Historic Concordia Refloat Completed [Photos]

The Concordia refloating was completed on Tuesday afternoon, July 22. Works are in progress to complete the last operations to prepare the Concordia for the departure and for the mooring in Genoa Voltri Port.

Tomorrow morning, Wednesday July 23, Titan Micoperi will begin the departure maneuvers for the Concordia to leave from Isola del Giglio once the ferry from Porto Santo arrives at 8.30. Operations are planned to be completed in about 4 hours. The wreck will be disconnected from the towers and connected to two tug boats at bow.

A convoy of 14 vessels, led by the tugboat Blizzard, will conduct the tow, and since the refloating, the vessel has been, and will continue to be, under the constant power of a team of tugs keeping a series of lines tight to ensure control in its upright position.

Additionally, divers and remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) operations have continued to monitor sponsons, cables and chains under the hull, and tow wires while onboard, and shoreside personnel constantly review and watch systems to ensure continued integrity of the operation.

“This operation has been and continues to be reflective of the team’s desire to accomplish the mission with safety, ingenuity and detail,” said Chris Peterson, TITAN Salvage vice president.  “Every aspect is being handled with the utmost professionalism and an inordinate amount of calculation and planning.”

In the meantime the results of the analysis performed on the sea waters confirm their quality. After the Concordia departure, environmental monitoring will continue in the upcoming days. The activities for the environmental remediation will be started immediately, with the sea bed assessment, the removal of the towers, and the first tests on the removal of the grout bags used to create the false sea bed on which the wreck laid before the refloating.  

Greenpeace Italy and the Italian environmental group Legambiente will be monitoring the tow for pollution and spills. Of particular concern is the Pelagos sanctuary, which protects whales and other marine life in the area. In a joint operation, Costa, We are Watching You, Greenpeace Italy and Legambiente will follow the stricken ship in a chartered boat, Maria Teresa.

Picture credit for the last three photos: The Italian Department of Civil Protection