Since the pumping commenced, the oil removal process has progressed well and at a steady rate. Oil has been removed from all six forward tanks and the hoses, pumps and valves have been disconnected with the flanges sealed off.
Following the successful oil removal from the forward ship, the crane barge was disconnected and brought back into the sheltered port on Monday morning. The fuel tanker ‘Elba’ into which the fuel was pumped has moved away from the Costa Concordia and a second fuel barge ‘Magic Duba’ is standby to replace the ‘Elba’.
Since Monday, the wind and wave conditions have hampered the continuation of the oil removal process. As soon as the weather permits, the crane barge will be repositioned alongside the Costa Concordia. Based on the current planning, the mid-ship tanks containing MGO and two double bottom sludge tanks will have the next priority. These tanks will also be emptied using the hot tap method. Due to the unpredictable weather conditions, SMIT Salvage cannot provide an estimated date of completion.
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World Maritime News Staff, February 24, 2012; Image: Boskalis