Naval Museum Artifacts Moved with Ease
Severe weather from 2012’s Hurricane Sandy continues to affect the mid-Atlantic region. After the storm landed in 2012, the New Jersey Naval Museum was severely damaged and closed to the public for the last five years. The artifacts inside were deteriorating due to the lack of proper environmental conditions, and several artifacts displayed outdoors needed significant repairs. The museum decided to close and remove the pieces to prevent further deterioration.
The museum hired Heritage to prepare the items for their move to the Washington Navy Yard in Richmond, Va. “At this naval museum, the artifacts are priceless,” said Jason Paszkewicz, vice president of operations for Heritage. “You don’t always know the weights of the loads, and as a rigger, you have to think outside the box and figure out the different rigging plans.”
Before the project began, the team carefully planned, including developing critical lift and rigging plans for each crane pick to ensure safety and prevent artifact damage. Advanced Crane Services from Ringwood, N.J., provided a 100-ton-capacity Terex AC 80-2 all-terrain crane with 27,600 pounds of counterweight for the lifts. Additional equipment included a 12,000-pound-capacity Lull telescopic handler, various rigging gear such as spreader bars, slings, and chain falls, and a skilled crew.
Location:
NJ
Industry:
Museums & Cultural Institutions
THE CHALLENGE
Artifacts removed included:
- Regulus 1 SSM-N-8A, the Navy’s first operational cruise missile
- Regulus 4 with Wheel Trailer
- Germany Seahund Submarine
- Japanese Kaiten II Submarine
- Patrol Boat
- Submarine conning tower
- Three periscopes
- Naval mine
- Anchor
- Sub-propeller
- MK 16 Mod 1 underwater breathing apparatus
- Bofors Gun
- Missile-guided Terrier
- SAM-N-7 / RIM-2 Terrier missiles
- SN D115 Navy US Guided Missile
- Talos SAM-N-6 / RIM-8 / MK 11 MOD 0 with booster
- Navy US Model Missile Polaris A-1
THE EXECUTION
There was also a need to coordinate with the trucking company to move all loads in two days. “It was all about the trucking schedules,” Paszkewicz said. “We had to have everything out to load on the trucks, so there were time constraints.”
Workers relocated the recovered naval artifacts to the Washington Navy Yard, where staff will assess them and perform any needed restoration. Once they complete the repair, they will put the artifacts back on display for the public to enjoy. Paszkewicz said the team finished the project safely, on schedule, and without incident.
