Golden Ray Wreck Removal Moves to Final Cut

Cutting operations to separate the remainder of the Golden Ray wreck into two sections kicked off Monday, putting the end to the lengthy wreck removal operation nearly in sight.

Wreck removal personnel began cutting operations early Monday morning after completing a refit and maintenance period to equipment. Once the remainder of the wreck is separated into two sections, the heavy-lift catamaran VB-10,000 will lift Section Five onto a dry-dock barge for safe transit out of St. Simons Sound to a response facility south of Mayor’s Point Terminal.

The final section, known as Section Four, will be lifted, stowed and transited following the same process.

In preparation for the final lifts, a weight-shedding team has removed 59 vehicles from Section Five.

That announcement of the start of the final cut puts the end to the nearly 2-year-long wreck removal operation finally within sight.

The 656-foot Golden Ray was carrying over 4,000 vehicles when it capsized suddenly during a turn as it departed the Port of Brunswick on September 8, 2019, and came to rest on a sand bar. Wreck removal involves using the VB-10000 to cut the wreck into eight sections for removal by barge.

With the removal of Section Six completed earlier this month, just one cut and two sections remain.

The wreck removal has faced a number of significant setbacks, from oil spills to a massive fire that burned through the inside of the wreck back in May.

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