The Costa Concordia shipwreck, a modern day Titanic without the huge loss of life, has generated immense interest from around the world and Falmouth-based company Fugro Seacore had a key role with a 12-man team carrying out drilling work associated with the parbuckling operation for the best part of a year.

Fugro Seacore were engaged by the salvage company to drill 21 sub-sea piles into granite to form the foundations for sub-sea platforms on to which the wrecked vessel was rolled prior to re-floating.

The parbuckling operation, and final floating of this behemoth of the seas, will be the most expensive salvage operation in history at a cost in excess of £500 million.

Now the world’s largest semi-submersible heavy lift vessel Dockwise Vanguard is expected to lift and transport the Costa Concordia to a port where she will be scrapped.

Moving the 300-metre ship from the island of Giglio to the Italian mainland will be the final stage of this mammoth job.

Dockwise, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Boskalis Westminster NV (Boskalis), has been awarded the contract to load and transport the Concordia wreck from Isola del Giglio onboard the Dockwise Vanguard.

As part of the contract, certain modifications will be made to the Dockwise Vanguard to accommodate the loading of the Concordia in her current state. The operation is planned to take place around mid-2014 and the contract value of the work amounts to approximately £19 million.

The Dockwise Vanguard has an open and flat stern and bowless deck measuring 275 metres by 70 metres allowing the vessel to transport cargo longer and wider than her deck dimensions. When the ballast tanks are flooded, the ship deck submerges below the surface, allowing her to handle deep draught cargoes.

Once the Dockwise Vanguard is semi-submersed, the floating Costa Concordia will be brought in position above the deck. As her ballast tanks are emptied the entire ship and the ill-fated cruise ship will be brought above the water line allowing Dockwise Vanguard to transport the cargo in a safe and swift manner.

Dockwise ships carrying large indivisible loads have been frequent visitors to Falmouth.

Readers wishing to see how this complex operation will be carried out can visit the following website and click on the animation – www.boskalis.com/press/news-archive/news.../costa-concordia-1.html?