans are now being developed to remove all of the Golden Ray’s hull, components and cargo by disassembling the vessel in place. 

Lightering of the forward fuel oil tanks is now complete. More than  225,000 gallons of fuel have been removed to date. Lightering of the remaining fuel and lubricant tanks continues. 

The 20,000dwt vessel partially capsized on September 8 in St. Simons Sound, Georgia while heading out to sea with 4,200 vehicles on board. The pilot on the Golden Ray, Captain Jonathan Tennant, deliberately grounded the vessel in response to a fire on board. All onboard were rescued safely, although it took around 30 hours to free four crewmembers trapped in the vessel's engine room. An investigation into the cause of the casualty continues. 

Pollution mitigation and response efforts continue. Specialists from the Unified Command are conducting water monitoring at 22 sites under a long term plan to ensure the safety of the public.