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Costa Concordia could end up in UK as ports bid for wreckage Costa Concordia could end up in UK as ports bid for wreckage
(about 9 hours later)
The Costa Concordia, the cruise ship that sank in January 2012 off the coast of Tuscany, could end up being dismantled in north-east England, it has emerged, as international ports prepare to battle it out to land the multimillion euro contract. The Costa Concordia, which sank in January 2012 off the coast of Tuscany, could end up being dismantled in the same port in north-east England as the asbestos-ridden former French aircraft carrier the Clemenceau, it has emerged.
Almost exactly two years after the disaster in which 32 people died, Italian officials said they hoped that the 290 metre (950ft) long vessel would be removed from the waters of Giglio island in June and taken away to be broken up. Almost exactly two years after the disaster in which 32 people died, Italian officials said on Friday they had asked 12 international companies or ports interested in landing the multi-million euro contract to submit concrete proposals for breaking up the cruise ship, which they hope to remove from Giglio island in Tuscany by the end of June.
A decision on the port of destination would be made by March, said Franco Gabrielli, the head of Italy's civil protection authority. Among 12 ports or companies that have been asked to submit concrete proposals for the lucrative contract is one from Teesside, officials said. Specialist recyclers Able UK, which won permission to break up the Clemenceau in 2008 following protracted negotiations and legal wrangling, said in a statement it was "in a tender process regarding the potential recycling of the Costa Concordia".
Also on the shortlist are ports in countries such as France, Turkey and China. In Italy five bids are in the running involving four ports in Genoa, Palermo, Civitavecchia and Piombino – which is closest. If selected, the company would carry out the dismantling at its Teesside environmental reclamation and recycling facility (TERRC) at Able Seaton port in Hartlepool, the statement added.
Italy's environment minister, Andrea Orlando, told reporters that although it was the government's preference that the contract go to an Italian bidder, it was not in a position to make any demands. "The facility, including one of the world's largest dry docks, has full planning permissions and environmental accreditations to undertake this type of activity," it said.
As well as the final resting place of the Clemenceau, the shipyard was also where the US government sent some of its rusting warships a decade ago to the anger of environmental campaigners.
A decision on the final destination of the Costa Concordia would be made by the end of March, said Franco Gabrielli, the head of Italy's civil protection authority.
Also on the shortlist are ports in France, Turkey and China. In Italy five bids are in the running involving four ports in Genoa, Palermo, Civitavecchia and Piombino – which is closest. Italy's environment minister Andrea Orlando told reporters that although it was the government's preference that the contract go to an Italian bidder, it was not in a position to make any demands.
"Naturally the port of destination is not unimportant to us, for many reasons," he said, adding that from an environmental and logistical point of view it was preferable for the ship to be towed to a port nearby – meaning in Italy."Naturally the port of destination is not unimportant to us, for many reasons," he said, adding that from an environmental and logistical point of view it was preferable for the ship to be towed to a port nearby – meaning in Italy.
Michael Thamm, chief executive officer of Costa Crociere, said he expected the cost of the Costa Concordia salvage effort to reach €600m (£496m) by the time it was removed from Giglio.Michael Thamm, chief executive officer of Costa Crociere, said he expected the cost of the Costa Concordia salvage effort to reach €600m (£496m) by the time it was removed from Giglio.
In September, in an unprecedented feat of engineering for a vessel of its size and positioning, the ship was brought upright by a process known as parbuckling, and it is now resting on a series of underwater steel platforms. On Friday officials said the Concordia would need to be refloated before being taken away. In September, in an unprecedented feat of engineering for a vessel of its size and positioning, the ship was brought upright by a process known as parbuckling and it is now resting on a series of underwater steel platforms. On Friday, officials said the Concordia would need to be refloated before being taken away.
The update came as Giglio prepares to mark the two year anniversary of the disaster on Monday with a special commemoration mass and concert. At 9.45pm exactly the port sirens will be sounded and a silent prayer held for the victims, said a statement from the island's authorities. The update came as Giglio prepares to mark the two-year anniversary of the disaster on Monday with a special commemoration mass and concert. At 9.45pm exactly, the port sirens will be sounded and a silent prayer held for the victims, said a statement from the island's authorities.
The man who was captaining the Concordia when it went down, Francesco Schettino, is on trial in the Tuscan town of Grosseto on charges of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship. He argues he has been singled out for what he says was a collective failure.The man who was captaining the Concordia when it went down, Francesco Schettino, is on trial in the Tuscan town of Grosseto on charges of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship. He argues he has been singled out for what he says was a collective failure.
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