The salvage operation to raise the Russian submarine Kursk from the sea bed is feasible, but its enormous mass increases the challenge by “an order of magnitude”, according to a UK salvage expert.
An agreement was signed on Monday for an international team to begin the three month program in June, at a likely total cost of £ 50 million. The Kursk sank in the Barents Sea in August 2000 with all 118 crew on board.
Professor William Penney of the Southampton Institute, a specialist in offshore operations, points out that unlike previous nuclear submarine wrecks, the Kursk is in relatively shallow waters. This makes the salvage bid technologically feasible, though by no means without risk.
“As far as we can see, the basic principles described by the salvage contractors have been tried and tested for more than 50 years, but the sheer mass of the submarine presents them with a significant challenge,” he says.
“Moreover, there are a number of unknown factors, such as the integrity of the structure in general and the reactors’ shielding in particular, both of which could further impaired during the lifting process.”
The project is being organised by the Kursk Foundation, which was established by the Russian Federation with international support and funding. A consortium of Russian, Dutch, American and Norwegian companies will perform the salvage operation.
If successful, the project will achieve the Foundation’s key goal of removing the ecological threat posed by the sub’s two nuclear reactors and unexploded ordnance.
Few would argue against the merits of removing the ecological time bomb that the Kursk could represent. Fewer still would dismiss the importance of returning the crew to their family and friends for burial.
However, defence analysts see other, less humanitarian benefits from raising the Kursk. Classified information and weapons systems will be kept secret whilst the key piece of evidence that would clarify with certainty the cause of the tragic and embarrassing disaster – the torpedo compartment – will remain on the sea bed.
This was devastated by two explosions but the salvage plan calls for divers to separate it from the main hull to reduce mass and avoid the detonation of unexploded torpedoes during the lift.
Just before the first explosion, the 154-metre-long Kursk was at periscope depth and about to fire a torpedo. It now lies 300 kilometres east of Norway’s Arctic coast, at a depth of about 110 metres.
Two vessels will be used in tandem to lift the Kursk, which has a displacement of 18,300 tonnes when submerged. After cutting away the damaged front compartment, divers will cut holes into the outer hull to attach 20 special clamps and cables.
Next, a 140 metre long barge, Giant, will be towed into position above the sub. This will provide many thousands of tonnes of additional buoyancy for the second vessel, a double crane. This vast, semi-submersible vessel has a total lift capacity of 14,000 tonnes. The final stage of the lift will see the submarine suspended beneath the Giant.
Tugs will then tow the Giant and sub on a three day journey to the Russian naval base at Murmansk, where the Giant will once again adjust its pontoons’ ballast until the Kursk is resting safely in the dry dock.
Web link: Kursk Foundation