Seacor Lift Boat Evacuated in Gulf South of Lake Charles
A lift boat operated by Seacor Marine has been evacuated and is reportedly listing in the Gulf of Mexico south of Lake Charles Louisiana. The vessel, the Seacor Robert was located about 65 miles south of Lake Charles according to the United States Coast Guard.
Officials with Seacor made the decision to evacuate the lift boat on Friday ahead of an approaching weather system that included a threat of severe storms. The company noted that observers flew over the vessel on Sunday. That report showed the vessel was off position but did have power and there were no signs of visible damage.
The United States Coast Guard was not involved in the evacuation of the Seacor Robert but the company did notify USCG that the boat was tilting or listing to one side. The notification also included the information that the crew had been successfully evacuated.
The vessel's primary function as a lift boat is to become a standing platform. The vessel does this by extending three towering legs to the sea floor. This provides a stable platform for offshore crews to move men, machinery, and other large equipment from the vessel to the platform.
The lift boat was developed in the Louisiana Bayous during the early years of offshore drilling. These "jackup barges" would often pull alongside a platform and then "raise themselves up" to make the transfer of heavy machinery easier during the loading and off-loading process. Today's modern lift boats can operate in depths of up to 400 feet of water.
In 2021 a lift boat operated by the same company, Seacor Power capsized during severe weather. That incident happened just eight miles south of Port Fourchon however 13 people lost their lives in that incident.
The United States Coast Guard and Seacor are expected to release more information on the Seacor Robert and what will happen next for the vessel. Again, there were no injuries reported during this evacuation, all crew members were accounted for.
Seven Times Lafayette Has Been Featured on Jeopardy