The SS Richard Montgomery The SS Richard Montgomery SS Richard Montgomery Background Primary Subject Title 1 Location Marking and Guarding Hydrographic Survey Future Work Questions Contact Details Background A US Liberty Ship, built in 1943. Background The vessel was loaded with 7,000 tons of munitions and was part of a convoy from the US via the UK to Cherbourg. Location • On the 20th August 1944 while anchored in the Thames Estuary she dragged her anchor and grounded on a sandbank. • Located off Sheerness approximately 250m north of the Medway Approach Channel. • 1,400 tons of explosives remain on board. • Protected under section 2 of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. Marking and Guarding Peel Ports Sheerness provide marking and guarding services: • 24hr visual monitoring of the wreck • Maintenance of the marker buoys and signage Survey of Wreck Since 2018 two surveys annually: • Snapshot survey (latest in April 2021) • Full survey (latest in Sep 2020) Next survey scheduled for Aug/Sept 2021. Survey of Wreck 2017 Survey Data • Multibeam and laser scanning • Largely remained stable since 2016. Change in three of the six Key Areas Area 2 – Collapsing Deck Plate • 2016-2017 – 0.4m subsidence. • Collapsed section has broken free to the aft. • Hatch covers also subsiding. Area 5 – Split in hull • 0.3m movement since 2016 survey. Area 6 – Bridge Deck • Collapse of between 1.5m to 6m. • Piece of debris now located on seabed. • Further 10 smaller areas featured deterioration. 2018-2020 Reports & Condition • 2017-2018 – No Change • 2018-2019 – No Change • 2019-2020 – • Area 2 deck plate 0.6m drop in plate since 2017 (expected). • Pipes in Aft split have dropped slightly (expected). • Small drop in plating near stern gun & gun tub. Future Work Steel thickness testing identified that the mast steel is thicker than that of the hull. Mast cutting to take place to reduce stress on rest of the structure • Procurement ongoing • Work will start this summer and aim to complete in summer 2022. Contact Receiver of Wreck Maritime and Coastguard Agency 105 Commercial Road Southampton SO15 1EG +44 (0)20381 72575 [email protected] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-ss-richard-montgomery-information-and- survey-reports.