A complex salvage operation to dismantle a 24-metre guard boat, which ran aground off the Pembrokeshire coast last December, is nearing its conclusion. The vessel, named the Resolute, is believed to have drifted onto rocks near Fishguard in west Wales during rough seas on 11 December last year. All four crew members were safely rescued by lifeboat following the incident.
HM Coastguard had previously confirmed the vessel remained aground and was the responsibility of its owner. However, specialist marine contractors, Jevington Logistics, based in Pembroke Dock, commenced the recovery operation on 29 June. The challenging task involved using an excavator equipped with shears, mounted on a 36-metre barge, to cut the stranded ship into large sections. These larger sections were then further reduced into smaller pieces by staff utilising oxy-propane torches, before being transported to a local company for recycling.
Steve Bradley, Operations Director at Jevington Logistics, speaking from a tugboat near the ongoing work, estimated that approximately 110 tonnes of steel would be salvaged from the "well-built" ship. He described the meticulous process, stating, "I'm currently up on the bridge of the Forth Trojan and right in front of me is the barge where we've got the excavator working away, nibbling at the metal superstructure of the vessel right on the bow."
Mr Bradley explained that dismantling the vessel was deemed the most effective approach due to significant damage to its hull, including "quite big holes." The company strategically employed a shallow-draft barge with "spuds" – legs that anchor into the seabed – to hold it in position. This method allowed for systematic sectioning of the vessel, lifting the large pieces onto the barge, and then further dismantling them there. Challenges included positioning the barge close to the Resolute and contending with adverse weather conditions, which caused a two-day pause in operations due to excessive sea swell.
In February, HM Coastguard confirmed that the majority of the Resolute's fuel had been successfully transferred ashore, with no further reports of pollution since a minor initial incident. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has been actively monitoring pollution prevention measures throughout the salvage operation. Mr Bradley affirmed that a boom was installed around the perimeter of the wreck, and the MCA expressed satisfaction with all environmental protection practices implemented.