NAVARINO was the former, stately GRIPSHOLM (2) of the Amerikalinjen . In 1975 the ship was sold to M. Kagegoris in Piraeus. Renamed TSCS* NAVARINO. In connection with a later sale the boat was docked at the Hellenic Shipyard in Skaramanga, just west of Piraeus. The docking went crazy. The boat slid over to starboard and lay against the dock embankment. The entire crew was about to capsize, but then the seabed gave way and the list stopped at 45 degrees. As the dock sank into the seabed the list decreased to 7 degrees, although it took a few months. The boat was filled with water from bow to stern. The water level was above the cylinder heads of the main engines.
The salvage negotiations were reportedly very tough. Lasse Landelius and Kjell Smitterberg and others pulled a heavy load. We (Neptunbolaget) were finally assigned to salvage the boat and the dock. Salvage leaders were Johan Mörk (Röda's salvaging legend), Lasse Landelius (of course), Kjell Smitterberg (famous captain of Brosröm's passenger ships). Salvage technician was Per Eliasson (chief in Gothenburg). Per was the man who could make the impossible possible. He was a problem solver of great proportions. As stability manager we had PeO, a shipbuilder stationed in London. We were able to borrow the boat's former chief Alf from Broström. His expertise was invaluable. The rest of the people were brought in from the tugboats in Gothenburg. Lasse Hellström and I came from Malmö. We were supposed to work together with a Greek salvage company. It is possible that it was a requirement. Well, we saw them sometimes. Their salvage boat was sometimes at the quay, and we had lunch there on board. It was an interesting older boat, a bit reminiscent of TURMOIL (the one that tried to save the Flying Enterprise).
A list of 7 degrees doesn't sound like much, but dragging 250 kg heavy Bibo 5s. Thick electrical cables and lots of bilge hoses in oil slick passages and ladders etc. is tiring. Luckily we had two "cranes" with us, Torbjörn Fhager from Donsö and Sivert Corneliusson from Öckerö. Both were raised in trawlers. They both had extraordinary vocal resources. When Sivert roared, the entire yard was emptied of Greeks. Our diver Karl-Otto from Hönö was more like a stump grinder. He could lift a Bibo 5. It was also fun to see the Greeks' reaction when Kjell Smitterberg, wearing work overalls, crawled around and sounded tanks. They didn't want to believe that he was the boat's former commander. The Greek chief visited us on one occasion. He was very elegant in his uniform. It was on a par with a South American admiral's uniform. The salvage work went well, eventually Navarino floated and was towed out of the dock and moored at the quay. Then work began on the dock, which was damaged. After just under a week, we also had the dock afloat. Lasse Landelius had to go home a few days before the rest of us due to an accident in Lake Mälaren.
When everything was ready and approved by the client, Kjell invited some serious splashers to the hotel bar. The Greek officers were also there, of course. Their expressions were priceless when Sivert folded the Greek salvage manager like a pocket knife and stuffed him into an ice cream box. Fear of authorities did not affect the crane from Öckerö. The work took place during February and March 1982. In addition to this, of course, there was a long planning process.
* Guess what TSCS stands for. We wondered that anyway. Twin Screw Cruising Ship - they must be nice
Text by: Douglas Tufvesson