In April 2012, about two months after the passenger ship »Costa Concordia« with a maximum passenger capacity of 4,200 had[ds_preview] run aground off Giglio Island, Titan Salvage in partnership with Italian corporation Micoperi was commissioned to remove the wreck. Right after the incident Smit Salvage in cooperation with Italian company Tito Neri was hired to discharge remaining fuel oil. The removal of about 2,100 t of oil from 17 tanks was completed after 31 days. Basically, so-called »hot tap« valves were attached to the side of the hull. This enabled the oil to be heated and pumped out while sea water was pumped in to maintain the vessel’s stability.
To re-float the hull in one piece was the crucial factor to accept Titan’s tender. The removal plan could be classified basically into four episodes:
The first phase completed in November 2012 involved the anchoring and stabilisation of the wreck to prevent any slipping or sinking onto the steep seabed. This was realised with four submarine anchor blocks fixed between the center of the hull and the sea bottom. Later, twelve retaining turrets will be used to stabilize the wreck during parbuckling (rotation).
During the second phase a false bottom is prepared on which the wreck will rest after parbuckling. Firstly grout bags will be positioned and filled with cement to occupy the empty space between the two spurs of rock. After positioning the grout bags, three large platforms and three smaller ones will be fixed in place. In early June the second of the three larger platforms was positioned, after the three smaller ones had been already fixed in the granite ground.
With the aid of the »Micoperi 30« crane 15 refloating sponsons on the left side of the wreck will be installed. These caissons are welded onto the wreck. Presently two sponsons are being fixed on the port side hull.
Parbuckling: the parbuckling will take about a couple of days. It will be performed using strand jacks which will be tightening several cables attached to the top of the caissons and to the platforms, which will be pulled seawards, while the cables attached to the starboard turrets will be used for balancing. Then other 15 refloating sponsons will be attached to the starboard side of the wreck. These caissons will be used during the subsequent re-floating stage.
Refloating: At this point the hull is resting on the false bottom at a depth of about 30 m. A pneumatic system will be used to empty the water gradually from the caissons on both sides of the wreck, giving the sufficient shove to push it upwards. On completion of the emptying process, a section of about 18 m will remain submerged.
As the project progress reached over 60 %, Titan/Micoperi plans the refloating and towing away of the wreck for the end of this year. When removal is complete, the sea bottom will be cleaned and marine flora replanted.
