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How do you clean up a wrecked cruise ship?

Damage has to be assessed, the ship's fuel needs to be removed and the boat has to be brought upright again. The process could take months, or even years.

By Life's Little MysteriesTue, Jan 17 2012 at 4:49 PM EST
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Rescuers approach the semi-submerged cruise liner Costa Concordia
TIPPING POINT: Rescuers approach the semi-submerged cruise liner Costa Concordia. (Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP)
Divers are searching for survivors of the cruise ship Costa Concordia that ran aground off Italy's Tuscan coast and tipped over. But, once the search is called off, what will be done with the half-submerged, $570 million vessel?
 
Maritime salvage specialists are already on the scene assessing the damage to figure this out. Despite the attention the wreck has gotten in the media, the clean-up process will follow a fairly standard protocol.
 
"This goes on all the time but you don't hear about it because they aren't as spectacular as this one," Mike Lacey, secretary general of the International Salvage Union, told the BBC. "But there's always a ship in trouble somewhere."
 
In all, the Costa Concordia mess could take months, and possibly years, to clean up.
 
First, salvage crews will need to conduct underwater inspections to evaluate the damage of the starboard (submerged) side of the hull. The port-side hull and the rest of the ship that's visible above the waterline have sustained substantial damage. How badly the rocks have gouged the starboard hull will determine how the salvage companies proceed. [Are Cruise Ships a Health Risk?]
 
Then there's the fuel. The large cruise ship was carrying more than 2,000 tons of diesel fuel when it wrecked. There are no apparent leaks, but officials have deployed anti-spill booms around the ship, in case it shifts on the rocks and one of 17 tanks ruptures. Any spill could cause an ecological nightmare in the area.
 
A Dutch company called Smit, which specializes in salvage operations, will remove the remaining fuel using a system of pumps and valves that will vacuum the oil out of the ship and into transport tanks. This process will take two to four weeks.
 
The next step is to get the ship upright. Doing this involves an old-fashioned process called parbuckling, in which barges with huge winches crank the ship into position, bit by bit. Costa Crociere, the ship's parent company, said that inflatable bags could be placed under the ship to help lift it. The air bags would also come in handy to help the vessel float when tug boats need to haul it away.
 
Once upright, crews will need to clean out the ship. Food in the galleys is probably rotten, and passengers' belongings need to be recovered, though workers suspect that anything below the waterline is probably beyond repair.
 
Previous shipwrecks have been patched up in order to transport.
 
"It's possible, with small areas of damage, to prefabricate a [steel] patch and put it into place," said Dawn Gorman, editor of the magazine International Tug & OSV. "It may be the ship isn't salvageable and it isn't possible to right it, patch it up and send it on its way, because fundamental damage has been done."
 
If this is possible with the Costa Concordia, once it is upright crews will pump out the water, stabilize it and apply patches. But whether this is possible won't be known for weeks, at least.
 
Once the ship is upright and floating, whether by air bags or on its own, it will likely be towed away by tugboats and be docked elsewhere for full assessment.
 
It's possible that repairs could make the vessel seaworthy again, but that will be decided by the ship's insurer, who will have to assess the full cost of repairs. Based on initial reports, several experts believe it's more likely that the ship will be declared a total loss and chopped up for scrap.
 
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Copyright 2011 Lifes Little Mysteries, a TechMediaNetwork company.
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Related Topics: Cleanup, Oceans

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anonymous
Ray 03/16/2012 03:18 AM

It may be cheaper and more ecologically sound to break her up where she lies. I bet th elocals are making a fortune out of this as people come to see the wreck

anonymous
lasinob 02/13/2012 02:48 AM

Would people want to sail on a ship where many have died. Lots of superstitious people. At least, they would have to change the name of the ship if it is repaired.

anonymous
mike 01/27/2012 14:34 PM

The solution is so simple. Sink the ship and make a reef out of it. Turh the damn thing into a fantastic dive site which will bring tourism into the area. Blast a few holes in the side to make it safer for novice divers. It would be fantastic.

anonymous
fantasykid 01/26/2012 10:55 AM

great but risky

anonymous
monty 01/24/2012 12:24 PM

Find all the bodies first, clean up afterwards, no exceptions !

anonymous
Wayne D 01/22/2012 06:21 AM

Time wasting is important here. I respect the fact that 20 passengers may still be onboard but we have to think of the ecological problems this could have if the ship did move to a position that we cannot retrieve as easy or not at all! They should consider patching up the hull whilst most of the damage is above water line and in the event of the ship slipping. Yes, search and rescue can be done safely whilst this is in operation. Eventually their wil be a time the search is called off and the.... More

anonymous
Enter your name 01/21/2012 12:06 PM

Time to get the salvage crew in there and remove the fuel.
Then use ballons to balance and bring her upright, then resume looking for bodies.

anonymous
ed stevens 03/11/2012 15:08 PM

It would seem so simple to do just what you have suggested and that is my take on the situation as well. Get the fuel out. Stabilize the ship so repairs can take place . If possible, repair the hull, pump the water out and tow the ship to drydock.
But, in 50 feet of water, I would assume that our idea isn't practicable. Again let me emphasize,I agree with you. But, what seems to us so simple; people whom are experts at this kind of thing will say it isn't that easy. You and I have the.... More

anonymous
Charlie K 01/21/2012 11:35 AM

It is probably possible to put back in use, but is to costly?
However, if it had been up to me I probably would if it could be justified. That is if it is not to costly.

anonymous
Brythespy 01/20/2012 05:35 AM

Put it in a giant bottle.

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