TITAN Salvage safely refloats containership in Mexico

DANIA, FL — Titan Salvage, Crowley Maritime Corporation’s salvage and wreck-removal company, successfully completed the refloating of the M/V Maersk Diadema earlier this week at Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico.

The 975-foot laden containership went aground outside the entrance channel on its approach to the harbor on September 2, 2007. After a failed attempt by the ship’s crew, Titan was contracted by the German owners on September 4 to refloat the one-year-old vessel from its resting place atop a sandbank.

A Titan salvage master and naval architect were dispatched to the scene to perform a preliminary survey of the vessel while a dive survey was also performed. 

Using local tugs, the ship’s own ballast system and the expertise of Titan’s personnel, the vessel was successfully refloated on Sept. 5 approximately 24 hours after Titan was initially contacted.

This is the seventh successful salvage over the past 18 months that Titan has performed in Mexico. In March 2006, Titan successfully refloated the 835-foot containership APL Panama from a beach in Ensenada, Mexico, and redelivered her safely to her owners, concluding one of the largest commercial salvage endeavors ever undertaken. 

Over the past 25 years, TITAN has performed more than 300 salvage and wreck removal projects worldwide.

By Professional Mariner Staff