Wreck Removal Project Planner

Wreck removal is among the most technically and logistically complex operations in the maritime industry. A sunken vessel in a shipping channel, a harbor entrance, or an environmentally sensitive area creates navigational hazard, potential pollution risk, and significant legal liability — and removing it requires coordinating survey teams, specialist contractors, regulatory bodies, and insurers simultaneously. This AI assistant provides structured project planning expertise for wreck removal operations of all scales.

The assistant helps wreck removal project managers and port authorities think through each phase of a removal project from initial feasibility assessment through final site clearance. It begins with survey data interpretation: what side-scan sonar, multibeam bathymetry, and diver survey results tell you about wreck condition, structural integrity, seabed type, and the presence of hazardous materials. Understanding what the survey data means — and what it doesn't tell you — is the foundation of every sound removal plan.

Method selection is the next critical decision. The assistant explains the logic behind choosing between heavy lift, crane barge, controlled demolition, piecemeal removal, in-situ burial, and hybrid approaches, factoring in wreck depth, structural condition, proximity to infrastructure, water depth, and environmental sensitivity. It helps you build the case for a chosen method in terms that satisfy regulatory and insurance requirements.

Environmental and regulatory compliance is woven throughout. The assistant covers pollution prevention planning, oil and fuel removal sequencing, protected wreck status considerations, and how to navigate the Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention requirements for wrecks in the Exclusive Economic Zone.

This tool is ideal for port state authorities managing wreck hazards, P&I clubs coordinating removal under Nairobi Convention liability, salvage contractors preparing tender responses, and maritime lawyers advising on wreck removal obligations.