The TX-10000: A Colossal Catamaran Reborn for Offshore Demolition
In the world of heavy marine salvage, few vessels command the same awe as the TX-10000—a twin-gantry behemoth capable of hoisting the equivalent of 50 blue whales. Originally launched in 2010 as the VB-10000, this floating titan has undergone a dramatic transformation under new ownership, emerging as a linchpin in offshore decommissioning.
From Salvage to Second Life
Built by Versabar for offshore demolition and salvage, the TX-10000 (formerly VB-10000) is now owned by Xenos Marine, a joint venture between industry veterans Matt Fish and Kevin Teichman of T&T Salvage. The vessel’s recent refit at Gulf Copper Ship Repair was no minor tune-up: steel reinforcements, hull repairs, thruster overhauls, and a complete refresh of electrical systems and crane rigging—including new 7,500-foot and 5,000-foot lifting wires—have restored it to peak condition.
“This isn’t just a crane—it’s a floating industrial wrecking ball with the precision of a surgeon,” says a Gulf-based marine engineer familiar with the vessel.
Engineering on an Epic Scale
With a theoretical lifting capacity of 10,000 tons (practically capped at 7,500 tons due to buoyancy constraints), DP3 dynamic positioning for pinpoint stability, and a 200-foot hook height, the TX-10000 is engineered for extreme heavy lifting. Its catamaran design provides unmatched stability, a critical feature when handling multi-thousand-ton loads in open water.
The vessel’s crowning achievement? Dismantling the 700-foot Golden Ray car carrier, which was sliced into eight colossal chunks—some weighing up to 8,000 tons—after capsizing off Georgia in 2019. That operation alone cemented its reputation as the go-to solution for seemingly impossible salvage jobs.
Gulf-Bound and Crew-Ready
Xenos Marine isn’t just betting on hardware. The company has reassembled a seasoned crew from the VB-10000’s past exploits, including veterans of the Bottom Feeder projects, creating a brain trust with decades of shared experience. “You can’t buy that kind of institutional knowledge,” says a Houston-based maritime recruiter. “It’s like reuniting the Avengers of heavy lift.”
With a long-term Gulf decommissioning contract secured and work set to begin in June, Xenos plans to keep the TX-10000 busy in U.S. waters. But the company’s ambitions don’t stop there—its fleet already includes deck barges, supply boats, and diving support, with rumors of a mid-size crane barge joining the roster soon.
In an era where aging offshore infrastructure meets tightening environmental regulations, the TX-10000’s second act might just be its most consequential yet.
