Costa Concordia removal schedule pushed back

AUGUST 14, 2012 — Officials have pushed back the timetable for the removal of the cruise ship Costa Concordia from its position off the island of Giglio on Italy’s Tuscan coast. At a meeting on the island yesterday, the Tita-Micoperi salvage consortium presented its detailed engineering design for all phases of removal to the monitoring group estabished by Italy’s Department of Civil Protection.

Though the various phases of the plan remain the same, the estimated time schedule has been revised. Earlier, officials had set that towing of the stricken vessel could take place in May next year. Now, the refloating and vertical realignment of the of ship is expected by the end of spring 2013, with a joint effort by all involved to safeguard both the Giglio tourist season and the environment

The Department of Civil Protection says it remains the aim of the salvage consortium, Costa Cruises and the monitoring group to pursue all appropriate solutions to reduce the time, while maintaining the security of the project and the final result.