May 25, 2001 -- Washington, DC -- Phoenix International, Inc., (Phoenix) will be assisting the U.S. Navy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in an effort to recover major portions of the Civil War ironclad USS MONITOR during the summer of 2001. Under its ongoing Diving Services contract with the Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving Office, Phoenix will serve as the project manager for this year’s recovery operation. Phoenix is tasked with managing all logistic support, including hiring a large diving platform (with living accommodations), heavy lift equipment, and a saturation diving system. In addition, Phoenix will provide engineering support to the Navy for all aspects of the recovery. USS MONITOR sank in 1862 off North Carolina while being towed from Norfolk, Virginia to Charleston, South Carolina. The wreck is located 16 miles off Cape Hatteras in 240 feet of water. First discovered in 1973, the site was designated as the United States’ first marine sanctuary in 1975. Since then, NOAA has been responsible for the management and preservation of the site. In 1998, the U.S. Navy, working with NOAA and members of The Mariner’s Museum, Newport News, VA, began a series of recovery dives on USS MONITOR. This summer’s operation is the third, and by far the most ambitious, since the beginning of the recovery effort. Working from mid June to late July, Navy divers hope to recover the MONITOR’s engine, which weighs approximately 40 tons. Additionally, the Navy – NOAA team hopes to retrieve a large section of the ironclad’s hull, or armor belt, which weighs about 1 ton per foot. Divers will also prepare the MONITOR’s turret for lifting during next year’s recovery operation.

As the program manager, Phoenix has hired a barge, with a heavy lift crane and living accommodations, from Manson Gulf, LLC of Houma, Louisiana. This barge will serve as the diving and salvage platform during this summer’s recovery operation. In addition, Phoenix has subcontracted a portable saturation diving system from Global Industries, Ltd. of New Iberia, Louisiana. Pending a satisfactory evaluation by Navy inspectors, Navy saturation divers will use this diving system to work on the wreck. Phoenix will also provide onsite project management throughout the 2001 MONITOR expedition.

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