The most expensive ship salvage operation in history has begun

      On July 14, the salvage operation for the Costa Concordia cruise ship, which capsized two and a half years ago in Italy, officially began, moving a step closer to towing the ship away.

On the 14th, workers inflated 30 stabilizing pontoons fixed to the ship's sides to raise the hull. It will take approximately 6 to 7 days for the ship to be fully afloat. After the hull rises two meters, workers are preparing to further secure it with chains and cables, and use tugboat ( ship type   shipyard   buying and selling ) will drag it approximately 30 meters towards the harbor. According to the plan, it will arrive in Genoa within a few days for dismantling and disposal.

Italian officials stated that the salvage process is proceeding very smoothly. Salvage personnel will, as planned, raise the Costa Concordia out of the water and tow it to Genoa, where this once-glorious cruise ship will be dismantled. Relevant officials revealed that the entire salvage operation cost up to 2 billion US dollars, with hundreds of divers and engineers participating, making it one of the largest maritime rescue operations in history.

On January 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia cruise ship struck a reef and sank near Giglio Island, with half of the ship submerged in the sea. At that time, there were 4232 passengers, and the incident resulted in 32 deaths, including 4 passengers and one crew member.

Salvage site attracts multinational media attention 

The luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia has once again attracted the attention of multinational media. The salvage operation for this cruise ship officially began on the 14th of this month.

Italian officials stated that the salvage process is proceeding very smoothly. Salvage personnel will, as planned, raise the Costa Concordia out of the water and tow it to Genoa, where this once-glorious cruise ship will be dismantled. Relevant officials revealed that the entire salvage operation cost up to 2 billion US dollars.

The salvage of the Costa Concordia is difficult and complex. According to the plan formulated last September, salvage personnel have already righted the hull, and currently, buoyancy is being generated by draining the water from the huge tanks attached to both sides of the hull, causing the ship to gradually float. As for the towing to Genoa, that work is scheduled to begin on the 21st of this month.

"Monday's salvage operation got off to a good start, but we can only rest assured once it is successfully towed to Genoa," Italy's Minister of Environment told the media.

Towing away the Costa Concordia is undoubtedly a huge relief for the nearby islanders—the cruise ship lay like a stranded giant whale outside Giglio Island's port, constantly reminding passing islanders of the tragedy of that year, which was ultimately not a happy sight.

The salvage operation coincides with the peak tourist season, inevitably causing local concerns about tourism, and the news that ferry services from Giglio to Porto Santo Stefano will be suspended due to the salvage work has further agitated the local tourism industry.

It is worth mentioning that the Costa Concordia will be dismantled in its "birth" port, which more or less evokes a sense of "destiny." Recalling the splendor of this cruise ship when it was built in 2005 and put into use a year later, one cannot help but sigh with regret.

One of the reasons the Costa Concordia struck the reef that year was that its captain, Francesco Schettino, in an act of "salute" to the residents of Giglio Island, ordered the ship to approach the island, leading to the collision. Although Schettino later claimed he was wronged, saying his navigation nautical chart ( product library   seeking to buy   supply ) did not mark the location of the reef, but professionals refuted this, stating that even if the nautical chart did not indicate it, as a captain, one should not, on a whim, allow the entire ship to get so close to the island, given the immense risks involved, which a captain would surely be aware of. Schettino is currently on trial in Grosseto for charges including negligent homicide and abandoning ship.

Cruise ship interior revealed

The interior of the Costa Concordia cruise ship has been revealed. Pictures show that the 290-meter-long, 114,500-ton cruise ship was fully equipped with facilities, including a casino, a spa, and several bars and restaurants. However, the once luxurious decor has gradually faded after being submerged in water for two and a half years. The atrium's elevator ( product library   seeking to buy   supply ) still had standing water, wires hung loosely over empty stools in the bar area, and the paint on the lobby walls paint ( product library   seeking to buy   supply ) had long peeled off. Other areas above the waterline were relatively intact due to not being submerged and corroded by seawater for long periods, among which, a piano was surprisingly preserved completely intact.