When a vessel is submerged underwater, there are several ways to rescue it. The biggest obstacle that a crew will face during a salvage mission is negative buoyancy. They must overcome it in order to rescue a sunken ship. To conquer negative buoyancy, a team could
- Remove water from a ship with a pump
- Raise a vessel with a flotation device
- Lift a ship with internal air
- Tow a rig to the surface
For a shipwreck or salvage mission, nothing beats salvage airbags. Here are the most popular options for a crew.
Enclosed Salvage Airbags
An enclosed salvage airbag has a cylindrical shape. This bag can only support a ship that’s floating on or near the top of the surface. It has slings that connect underneath a boat. After air enters the bag, it will help ease the flotation of a boat at the surface.
Rubber Airbags
A rubber airbag has rubber and synthetic layers, and it’s shaped like a long cylindrical balloon. In the past, rubber bags were mainly used to lift ships and other hefty objects. Today, these airbags serve multiple purposes because they can be equipped with a lifting belt.
Flotation Lift Bags
Flotation lift bags float like pillows. They’re made for light salvage jobs and missions in shallow water.
Underwater Lift Bags
Underwater lift bags are designed like parachutes. Many companies make air lift bags for divers and heavy-duty options for commercial use.
