Giglio Island, 22th March 2012.
NERI, Smit Salvage, Costa Cruise, The Giglio Island Council and the deputed manager for the Costa Concordia’s shipwreck, are informing that the operations of oil removal from casualty are finished.
The hydrocarbons’ removal of Costa Concordia’s wreck, started on the 12th February, at 5 p.m and continued till now, weather permitting.
This emergency made  necessary an equipment deployment to avert any seabed and coastal danger.
The defueling operation away 17 fuel tanks, completed in the 24th march 2012.
Neri and Smit equipped 8 antipollution naval vessels for the protection of the sea-coastal environment; deployed 2500 mts of oil booms around the casualty, 50 people among seamen and  divers; and specialized facilities as the “hot tap” technology, to tyre the plate’s fuel tank and put on some valve and flanges to take the fuel and, at the same time, replace with water to mantain the ship stability.
“After the Costa Concordia tragic event- had declared Gianni Onorato, Costa Crociere SpA General Manager – we ‘d immediately put to answer for the least environmental impact and the trading business and tourist traffic of the Giglio’s island.
We charged with defueling, the best line of business company, that with an hard and successful work, avoided a potential ecological disaster.
We are very pleased with this result, and we ‘ll continue to work with the same care in the next engagements, till we ‘ll finished. The reliability and qualification of our company are showed bringing to a successful conclusion plans like these.
“I’d like to underline that the Costa Concordia event, is an heavy, tragic and unrepeatable event, and I want to express our grief for all the victim family or everyone ‘s suffering for this tragedy.
We have monitored through the entire phase the commitment shown by the salvors in order to minimise any environmental impact on the island and our optimism is today well awarded”- said Sergio Ortelli, mayor of the island of Giglio – “Sharing the methods of work , working as a team, has sorted out the best result for the future of the island that don’t forget the tragedy that hit this place and hit the many families, whom we address continously our thought.
Such a result gives us a sharper view of the future to all of us in the island. We’ll envisage all the difficulties arising from the operations with the same team attitude which we have developed so far in order to reach the same positive results that we all hope for. I thank to the population of Giglio that, in such a complex phase, has demonstrated a great sense of responsibility.”
NERI/SMIT after ending the oil removal phase will start the “Caretaking” phase . This next phase will include managing the oil booms against an accidental spill and the debris removal from the seabed.
NERI has also been shortlisted among 6 other salvage companies in order to perform the wreck removal phase.