Off topic but: Thousands rescued as cruise ship runs aground.

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Costa Concordia offers $14,460 per person for ruined cruise

 

ROME: Costa Crociere SpA is offering uninjured passengers (euro) 11,000 ($14,460) apiece to compensate them for lost baggage and psychological trauma after its cruise ship ran aground and capsized off Tuscany when the captain deviated from his route.

 

Costa, a unit of the world's biggest cruise operator, the Miami-based Carnival Corp., also said it would reimburse passengers the full costs of their cruise, their travel expenses and any medical expenses sustained after the grounding.

 

The agreement was announced Friday after negotiations between Costa representatives and Italian consumer groups who say they represent 3,206 cruise ship passengers from 61 countries who suffered no physical harm when the Costa Concordia hit a reef on Jan. 13.

 

 

 

In addition, Codacons, one of Italy's best known consumer groups, has engaged two U.S. law firms to launch a class-action lawsuit against Costa and Carnival in Miami, claiming that it expects to get anywhere from (euro) 125,000 ($164,000) to (euro) 1 million ($1.3 million) per passenger.

 

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/costa-concordia-offers-14460-per-person-for-ruined-cruise/articleshow/11650710.cms

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Officials called off both the start of operations to remove fuel and the search for people still missing after determining the Costa Concordia had moved four centimetres over six hours, coupled with waves of more than one metre.

 

A 17th body, identified as Peruvian crew member Erika Soria Molina, was found on Saturday. Sixteen crew and passengers remain listed as missing, with one body recovered from the ship not yet identified.

 

Officials have virtually ruled out finding anyone alive more than two weeks after the Costa Concordia hit a reef, but were reluctant to give a final death toll for the January 13 disaster. The crash happened when the captain deviated from his planned route, creating a huge gash that capsized the ship. More than 4200 people were on board.

 

 

 

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/costa-concordia-may-be-stuck-for-months/story-e6frfku0-1226256814385

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Just as an interesting aside...

 

It was reported that the salvors of Concordia , have been in touch with the folk who are working to save "Rena", the container ship that ran aground on a reef just off Tauranga, NZ.

They discussed the best way to pump the fuel out. Evidently it is a very heavy ,sludgy oil that is hard to pump and needs to be heated first to aid the flow.

I remember on the Ultimate Tour we did on Diamond Princess , the Engineer described to us how the fuel had to be heated before it could be used.

 

 

[Sandielle]

Just as an interesting aside...

It was reported that the salvors of Concordia, have been in touch with the folk who are working to save "Rena", the container ship that ran aground on a reef just off Tauranga, NZ.

They discussed the best way to pump the fuel out. Evidently it is a very heavy, sludgy oil that is hard to pump and needs to be heated first to aid the flow.

I remember on the Ultimate Tour we did on Diamond Princess, the Engineer described to us how the fuel had to be heated before it could be used.

 

That is interesting, David. The salvors on the Rena should have had plenty of practice by now on the best way to deal with it. It doesn't seem to be impacting on Tauranga port as cruise ships are visiting just the same, or aren't we hearing about the problems. :rolleyes:

[Kiwi Kruzer]

That is interesting, David. The salvors on the Rena should have had plenty of practice by now on the best way to deal with it. It doesn't seem to be impacting on Tauranga port as cruise ships are visiting just the same, or aren't we hearing about the problems. :rolleyes:

 

Thankfully :):) they got all the oil off Rena, and now the seas are breaking her up and the containers are floating away...however they have most of them and are taking/floating a lot ashore , to a special depot set up on Papamoa Beach.

 

 

[NSWP]

Officials called off both the start of operations to remove fuel and the search for people still missing after determining the Costa Concordia had moved four centimetres over six hours, coupled with waves of more than one metre.

 

A 17th body, identified as Peruvian crew member Erika Soria Molina, was found on Saturday. Sixteen crew and passengers remain listed as missing, with one body recovered from the ship not yet identified.

 

Officials have virtually ruled out finding anyone alive more than two weeks after the Costa Concordia hit a reef, but were reluctant to give a final death toll for the January 13 disaster. The crash happened when the captain deviated from his planned route, creating a huge gash that capsized the ship. More than 4200 people were on board.

 

 

 

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/costa-concordia-may-be-stuck-for-months/story-e6frfku0-1226256814385

It appear this ERIKA is a heroine, witnesses say she helped many onto lifeboats and gave her life jacket to an elderly passenger.

 

RIP Erika, you have done your duty.

