Shell’s drill rig Kulluk was loaded aboard the Chinese heavy lift transport ship Xiang Rui Kou Tuesday in Captains Bay, Unalaska. To bring the Kulluk aboard the XRK submerged its decks nearly 25 meters. Tugs then eased the Kulluk into position above the sunken deck of the transport. The Kulluq draws 47 feet of water, about 15 meters. Now the XRK will re-float itself, raising the Kulluk as well. Crews will take several days to make the drill rig fast before heading for Singapore. The Kulluk, which ran aground after her tow line parted in rough seas New Years Eve, will undergo repairs to hull and internal machinery before returning to the Arctic drilling fields.
