Concordia Emergency: the monitoring Observatory has gathered

The first meeting of the monitoring Observatory - established on 14 June with a decree of the Deputy Commissioner to ensure the fulfilment of the removal and recovery project of Costa Concordia ship - was held on 20 June. The first session was an occasion to define its composition and the modalities with which its members will be called.

Composition of the Observatory. Representatives of institutions, boards and structures already involved in the emergency will take part to it. In detail, there will be: a representative of Tuscany Region - who will act as President - one the Ministry of Environement and Territory and Sea Safeguard, of the Civil Protection Department, of Arpat, of the Province of Grosseto, of the Municipality of Giglio Island, of the Ministy of the Interiors, of the Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport, of Ispra, of the Port Authority, of the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Health.

Function of the Observatory. Among the functions listed in the 14 June decree, the Observatory carries out a supervising tasks on new activities of the project drafted on 15 May, their compliace to it and their correct application; it monitors the project fulfiment and working phases provided by it; it supports, if necessary, the entity in charge on towing the ship and the implementing entities in charge of further authorizations or infringements, that will be, however, submitted to the Deputy Commissioner; it responds to the Deputy Commissioner's dispositions and informs him on meetings.

Activities at Giglio. Preparatory activities to start the removal of the ship are going on. Among the activities there are analyses of the seabed and samples of rocks. On 15 June 2012 the structure of mission to support the activities of the Deputy Commissioner was closed. The Commissioner keeps up the activities thanks to the monitoring Observatory and implementing subjects, and with the support of the Department.

Monitoring. As of today, the ship has not made any significan movement, as registered by the daily monitoring carried out by the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Florence, in collaboration with other centres of competence and scientific institutes. Also the water samples of Ispra and Arpat did not register any polluting substance spilled from the ship or dispersed in the sea.