This is an update regarding the involvementwork of SMIT Salvage, a subsidiary of Boskalis, on the stranded cruise vessel Costa Concordia at the island of Giglio, Italy. For any general information, we would like to refer you to Costa Cruises, .

Upon becoming aware of the evacuation of the vessel, SMIT approached the ownersunderwriters of the Costa Concordia. SMIT has an extensive track record relating to marine emergency response, refloating stranded vesselswreck removals. In the days following the accident, a contract was awarded by the Owners to SMITlocal partners Tito Neri for the removal of the bunker oilpollution control. The estimated amount of bunkers in the vessel is 2200 MT of IFO (intermediate fuel oil), 185 MT of MGO (marine gas oil/diesel)lubricants, distributed over 17 tanks.

as new developments occur regarding the operation. Alternately you may contact:

Martijn Schuttevaer, spokesman for BoskalisSMIT
T +31 78 69 69 822

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Wednesday, 25 January 2012

SMIT Salvage together with its partner Fratelli Neri have made good progress in the further preparations for the oil removal from the Costa Concordia. Our divers have inspected the forward  section of the submerged underwatership of the shiphave marked the drilling locations of the heavy fuel oil tanks.

This morning, the inflating of the oil barrier boom  was initiatedin the course of this afternoon, the first booms were being installed. These oil booms will serve as a second inner protection barrier around the ship. An outer booma boom along the shoreline were previously already installed.

Before the pumping of oil can commence, SMIT Salvage divers will need to place hot tap valves on the outer hull of the vesseldrill holes through the hull into the oil tanks. As soon as pumping commences, we will provide details on this website accompanied with an animation of the hot tap process.

Tuesday, 24 January 2012

Following a press conference held by the authorities yesterday on the island of Giglio, which was also attended by representatives of Costa CruisesSMIT Salvage, it was stated that SMIT Salvage would be allowed to commence with the preparations for the oil removal today. SMIT Salvage will first place its work/crane barge Meloria alongside the Costa Concordia. Divers from SMIT Salvage will then inspect parts of the underwater shipmake the necessary preparations to remove the fuel from the ship. Next stage will be the drilling of holes in the fuel tanksthe installation of valves by means of a hot tap.

Monday, 23 January 2012

Over the weekend, a full bathometry survey was initiated. The outcome of the survey will provide further insight into seabed below the shipthe rock formations against which the ship is resting.

Following further discussions over the weekend with the Italian authorities, SMIT has been requested to take a number of additional precautions. These precautions must be in place before SMIT may proceed with the removal of oil from the ship:

  • the planned single oil containment boom around the ship must be a double boom. In the event of an oil spill emerging from the ship, a containment boom is a temporary floating barrier used to contain the spill. Booms are commonly used to reduce the possibility of polluting shorelinesto help make oil recovery easier. Booms help to concentrate oil in thicker surface layers so that skimmers, vacuums, or other collection methods can be used more effectively. The additional oil booms have been mobilisedupon arrival will need to be positionedfixed down.
  • to position an emergency response oil removal vessel on site. For this purpose, SMIT has mobilized an oil tanker with emergency response equipment including sweeping arms, boomsa skimmer. This vessel arrived today.

Based on the current insights, it is understood that the Italian marine authorities will permit oil removal activities to commence once these precautionary measures have been put in place.

Saturday, 21 January 2012

10:30 CET There are currently no significant new developments regarding the removal of the oil from the ship. The Italian marine authorities have yet to grant SMIT a go-ahead for the fuel removal.

Friday, 20 January 2012

Currently there is a team of approximately 35 employees of SMITNeri on the Island of Giglio, preparing to remove the oils. Equipment to remove the fuel include a crane-/work barge with pumps, hoses, air diving equipmentsteam/heating  plant onboard have been mobilised to the islandare ready to start the work.

The team is on standby to start with the vessel survey, ahead of the removal of fuel. Due to the potential instability of the vessel, our operations have not commenced yet. We are awaiting the go-ahead from the Italian marine authorities, to start the preparatory works for pumping out the fuel. We expect this to start once the vessels has been declared stable by the authorities.

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