ASA Members Respond to Grounding of USS PORT ROYAL in Hawaii

9,600-ton, 567-foot guided missile cruiser ran aground a half-mile off Honolulu International Airport's Reef Runway after leaving port for sea trials.

Washington, DC - During the morning hours of February 7, 2009 three members of the American Salvage Association (ASA) provided salvage support to the U.S. Navy's Supervisor of Salvage to respond to the grounding of the USS Port Royal outside of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The 9,600-ton, 567-foot guided missile cruiser ran aground a half-mile off Honolulu International Airport's Reef Runway after leaving port for sea trials.

The ASA members mobilized their staffs for a response team consisting of a salvage master, assistant salvage master and a salvage engineer, managing logistics and contracting, as well as commercial resources required to support the Navy salvage operation either on site or from corporate offices. The three-day salvage effort involved tugs, a lightering barge, labor and other third-party services to assist the Navy with the successful salvage effort.

"ASA is proud of its member companies' collaborative effort with the U.S. Navy on this grounding incident. This successful work required people, resources and a quick professional response and ASA's members were able to provide all three to get the job done right," said John A, Witte, Jr., President, American Salvage Association.

The American Salvage Association is a trade association promoting professionalism and improving marine casualty response in American coastal and inland waters.