Official Plan to Refloat and Remove Costa Concordia (May 2012)

Editorial Summary

The video outlines the technical strategy for the recovery and refloating of the Costa Concordia, which lies on its side near the island of Giglio. The process begins with an environmental analysis of sea life, seagrass, and water quality. To prevent the 44,600 ton vessel from sliding further into the sea, engineers will attach heavy cables to poles that act as holdbacks. The recovery involves three primary operations: installing steel plate slings to support the hull, placing sand and cement bags beneath the hull for additional stability, and drilling restraining poles into the seabed using a closed circuit technique to prevent contamination. Subsea platforms will also be anchored to the seabed to support the structure. Once the flotation tanks are welded to the port side, a pulling machine will slowly roll the ship back to an upright position. The final stage involves replacing the water inside the tanks with air to lift the ship from the seabed. After the ship is removed, the recovery structures will be dismantled, poles will be cut at the seabed, and seagrasses will be replanted to restore the original environmental conditions of the area.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.