Civilian divers contracted by the Navy and under the oversight of state aquatic biologists have reattached more than 2,000 coral colonies that were displaced in the February grounding of the USS Port Royal off Honolulu airport’s Reef Runway, the Navy and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said today.

“The contractors are making steady progress collecting and reattaching coral colonies,” said Rear Adm. Joseph A. Walsh, deputy commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. “While that work continues, we are preparing for the next phase of work, removal of rubble from the seabed.”
Divers began collecting, then reattaching coral on April 29. Since then, the divers have been working seven days a week collecting and reattaching viable coral colonies in the grounding area, about a half-mile offshore.
They work from Sea Engineering Inc.’s 74-foot-long Huki Pau, a converted former landing craft, which is tethered to buoys and maneuvers in the work area using electric winches.
The divers collect appropriate coral colonies and fragments, then reattach them to solid spots on the bottom with Portland cement mortar.
The effort is being coordinated with DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources, which has advised which corals are preferred for reattachment.
Contractors also are mobilizing equipment for the rubble removal.
State officials have raised concerns that, if left in place, the rubble could damage the reef when high surf hits the area.
In addition to divers placing large rubble into loading nets by hand, contractors will use hydraulic suction devices and an environmental cable arm bucket to remove coral and rock rubble and load it onto barges. Once ashore, the state will use the recovered rubble as fill material for the Reef Runway.
Port Royal ran aground Feb. 5 and was freed early on the morning of Feb. 9.
The Navy investigation into the grounding is continuing.