SMIT to Start Pumping Oil out of Costa Concordia

As a part of the recovery of the grounded cruise liner Costa Concordia, Dutch company SMIT is to pump the fuel oil out of the vessel. The estimated amount of bunkers in the vessel is 2,200 MT of IFO (intermediate fuel oil), 185 MT of MGO (marine gas oil/diesel) and lubricants, distributed over 17 tanks. Following further discussions over the weekend with the Italian authorities, SMIT has been requested to take a number of precautions. 

The planned single oil containment boom around the ship must be a double boom. In the event of an oil spill emerging from the ship, a containment boom is a temporary floating barrier used to contain the spill. The additional oil booms have been mobilised and upon arrival will need to be positioned and fixed down. 

Also, an emergency response oil removal vessel is to be on site. For this purpose, SMIT has mobilised an oil tanker with emergency response equipment including sweeping arms, booms and a skimmer. This vessel arrived on Monday 23^rd January 2012.

Oil removal activities are expected to commence once these precautionary measures have been put in place.