The Julie Anne will be towed to a secure location on 30 August for a full inspection to determine the cause of the sinking.
SalMar-backed salmon producer Scottish Sea Farms has successfully raised its landing craft, the Julie Anne, which unexpectedly sank in the Sound of Mull on 4 July 2024.
The vessel was brought to the water’s surface this evening and secured, following an extensive recovery operation.
Salvage efforts were led by Jifmar Group, with environmental mitigation support from Briggs Marine. Initial recovery attempts using lift bags on 21 July proved unsuccessful, prompting a switch to a specialist crane vessel, the Lara 1, which arrived on site on Thursday 29 August.
Under the supervision of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the Secretary of State’s Representative, and independent marine salvage consultants ABL Group, the Julie Anne was lifted into a containment boom at the surface. The vessel will be secured overnight alongside the Lara 1 before being raised onto the crane vessel’s deck tomorrow for inspection.
Efforts to minimize environmental impact have been a priority throughout the recovery, according to a release from Scottish Sea Farms on Thursday.
Briggs Marine has worked to contain any residual diesel by pumping potentially oily water into intermediate bulk containers and using absorbents to manage any remaining sheen. The estimated diesel fuel loss over the eight-week period was limited to approximately 200 litres.
Gerry McCormick, Scottish Sea Farms Head of Health & Safety, praised the collaborative efforts: “Thanks to the collective expertise of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Jifmar Group, Briggs Marine, and Inverlussa Marine Services, we have been able to recover the vessel and mitigate the risk of further diesel seepage into the marine environment.”
The Julie Anne will be towed to a secure location on 30 August for a full inspection to determine the cause of the sinking. In the meantime, Scottish Sea Farms has conducted tests on the salmon at its adjacent Fiunary farm, confirming no hydrocarbon contamination. Further testing will be conducted before harvesting resumes.
