When the Costa Concordia was towed into the port of Genoa-Voltri in July 2014, the salvage operation was far from over. It merely entered its most complex industrial phase: the Ship Recycling Project. This engineering feat, aimed at dismantling the behemoth while ensuring zero environmental impact, required highly specialized underwater support.
Drafinsub was at the forefront of this operation, providing essential subsea and confined-space services. While the massive cranes and torch-cutters worked from the surface, Drafinsub’s teams operated in the unseen, hazardous environments beneath the waterline and within the ship’s flooded compartments, ensuring the stability and safety of the dismantling process.
Operational Excellence in Hazardous Environments
The dismantling of the Concordia was a dynamic process; as weight was removed, the ship’s buoyancy and trim changed constantly. Drafinsub’s intervention was crucial in maintaining the vessel’s equilibrium and safety throughout the multi-year project.
Key operations performed included:
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Internal Inspections in Flooded and Semi-Flooded Spaces One of the most challenging aspects of the project was accessing the ship’s lower decks. Drafinsub divers performed high-risk penetration dives into totally and partially flooded compartments. These inspections were vital to assess structural integrity, identify trapped pollutants, and clear obstacles, often operating in zero-visibility conditions amidst floating debris and twisted metal.
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Valve Maintenance and Ballast System Management To keep the wreck upright and stable during the lightening phase, the ship’s ballast system had to remain operational. Drafinsub technicians carried out rigorous maintenance on hull valves and sea chests. This ensured that water could be pumped in or out precisely as needed to counterbalance the removal of the massive sponsons and decks.
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Safety Securing and Hazard Removal Before demolition crews could cut into specific sections, the area had to be “made safe.” Underwater teams worked to remove potential hazards, including securing loose wreckage, removing entrapment risks, and clearing pathways for lifting chains. This preparatory work was essential to prevent accidents during the heavy lifting phases.
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24/7 Environmental and Structural Monitoring The dismantling site was under strict surveillance. Drafinsub provided continuous underwater monitoring of the hull’s condition and the seabed. This included inspecting the integrity of the containment booms (oil spill prevention) and verifying that no debris was falling onto the harbor floor during the cutting operations.
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Underwater Demolition Assistance As the ship was sliced apart, Drafinsub divers provided direct assistance to the demolition process. This involved underwater oxy-arc cutting (burning) to separate hull sections that were below the waterline, as well as rigging heavy lifting gear to submerged blocks of the ship, allowing them to be hoisted onto the dock for final scrapping.
Conclusion
The recycling of the Costa Concordia is remembered as a benchmark for green ship dismantling. Drafinsub’s contribution—ranging from the precision of valve maintenance to the bravery of confined space inspection—was the invisible backbone that allowed the visible work to proceed safely. Their operations demonstrated that in maritime salvage, the most critical engineering often happens beneath the surface.