Photos: Salvors Complete Removal of Crane That Fell Into Cooper River

Salvors have completed the removal of a rail-mounted portal crane that fell off of Pier G at the former Charleston Naval Base last month.

On July 10, during a severe weather event, a classic portal boom crane went off the end of Pier G and into the Cooper River. Photos from the scene show significant damage to the edge of the concrete at the tip of the pier, between the end of the rails and the crane's resting place.

After the casualty, the Coast Guard instituted a safety zone around the site and warned mariners to exercise particular caution when passing by, given the risk of obstructions in the water.

This week, the Coast Guard said that a marine salvor had pulled the last component of the crane - the complete base with rail bogies - out of the water. Photos released by the service showed a floating shearlegs carrying the heavy base away from the scene for salvage.

Photos courtesy USCG

"The successful completion of this complex salvage operation is a testament to the strong partnership between the Coast Guard, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District, the salvage team, port stakeholders, and our federal, state and local partners," said Capt. Shawn Lansing, Sector Charleston commander and captain of the port. "Their coordinated efforts allowed us to safely remove the crane, protect the marine environment and restore the waterway for the maritime community."

The rail-mounted portal crane is of a type historically used by the U.S. Navy at its installations, consistent with the site's history as a former naval shipyard. The government yard closed during the BRAC process in the 1990s, and Pier G (and surrounding infrastructure) was leased to a private operator.