NAVSEA S0800-AC-RPT-010 (0910-LP-105-8672), U.S. NAVY SALVAGE REPORT HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA (JAN 2007)

NAVSEA S0800-AC-RPT-010 (0910-LP-105-8672), U.S. NAVY SALVAGE REPORT HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA (JAN 2007). No natural disaster in U.S. history created a marine salvage effort the size and scope that existed in the aftermath of Hurricanes KATRINA and RITA. Approximately 500 miles of coastline in four different states Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas incurred the wrath of these two storms which left over 3,000 commercial vessels sunken, stranded, or fully aground as the storms’ floodwaters receded. Thankfully, only a few of these casualties were deep-draft vessels, and their owners removed them almost immediately with little damage. The remaining thousands included commercial barges and fishing or shrimping vessels, many with displacements over 100 tons. Previous U.S. hurricanes like CAMILLE, ANDREW and HUGO caused wide-spread devastation and, in their aftermath, various U.S. Navy Salvage commands played a role in the clean-up and restoration process. KATRINA and RITA created an unprecedented demand for the combined efforts of Ships, Mobile Diving and Salvage Units and SUPSALV from 29 August 2005 through 31 January 2006. Working in support of FEMA, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, SUPSALV, and a team of local salvage contractors led by Donjon Marine, Detachments from Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit Two, and the USS GRAPPLE (ARS 53) teamed to provide hydrographic survey of miles of critical waterways and clearance of hundreds of vessels and thousands of tons of debris, ensuring safe navigation to vital port facilities from Port Arthur, Texas to Mobile Bay, Alabama.