Top management reshuffle at Costa as Concordia wreck removal gets a go-ahead
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Carnival Corporation has announced Pier Luigi Foschi will retire as Costa Crociere’s chief operating officer this July.
Foschi will remain as chairman and managing director of the Costa group and remains on the board of directors of Carnival Corporation. In his role as Costa’s chairman, Foschi will oversee the company’s government relations; matters related to the Costa Concordia accident and spearhead a number of strategic projects. The moves are part of a long term succession plan for the company which included the scheduled retirement of Foschi once he reached 65.
Michael Thamm, the current president of German-based AIDA Cruises has been appointed CEO of the Costa group, which includes Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises and Spanish cruise operator Ibero Cruises. Thamm will also serve on the Costa board, alongside Carnival’s chairman andCEO Micky Arison and vice chairman Howard Frank. Longtime AIDA senior executive Michael Ungerer has been named AIDA’s president and Gianni Onorato will continue in his role as president of the Costa brand.
In another announcement Costa Crociere and the Costa Concordia Emergency Commissioners’s Office have confirmed that the tender to remove Concordia’s wreck from Giglio island has been awarded to Titan Salvage in partnership with Italian company Micoperi . Subject to final approval from Italian authorities the work will begin early May and could take up to 12 months to complete. The wreck will be removed in one piece, refloated and towed away. Once floated, the wreck will be towed to an Italian port and dealt with in accordance with the requirements of Italian authorities.
The tender from Titan Salvage and Micoperi was selected from the six submitted as it best fulfilled the main objectives set out in the tender specifications: removal of the wreck in one piece; minimal environmental impact; protection of Giglio’s economy and tourism industry in the height of summer and maximum safety of the work undertaken .
The scope of the works will include thorough examination of the seabed and environmental protection will be of utmost priority. Once the main work is complete, the sea bottom will be thoroughly cleaned and marine flora replanted.