Salvage work to remove the Costa Concordia is due to start next month and is expected to take one year. The news was announced Saturday by Costa Crociere and the Costa Concordia Emergency Commissioner’s Office.

A US owned company, Titan Salvage, based in Pompano Beach, Florida, has been awarded the contract in partnership with Italian firm, Micoperi. Together they will remove the 114,000 ton luxury cruise ship from where it currently sits just off the coast of Giglio.

The plan is to re-float the ship then tow her to a mainland Italian port. Although the plan still needs to be approved by the Italian authorities. It is also noted that salvage crews will keep their equipment at the nearby port of Civitavecchia, in order to reduce the impact on the port of Giglio.

Throughout the operation there will also be procedures in place to minimise the disruption, again, to the environment.

Pier Luigi Foschi, Costa’s chief executive, said in a statement: “As was the case with the removal of the fuel, we have sought to identify the best solution to safeguard the island and its marine environment and to protect its tourism.”

Captain Schettino remains on house arrest, he still faces charges of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship.

Author: Danielle