Projects

Atlantic Breeze

While laying at anchor off Nassau Sound and Amelia Island the Captain of the fishing vessel Atlantic Breeze awoke in the middle of the night to a severely listing vessel. A sudden in rush of water in the engine room had drowned the generator dashing all hope of saving the vessel. The US Coast Guard responded to the Captains distress call and plucked the crew from the vessel’s deck moments before she capsized. Thomas Contracting teamed with MOBRO Marine to recover the vessel which was later sold as scrap by the insurance underwriter.


Freeport Crane

A fierce afternoon storm accompanied by a tornado ripped through the container port in Freeport Bahamas toppling multiple pieces of equipment and blowing one of the world’s largest container handling cranes over into the bay. Our dive team worked around the clock to clear the wreckage so the Port could resume normal operation with its four remaining cranes.


Underwater Burning & Welding

Safe, efficient underwater burning and welding is a skill honed by experience. Our divers are the best in the business with years of experience, literally burning thousands of feet of steel on rehab projects, new construction projects, facility maintenance jobs and wreck removals.


Atlantic Marine Launchway

Thomas Contracting performed a complete rebuild of the New Vessel Construction Launchway at Atlantic Marine (now BAE Southeast Shipyard).


Captain Jake

Running with open portals and doors the 66 foot Captain Jake was overcome in high seas off Vero Beach sinking in just thirty five feet of water. We plucked her from the seabed with MOBRO’s 400 ton Skyhorse and delivered her to the nearby port. The owner refurbished the vessel and put her back to work.


Trident Submarine Graving Dock

We have been performing work at the Kings Bay Submarine Base since its inception in the mid 1980s. We provided dive support during both the engineering and new construction phases of the Trident Submarine Graving Dock, a 700 foot facility for dry docking the US Navy’s Trident Nuclear Submarines.


MSF Kings Bay Subase

The Magnetic Silencing Facility is like an iceberg, you only see one third of it above the water. Thomas Contracting performed all of the diving work during initial construction of the facility at Kings Bay in 1991, installing cable tray foundation blocks, cable trays, sensors and thousands of feet of cable. In 2005 we were again called upon to perform a complete underwater rehab of the facility which included sediment removal, complete removal of the original underwater equipment and installing a new updated system.


Powerline Removal

Realizing they were a hazard to navigation the owner contracted to have the foundations from an abandoned power line river crossing removed. Our divers excavated the support pile and cut them off well below the mud line. The foundations were delivered to a concrete recycling facility.


Marine Railway Collapse

During the undocking of the vessel “Sea Jade” the 4000 ton marine railway had a catastrophic structural failure, partially collapsing and trapping the railcar upon which the vessel rode in a mangled mess of steel, wood and debris. The vessel was stranded atop the railcar which was itself heavily damaged and unable to move. Our dive team performed initial inspections of the railway and railcar and worked side by side with engineers and naval architects to form and execute several complex plans to remedy the situation. The dive team installed jacking equipment under the “Sea Jade” and moved her over the damaged railcar effectively launching the vessel into the water and into the charge of four waiting tugboats. Our attention then turned to cutting the huge railcar into three pieces so that each could be lifted, placed on the hill and repaired by the owner. Thomas Contracting’s team then removed the severely damaged railway, installed, aligned and graded a new railway system provided by the owner.


295’ Mud Scow

Drillers neglected to check on the mud scow being used to collect the trimmings pumped from their work while drilling caissons on new bridge supports for widening the I-95 Bridge at the Satilla River. The barge which was in questionable condition was overloaded and sank. Our divers working in zero visibility and strong currents were able to temporarily refloat and reposition the vessel to a location where it was eventually cut up and removed for scrap.


“Jean Mary”

Owned by America’s sweetheart and movie star Debbie Reynolds the authentic paddle wheeler “Jean Mary” complete with roof top calliope was purchased with the intent of being a Show Boat type exhibit at her Hollywood themed museum in Tennessee. Unfortunately the Jean Mary sank dockside here in Florida while being prepared for the journey. Our dive team assisted MOBRO Marine with rigging and refloating the vessel.


Shrimp Boat Wreck Removal

Fisherman face many perils while at sea, but none more scary then a shipboard fire. The crew of this vessel watched their boat burn to the waterline and sink from the safety of a rescue vessel. Deemed a hazard to navigation and the environment our dive team assisted with removal of the wreck and all debris from the seabed and nearby beaches.


Sunshine State

The dredge tender “Sunshine State” was lost at sea off the North Carolina coast while being towed alongside a larger tug. It was only a short time before we located her resting place and plucked her from the seabed. Totally refurbished since, she’s back in service.


Three Sisters III

While headed to sea on a moonless night the Captain made an error in navigation. Striking hard upon the north jetty of the St. Johns River the Three Sisters III was holed in several locations throughout her hull. Precariously wedged upon the rocks she was in no danger of sinking until the falling tide and current dislodged her from her perch. Thomas Contracting divers righted the vessel, made temporary repairs to the hull and refloated the vessel. Towed to a nearby marine railway she was totally refurbished and returned to service.