Authorities investigate cruise ship disaster (From Boating Cornwall)

Authorities investigate cruise ship disaster

10:35am Wednesday 25th January 2012 in News By David Barnicoat

Having read most of the tabloid newspapers coverage about the Costa Concordia disaster it was both pleasing and refreshing to read well researched reports on navigation aids, insurance, pollution and salvage surrounding the grounding in the shipping industry’s most respected newspaper the Lloyd’s List.

The paper reported that exclusive analysis of the Lloyd’s List intelligence vessel tracking data (Automatic Identification System) shows that the Costa Concordia sailed within 230 metres of the island of Giglio on August 14, 2011. This apparently was closer to the shore than where it subsequently hit the rocks on January 13, 2012.

Costa Cruises confirmed that the cruiseship had changed course last year when the island people were celebrating La Notte di San Lorenzo, the night of the shooting stars. But Costa‘s chief executive, Pier Luigi Foschi, claimed that the vessel never came closer than 500 metres from the shore.

Lloyd’s List analysed six months of data that shows no cruiseship over 3,000 grt has sailed closer to the island of Giglio than 3,000 metres apart from Costa Concordia.

The theory of the ship hitting an unchartered rock is now being investigated by the proper authorities. Both the UK Hydrographic Office and the Italian Hydrographic Office are refusing to comment on what paper charts or electronic charts were being used on the vessel.

The Costa Concordia grounding has sent shock waves throughout the industry from insurers to salvors and ship designers. With insurance claims already estimated at $800m it appears that the ship may be declared a constructive total loss. The cost of replacing the ship’s carpets alone is being valued at $4m. Shipping experts reckon the ship could be salvaged and towed to a Mediterranean port for dismantling or cut into large sections where she is grounded.