By
Rebecca Gibson |
Dockwise, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Boskalis Westminster (Boskalis), is to transport Costa Cruises’ Costa Concordia from Giglio Island onboard its semi-submersible ship the Dockwise Vanguard.
Initially designed to transport offshore oil and gas structures, Dockwise Vanguard has an open and flat stern and bow-less deck measuring 275 m by 70 m, enabling it to carry Concordia in its current state.
During the US$30 million operation – due to take place in mid-2014 – Dockwise Vanguard’s ballast tanks will be flooded, enabling engineers to position Concordia above her semi-submersed deck. Once in position, engineers will empty the ballast tanks to raise Dockwise Vanguard’s deck above the water line, allowing Concordia to be transported to a location where she can be scrapped. The vessel’s final location is yet to be decided by Costa and local authorities.
Boskalis’ wholly-owned subsidiary SMIT Salvage previously removed bunker fuel from Concordia and monitored the stricken ship between mid-January and mid-March 2012.