August 26 - New Jersey-based global marine services provider Donjon Marine Co has served as the lead salvage contractor for a historic underwater archaeological effort to rescue a historic warship from the 1812 Anglo-American war.

Donjon was appointed by the US Navy to co-ordinate locating and initial archaeological investigation of USS Scorpion, the flagship of a US Navy fleet known as the Chesapeake Flotilla during the War of 1812.

The recovery will be a three-phase operation: the first phase has been to locate and conduct preliminary preparatory work for the more extensive archaeological work to be done in concert with the bicentennial celebration of the War of 1812.

Phase two and three will involve installing a cofferdam so that the Scorpion recovery and excavation can be done in the dry.

The USS Scorpion was a ship designed to navigate the shallow waters of the Patuxent River and to harass the British.

The contract for the project runs for two years to 2012.

John Witte, Jr, Donjon's executive vice president, says: "Donjon was very fortunate to be a part of this archaeological project and to touch a part of history at the same time."

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