U.S Navy Announces Preservation Plan of Battleship USS Arizona At Pearl Harbor

The U.S Navy announced plans regarding the preservation project of the USS Arizona, which is being coordinated with the National Park Service.

The first step would be to remove its old mooring platforms, as they pose a threat to the ship.

The Pennsylvania-class battleship was commissioned in 1916. It was hit by Japan in 1941 when stationed at Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor, sinking in minutes with 1177 of the 1512 crew members onboard.

It is now a war grave and the final resting place of around 900 sailors and marines who lost their lives in the Japanese attack. Though the ship is underwater, work needs to be done to ensure that the site, which now has a national memorial, is preserved well.

Following the attack, in 1942, mooring platforms were attached to aid with the salvage operation, focused on retrieving its weapons and other important equipment which could come in handy in the war effort after the U.S joined the Second World War.

However, the mooring platforms were not a permanent addition and are now old and decaying, threatening the ship and the underwater environment.

One platform collapsed in 2023, raising concerns about its strength and integrity. Leaving them there could damage the hull and cause water pollution from oil and fuel.

After careful analysis and planning for a year, the Navy has decided to put in a temporary mooring system to remove the old mooring platforms, after which the temporary ones will also be done away with.

The Navy will put containment buoys and anchors in the surrounding waters as a precaution and to prepare for the removal, which is going to take place later in 2025.

It remains unclear how preservation will impact the visitors, as about 2 million people visit the site annually, accessible only by boat.

References: U.S Navy

Source: Maritime Shipping News