TOR BOREAS
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Seabed surveys commenced near Richard Montgomery wreck in preparation of mast removal
Seabed surveys were underway near the SS 'Richard Montgomery' off the coast of Southend, by the 'Tor Boreas' on July 26, to carry out cone penetration tests on the seabed around the wreck. This formed part of early work to prepare for the removal of the ship’s three masts, scheduled to begin in September as part of a wider safety project. The US Liberty that ran aground in the Thames Estuary in August 1944, between Southend and Sheerness. It still contained an estimated 1,400 tonnes of explosives. Engineers will work underwater to cut the masts off. An underwater platform will be constructed to allow specialist maritime engineers to remove the three masts off Sheerness. Independent experts had confirmed the £9.5m scheme could be carried out without increasing the risk posed by the explosives that remained onboard. Regular surveys have been conducted, and by the early 2000s, concerns began to be raised about the deteriorating condition of the vessel. The two forward mats, which sticked out of the water, were attached near the holds, and fears were growing that they will topple over. One concern was that they could displace or even cause an explosion of some of the munitions still onboard. The Resolve Marine was selected in 2025 to lead the salvage operation. The UK’s Department for Transport and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency report detailed planning has been undertaken. They were working carefully to remove the masts for preservation while also not increasing the risk posed by the remaining explosives on board. The US backed plans to keep the masts in the UK. The artefacts will be conserved at Chatham Historic Dockyard. Reports with photos: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yz1e3gv40o https://maritime-executive.com/article/work-to-start-for-removal-of-masts-from-famous-wwii-wreck-off-uk
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