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Costa Concordia passengers sue cruise company for $460m

 

An American legal team working with lawyers from around the world has announced details of a $460m (£290m) civil suit filed in Florida seeking damages for passengers on board the Costa Concordia, as rescuers called off their search for victims of the shipwreck.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/31/costa-concordia-passengers-sue-company?newsfeed=true

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'I love him' says Concordia captain's blonde dancer friend

 

 

Read more: http://www.theweek.co.uk/europe/costa-concordia/44978/i-love-him-says-concordia-captains-blonde-dancer-friend#ixzz1lLspvxQw

[Royalty X]

This was posted on Costa's facebook page...

Statement: Costa Crociere's Removal Plan for Costa Concordia.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (Feb. 2, 2012) — Immediately following the Costa Concordia accident Costa Crociere started working to ensure the least possible environmental impact to the waters surrounding Isola del Giglio and to safeguard the island’s business activities and tourism. From the outset the measures drawn up by the company have been shared with and approved by the relevant Italian authorities in the spirit of full, transparent and total cooperation.

 

Costa has engaged leading international salvage experts Smit Salvage BV to remove the fuel contained in Costa Concordia’s tanks, and has presented a plan to remove other materials and potential pollutants to begin as soon as weather conditions permit. Costa Cruises also is working with the utmost speed on a plan to remove the ship itself — a top priority to protect the environment of Giglio and the island’s tourism industry.

 

The company has formed a technical committee with representatives from Costa Cruises, Carnival Corporation & plc, Fincantieri shipyard, Italian registry RINA and sector experts, including academics, who will collaborate with the relevant authorities to create a plan.

 

As articulated in a letter to Costa Concordia Emergency Commissioner Franco Gabrielli, Costa Cruises has invited 10 companies to present proposals for the removal of Costa Concordia’s hull.

 

The invitation to bid was sent to the world’s leading salvage companies that are capable of performing the work in the shortest time, while ensuring maximum safety and minimum environmental impact. They include:

■Donjon Marine Inc.

■Fukada Salvage & Marine Works Co. Ltd.

■Mammoet Salvage BV

■Nippon Salvage Co Ltd.

■Resolve Marine Group Inc.

■Smit Salvage BV

■Svitzer Salvage BV

■T&T Marine Salvage Inc.

■Titan Salvage

■Tito Neri S.r.l.

 

Proposals must be presented to Costa Cruises by the beginning of March 2012. The plans will be assessed jointly with the Civil Protection Scientific Committee and a selection is expected to be made by the end of March. That timeline represents the best possible outcome, although given the complexity of the operation, there could be delays.

[The_Big_M]

'I love him' says Concordia captain's blonde dancer friend

 

 

Read more: http://www.theweek.co.uk/europe/costa-concordia/44978/i-love-him-says-concordia-captains-blonde-dancer-friend#ixzz1lLspvxQw

 

This is just looking worse and worse for the Captain (and doing nothing to dispell Italian stereotypes either!)

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A video has emerged showing crew members joking then panicking as the Costa Concordia capsized, shedding light on events on board the stricken cruise ship after it hit rocks on 13 January.

 

The clip, aired on Italian TV at the weekend and apparently shot on the bridge, shows employees joking "we'll make it" as the cruise ship gradually lists in shallow water after being holed by rocks onoff the island of Giglio.

 

Then a passenger falls into the water and crew members shout in panic as they struggle to release lifeboats and fight to stop a heavy metal gantry smashing into one boat.

 

An earlier section of the video, which was previously aired on Friday, appears to show the ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, shrugging off the fate of passengers and saying "whatever" when told they were taking to lifeboats even though no order to do so had been given by the bridge.

 

Growing unease among officers is evident when one says: "What shall we do?"

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/12/costa-concordia-video-crew-panicking?newsfeed=true

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Costa Concordia: new video shows panic and disbelief on deck

The footage was released by an Italian television channel two days after a separate piece of film showing the captain of the ship,

 

 

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/9077404/Costa-Concordia-new-video-shows-panic-and-disbelief-on-deck.html

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Costa Concordia Update: Salvage Bid Continues, Salvage Operation Confirmed

Monday, April 2, 2012

 

 

Over the last two months, there has been circulating speculation over what will be done with the Costa Concordia wreck. Additionally, salvage experts are still in the negotiation process. However, it has now been confirmed that whoever lands this massive undertaking will be responsible for refloating the cruise ship and towing it to its home port of Genoa in one piece.

 

http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/costa-concordia-update-salvage-bid-continues-salvage-operation-confirmed