Costa Concordia salvors awarded

The prestigious award recognises Titan’s proactive approach towards protecting and preserving the oceans and is due to be accepted by the company’s vice president Chris Peterson at NAMEPA’s New York City annual conference at the end of October.

Titan’s director of business development Lindsay Malen will also attend the conference and participate in a risk management roundtable discussion with other leaders from across the industry. Ms Malen said: “Titan is a proud member of NAMEPA [and] we will continue to support the organisation’s efforts to protect our seas and lead by example.” Also commenting on the award, Mr Peterson said: “Titan is committed to ensuring the safety of our people, the public and the environment … this accolade is a testament to our mission, we are both humbled and honoured to receive NAMEPA’s Corporate Marine Environment Protection Award.”

Titan Salvage is a wholly owned subsidiary of Crowley Maritime Corporation and in recent years has expanded to become a major international player in marine salvage, emergency response and wreck removal activities. The company was formed in 1981 with just a single tug, since when they have performed over 450 salvage and wreck removal projects globally. They have primary offices and equipment depots in the UK, Singapore and Australia. Titan also maintain a network of strategically placed agent’s offices in port cities around the world. They are a member of the International Salvage Union (ISU), the Marine Response Alliance (MRA) and the American Salvage Association.

Notable among Titan’s many salvage operations was the protracted wreck removal of the cargo vessel New Carissa after grounding in the surf zone outside Coos Bay, Oregon and raising of the Confederate submarine Hunley which sank off the exposed coast of South Carolina in 1864. The jack-up barges Karlissa A and Karlissa B are among the best known item of plant in their armoury.

Titan’s flagship project is probably its involvement in the removal of the wreck of the cruise ship Costa Concordia from Giglio Island. Titan teamed up with Italian marine contractor Micoperi for the project, a company with a long history as a specialist in underwater construction and engineering.

The project required 48,000 engineering man-hours and a workforce totalling 1,200. More than 22,000 dives totalling 30,000 hours were performed. The contract was awarded in April 2012 marking the beginning of over two years of intense activity. After anchoring and stabilising the wreck and with the aid of strandjacks Costa Concordia was parbuckled upright, resting on support structures pre-installed into the seabed. Following installation of substantial ballast caissons each side, the wreckwas eventually refloated and with a draft of 18.5m towed to Genoa for demolition.

By Peter Barker