Herbosch-Kiere Marine Contractors Ltd was appointed by the Port of London Authority to carry out specialist wreck removal works at two locations within the Thames Estuary, between Sea Reach 1 and 2 and The Sunk. The project focused on the salvage and removal of the Dovenby, a historic 70-metre, three-masted cargo vessel.
The Dovenby was transporting guano fertiliser from Peru to Antwerp when it sank in 1914 after colliding with a steamship in dense fog, north of the Isle of Sheppey.
Herbosch-Kiere deployed its multi-purpose barge Atlantis alongside the pontoon vessel Gaverland, equipped with specialised lifting and cutting equipment, to safely salvage and remove the wreckage.
This project demonstrates Herbosch-Kiere’s expertise in complex marine salvage operations, historic wreck removal, and working efficiently within heavily trafficked tidal waterways.