While the search for survivors and bodies continues, and tales of a alleged bad behavior by the ship’s captain make the global media rounds, the next saga of the Costa Concordia will turn to the key question of: how will the ship be salvaged, and when removed from its current locale, will it be scrapped or saved?
According to a report on Reuters it was less than 48 hours after the ship hit a rock that the island of Giglio was hosting not only rescue teams but also Dutch and American salvage experts assessing how to refloat the 114,000-ton vessel. Given the rapid response of maritime salvors globally, the response was more than likely much faster.
The decision on how to remove the ship, which lies half-submerged on its side less than 50 m (yards) offshore, will be made jointly by its owner Costa Cruises, a unit of Florida's Carnival Corp, insurers and marine salvage experts.
According to the Reuters report, a host of salvage companies, including Smit, Titan and Svitzer are all on scene. Smit Salvage was reportedly retained to pump the 2,300 tons of fuel from the ship.