The Russian government has approved a plan to lift the sunken Kursk submarine.
An international consortium made up of Smit Tak, Halliburton and Heerema Marine Contractors will work alongside Russian companies to lift the vessel from the bed of the Barents Sea. The operation is expected to begin in April.
“A few months are needed for research into the position of the submarine before it can be lifted,” said Smit Tak corporate manager Lars Walder.
The severely damaged nose of the submarine will be cut off on the seabed, splitting the Kursk into two parts. The bigger part, with the command post and reactor ,will be the first to be lifted. The consortium plans to use Heerema’s giant 14,000t-capacity floating crane, The Thialf, to lift it to the surface and keep it there while the Russians can begin the grim task of removing the corpses of the sailors.
The 20m-long torpedo compartment damaged by the explosion will be left on the seabed and salvaged later by Russian organisations working alone.
Walder also said that engineers needed to study the position of the wreck and look into the possible problems caused by the nuclear engine and torpedos that are still on board.
“We also do not know the full extent of the damage to the bow and the exact position of the submarine,” said Walder.
Funding for the operation is being sought by the Kursk Foundation, an international committee set up to co-ordinate fundraising for the recovery of the vessel. The project is estimated at $70-100 million, and the foundation expects the European Union to come up with at least half of the sum.
