The contract for the removal of the wreck of Costa Concordia has been awarded to US-based Titan Salvage, in association with Italian firm Micoperi. Work was scheduled to begin in May and was expected to take around a year to complete. It seems that the Italian authorities now require the vessel to be taken to an Italian port for further investigation and ultimately a final decision on her fate.
As part of the operation, all materials from the wreck will be cleared from the sea bed, which will be cleaned up and then replanted with marine flora. In order to avoid accommodation problems on the island of Giglio during the peak holiday season, the operation will be based in Civitavecchia.
Costa Cruises’ Pier Foschi retires as Chief Executive Officer on 1 July 2012, but remains as chairman and managing director, and as a director of Carnival Corporation. His successor has been named as Aida Cruises’ CEO Michael Thamm, who will relocate to Genoa. Foschi will continue to oversee matters relating to the Costa Concordia accident.
