SMIT Salvage To CONCORDIA

Today, the Dutch salvage firm SMIT is reported to have been contracted by the owners of COSTA CONCORDIA to pump fuel oil from the capsized ship at the entrance of the port of Giglio, Italy.

SMIT has several experts at the ship to coordinate, with local assistance, the removal of fuel.

To prevent an environmental disaster, thousands of tons of fuel will need to be pumped out of the ship’s tanks as soon as the search and rescue phase is concluded.

SMIT is one of the world’s largest marine salvage firms with a long and successful track record for salvage and has offered to salvage the entire COSTA CONCORDIA, however, no such agreement has been reached at this time.

SMIT was most recently on the news when the company was called in by Norwegian hull underwriters to support the firefighting operation alongside at Alesund, where the passenger ferry NORDLYS had suffered a serious engine room fire, when the ship suddenly heeled over 20 degrees. Before the ship reached the critical 25 degrees, Smit was able to right the ship, which is now under repair.