VESSEL recovery has been successfully completed after cutter suction dredge Kirra was partially submerged while at anchor in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria over the weekend.
A spokesperson for owners Hall Contracting said the dredge was refloated and loaded onto a barge on Tuesday before being transferred ashore this afternoon (Wednesday).
“Initial inspections indicate there is no structural damage to the vessel or damage to the fuel storage pontoons, with the impacts identified so far limited to saltwater ingress,” the spokesperson said.
“Spill containment booms were deployed around the dredge, and diesel fuel and hydraulic oil were pumped from the vessel to a secure storage tank on the barge prior to re-floating.”
The spokesperson said Hall Contracting worked closely with the Department of Transport and Planning, Parks Victoria, the City of Port Phillip, maritime authorities and other response partners to “manage the incident, prioritising public and maritime safety and the protection of the environment”.
The incident is believed to have occurred from high winds and swell over the weekend.
The vessel was unmanned at the time, and no one was injured.
Hall Contracting has described the Kirra as a modern cutter suction dredge launched in 2023.
The vessel was based at Middle Park Beach as part of a beach renourishment project, where Hall Contracting is dredging about 30,000 cubic metres of material on behalf of the City of Port Phillip and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).