South Australia Sinks Historic Grab Dredger as Artificial Reef
A 64-year-old vessel that supported artificial reef installations in Australian waters is preparing to be sunk to become an artificial reef and a recreational dive site, part of a program to restore biodiversity.
The MV Andrew Wilson, a 40-meter grab hopper dredger built in 1962, is set to be turned into an artificial reef in shallow water about six kilometers off the coast of Brighton in Gulf St Vincent. She will be the first vessel scuttled in South Australian waters in more than two decades.
For over six decades, the vessel, owned by the Australian company Maritime Constructions, was a workhorse in South Australian waters and was engaged in dredging, salvage operations, dive support, pile installation, navigation aids, and reef construction. At one point she was converted to a specialized commercial fishing vessel operating from Port Lincoln.
The Andrew Wilson is also remembered for playing a pivotal role in the salvage mission following the Whyalla Airlines tragedy in May 2000. The plane suffered a dual-engine failure and crashed into Spencer Gulf off the coast of South Australia, killing all eight people on board.
Currently docked at Port Adelaide, the vessel is preparing to make her final voyage as part of an US$116.5 million biodiversity restoration initiative.
Work is under way to strip hazardous materials from the vessel, including cutting access holes into the hull to allow safe entry for scuba divers. Once that is complete, the ship will be towed to the designated scuttling site, where she will be sunk upright on the seafloor. The vessel’s crane will remain in place to serve as an underwater landmark.
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The Andrew Wilson becomes the first ship purposely sunk in South Australia since the decommissioned Royal Australian Navy guided-missile destroyer HMAS Hobart in 2002. The 134-meter warship was scuttled in Yankalilla Bay, South Australia, using controlled explosions to become a protected artificial reef and dive site.
“The MV Andrew Wilson has served the state for decades, and this next chapter will see it transform into a thriving artificial reef, supporting both the marine ecosystem and tourism industry,” said Joe Szakacs, South Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.
