When the 656-foot car carrier Golden Ray capsized suddenly when leaving harbour two years ago, it created a massive salvage project.

Coming to rest on its side just outside the US Port of Brunswick (Georgia), it was obvious that neither the 20,995 deadweight ton capacity ship nor its cargo of 4,000 Hyundais could could be saved. It was impossible to re-float, move, or shift the ship into an upright position.

It was then decided to create what must be the world’s largest chain saw. This uses a pulley system that incorporates a steel chain that runs along the bottom of the sunken ship and reciprocates back and forth at a rate of seven feet per minute, yielding a slow grinding/cutting action. This has has slowly but steadily cut the ship into sections which are then lifted onto a barge.

Now, the end is in sight of this massive undertaking with only two sections remaining. According to gCaptian, the wreck removal has gone far from smooth. Oil spills have been a problem has had a huge fire from inside the wreck.