Refloated ‘Costa Concordia’ departs for Genoa
Crowley Maritime subsidiary TITAN Salvage, along with partner Micoperi, have confirmed that the Costa Concordia cruise ship has been refloated and has begun its final 200 nautical mile voyage to an assigned berth in Port of Genoa Voltri, Italy.
According to Crowley Maritime, a convoy comprising at least ten vessels is providing a “slow and precise tow” of the disabled cruise ship, with the average speed of the convoy approximately two knots.
Amongst the vessels in the convoy are two tugs, which are towing the hull with a combined bollard pull of 275 tonnes at the ship’s bow. Another two auxiliary tugs are positioned aft.
The other vessels in the convoy include a pontoon with a 200-tonne crane, which is currently carrying personnel and equipment. A team of marine biologists are present during the tow, and a specialised marine mammal-watching vessel is preceding the convoy.
The convoy is anticipated to arrive in Genoa on Saturday, pending favourable weather and vessel traffic in the area.
The sailing route will take the vessels south between the island of Giglio and Giannutri before heading west-southwest to a point south of the island of Montecristo. The convoy will then head west-northwest to a position south of Scoglio d’Africa island, before crossing the Ligurian Sea to the Port of Genoa Voltri.
Once the tow arrives in Genoa it will be safely berthed. The TITAN-Micoperi salvage team will assist with the transfer of the vessel to the Genoa consortium selected to perform the dismantling.
The project is the largest and one of the most technically complex maritime salvage jobs ever completed, Crowley concluded.
