Oregon officials say contractors are ready to start removing a 66-foot-long dock that washed ashore from the Japanese tsunami.

State Parks and Recreation spokesman Chris Havel says workers spent Tuesday preparing Agate Beach near Newport for the start of the project. Actual removal was set to begin Wednesday afternoon.

The 132-ton dock washed ashore June 5.

Ballard Diving and Salvage of Vancouver and subcontractors have assembled a 100-ton lift capacity crane, established a safety zone around the work site and excavated sand from around the base of the dock.

The dock will be cut into sections. The crane will lift the sections onto large flatbed trucks for transport to the Portland area for final disassembly and recycling.

Newport plans to save one large dock piece for a memorial.

The dock has attracted thousands of visitors from all over the country.