The only surviving landing craft from D-Day 1944, 'LCT 7074', has been re-floated in an operation in Birkenhead Docks, Liverpool, in the United Kingdom.
Unique Seaflex, working in conjunction with Salvesen UK, deployed 230 tonnes of buoyancy to the operation.
The project to lift and save 'LCT 7074' began in March 2014. The vessel came out of service at the end of the WWII after numerous successful deployments to the Normandy beaches; she was converted to a naval repair facility for a short while, then became a floating nightclub, and was berthed in Liverpool from around 1950.
Salvesen UK were engaged by Comet Technical Services on behalf of the National Museum of the Royal Navy to conduct a dive survey and some NDT inspection of the vessel during March, the result of which was that the hull was deemed in good enough condition to attempt the refloat.
After three weeks of diving to clean the vessel and prepare her for internal diving operations, the landing craft was ready to be refloated. The combination of the relatively shallow depths and the need to squeeze buoyancy into tight spaces meant that enclosed units fitted with pressure release valves were utilised.
