Mr. Kratz has served as rigger, diver, salvage foreman, assistant salvage master and/or salvage master for over 30 years with Donjon covering over 250 projects to date. Mr. Kratz now serves as a senior salvage master for the company with full on-site responsibility for salvage and wreck removal projects involving heavy lift, cranes and booms, towing, anchor-handling, ship-breaking, diving, pollution control, cargo-transfer/recovery and he is familiar with all ancillary types of salvage equipment. Mr. Kratz has over 27 experiences as a diver and now supervises all diving operations for the company including shallow-water, deep-water and saturation diving.
Most Recent Projects:
Salvage Master during Donjon salvage operations conducted in diverse marine environments, shoreside to open ocean, including many responses to post-Hurricane marine salvage, vessel removal/disposal/cleanup and shoreline cleanup during (DONJON Hurricane Sandy Response 2012/2013 in NJ / Hurricane Irma 2017 Key West, FL / Hurricane Maria 2017 U.S. Virgin Islands / Hurricane Florence 2018, Wilmington, NC / Hurricane Michael 2018, Wilmington, NC)
Fort Pierce Wreck Removal & Harbor Clearence. – Harbor was closed until removed.
Skanska barge Norfolk – Barge salvage and harbor clearance.
Shadwell Refloat & Salvage Operations – Operational planning, ballasting for stability, water transfer ops, oversaw and managed team of Naval Architects.
January 2015 served as salvage master on the par buckling and refloating of hopper barge in Delaware River.
June July 2014- removal of 300’ by 70’ barge Bahamas pride from protected reef in Abaco Bahamas Performed Salvage Master duties for diving rigging ,lifting and cutting both underwater and topside
and loading 200 ton pieces on barges for transport.
August 2013 refloating and wreck removal of Caddell Dry dock 6
Performed as salvage master supervising the cutting of the 400’ dry dock into three pieces. Refloating two and removing the third.
October 2012 Hurricane Sandy response Worked as salvage Master in response for the US Navy Coast Guard ,City of New York, US army Corp and state of new jersey supervised Pumping operations in Subways and tunnels in NY city working closely with the MTA and Navy Supervisor of salvage. Also worked on the ex Caddell a 200’ tanker aground on Staten Island and over 100 other wreck and obstructions in the waterways.
June – Oct 2009 – MV Fedra Wreck Removal at Gibraltar. Performed Salvage Master supervisory duties for $31 million wreck removal with diving, topside and underwater cutting, heavy lifts up to 300 tons and recyclable and hazmat disposal. Supervised crew of twelve (12) Donjon personnel plus local subcontractors.
In 2006, Mr. Kratz served as salvage master during the fuel oil removal from the sunken 150’ tug Valour at a location 30 miles offshore of the North Carolina coastline. In order to remove the hazard to navigation, the tug’s pilot house was also removed. Mr. Kratz supervised all offshore work including a dive crew in saturation, all derrick-barge and anchor handling operations.
In 2006, Mr. Kratz acted as salvage master for the salvage of the 20,000 DWT bulk cargo barge Iron Mater from a capsized condition in Massachusetts Bay. This operation involved use of two derrick-barges, removal of cargo coaming, and installation of steel bolsters as softeners for the rolling slings. The barge was rolled upright and dewatered inside the hook of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The barge was redelivered to owners.
In 2005 and 2006, Mr. Kratz acted as salvage master during the company’s work for the U.S. Government in response to the wreck removal and vessel salvage requirements after hurricane Katrina. The work resulted in the salvage and wreck removal of over 400 industrial vessels in a geographic zone stretching from Mobile, Alabama to Lakes Charles, Louisiana.
In 2005, Mr. Kratz acted as salvage master during the location and recovery of debris at the submarine base in Groton, Connecticut. Over 500 tons of debris was located and mapped via side scan sonar. Mr. Kratz supervised all dive and derrick-barge operations to recover and ultimately dispose of all debris including large steel camels, anchors, chain, wood pontoons, waste drums of unknown origin and materials, and miscellaneous ferrous and non-ferrous debris.
In 2004, Mr. Kratz served as salvage master during the wreck removal of the 125,000 barrel; 400 ft long gasoline barge; B125 in Staten Island, New York, which had exploded at the dock was sunk at the dock. The wreck removal involved a combination of using divers to cut the barge into sections; some as large as 800 tons. The wreck removal also involved use of a derrick-barge equipped with a chopping / chisel beam.