Removal of Spanish Prince (Blockship)
- 14 June 2010 11:4956311Just received this Notice to Mariners. Forumites might be interested.
PORT OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT
Notice to Mariners No. 7/2010
WESTERN ENTRANCE - REMOVAL OF BLOCK SHIP
Works to remove the Western Entrance Block Ship are expected to commence on or after Wednesday 16th June and are currently programmed to last 10 weeks.
During this period the block ship position is to be marked by various small buoys and two 60m crane barges with legs and marked anchors will remain on station, principally to the east side of the site. The recovered steel will transported to the Jet Foil Basin by a tug and barge.
The Western Entrance will remain open for use but when manoeuvring in the vicinity all vessels are advised to exercise caution, proceed at slow speed and maintain a safe distance from the floating plant.
The North Cardinal Buoy, (Wreck By.), will remain on station until such time as it becomes necessary to lift it clear of the area to progress work at the northern end.
On completion of this work the charted depth will be increased to 8.5m over the entire area and the North Cardinal Buoy permanently removed. - 14 June 2010 12:0956316Seen the batch waiting on the Price of Wales Pier for a couple of weeks.
Shame it isn't being lifted like Raise the Titanic !!Been nice knowing you :) - 14 June 2010 17:3356339does anyone have any more info on the ship?
- 14 June 2010 17:4056341Been nice knowing you :)
- 14 June 2010 17:4056342Been nice knowing you :)
- 14 June 2010 18:2756349I took this image last Saturday from the Prince of Wales pier out of interest, now I know what it`s for. Many thanks for that info Bob.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered. - 14 June 2010 20:5356373the name "spanish prince" rang a bell, just could not tie it up.
pleased to hear it is not the war grave one though. - 18 June 2010 15:4856895View of the multipurpose barge Waasland lying alongside the Prince of Wales pier ready to commence cutting the Spanish Prince down to give a clearance of 8.5 metres. She was partially filled with concrete prior to sinking her in position so one imagines that the reason for not removing the whole caboodle is that the bottom of the holds are a solid concrete block which would be a major job to break up and remove.
From the salvage contractors: "Herbosch Kiere Marine Contractors Ltd has recently been awarded two contracts by Dover Harbour Board. The first contract to be undertaken in June, is the salvage and partial removal of the blockship "Spanish Prince", an ex cargoship which was scuttled by the Admiralty during the first World War and lies to the east of the Western Entrance in the Outer Harbour of the Port . She was moved to her present position in the 1930's, the bow is close to the Southern Breakwater and a wreck buoy can be seen marking the stern. To improve access to the port for the new larger ferries and cruise ships, Dover Harbour Board decided the blockship needed to be removed. Herbosch Kiere will use our multi purpose barge Waasland and speciality lifting and cutting equipment for this contract, the ship will be cut up in situ before being raised from the sea bed."
Have added this photo full size to my fotopic collection on the Western Entrance Blockships, address below. This subject seems to have a fascination for a great number of folk as the collection has been viewed countless times, with the multi-beam sonar picture alone having attracted 1,357 views!
http://shipsintheportofdover.fotopic.net/c1193631.html - 2 July 2010 12:2158867Not sure if this link from the Dover Ferry Photos Forum will work but it looks like wreckage is being brought up
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu319/nosira/P1030400.jpgBeen nice knowing you :) - 2 July 2010 12:5158868These are the salvage vessels gathered over the remains of the Spanish Prince.
- 2 July 2010 13:0458870This is the multipurpose workboat Sarah Grey, seen on the right of the above photo.
Pictured in the jetfoil basin a few days ago.
- 2 July 2010 13:1158871This is the salvage barge Waasland seen close to the Prince of Wales pier the other day.
- 2 July 2010 23:4758916
- 30 July 2010 18:2063121Here is an unusual view I got when a gust of wind caught me today !! The platforms are a lot bigger than they look from the shore
Been nice knowing you :) - 30 July 2010 18:5963135I`d be very interested to know what exactly`s happening out there at the moment?Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
- 30 July 2010 19:0363136Difficult to tell, but there is a lot of scrap metal just under the top crane and to the left of the bottom crane - think they are just nibbling through the wreck until there sufficient water above low water markBeen nice knowing you :)
- 31 July 2010 07:2063191You must be a "cool-dude" Paul, not only parasailing, but taking pictures too.
Roger - 31 July 2010 08:5363206What confuses me is the fact that I thought the wreck was between the two buoy`s, whereas the working`s are always between the furthest buoy and the breakwater.Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
- 31 July 2010 09:3763213No Colin, between the breakwater and the boy - the ships therefore take a wide turn around it
Been nice knowing you :) - 31 July 2010 09:3963216Thanks Paul, and I forgot about that excellent image.Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
