Whale Removal Operation

Supporting Edinburgh City Council in Whale Removal Operation

In October 2024, a deceased humpback whale washed ashore at Granton in Edinburgh.

Bernard Hunter was called in by Edinburgh City Council to assist with the safe removal of the 10-tonne mammal from the shoreline. Managing Director Mark Rafferty attended the site personally to oversee the planning and execution of the lift, which required careful consideration of tide times, public safety, and coastal conditions.

To prevent the whale from drifting further down the shoreline overnight, the team securely tethered it to the coastal defence rock system until the next low tide. The following day, specialist lifting slings were carefully positioned and attached to our Liebherr LTM1110-5.1 mobile crane. The whale was lifted from the shore and placed into a high-sided trailer for transport to a facility in Glasgow for responsible and environmentally compliant disposal.

This unique and sensitive operation demonstrated the versatility, professionalism, and expertise of the Bernard Hunter team in responding to complex and urgent civic challenges.

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