The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, in a report today by the Sidmouth Herald, has explained that removal of the stern will happen in two stages.

Fred Caygill of the MCA said:  

"The first stage will involve equipment arriving, probably starting next week, to cut the accommodation block off and that will then be taken to an approved recycling site.  The first stage will take about 60 days and will probably be finished by January.  The remaining part of the ship will stay until March when, once again large plant equipment will be used to cut the stern up.

"It will probably be about a 12 day operation that will see the remains of the Napoli gone in March time.  Then a full sonar scan of the site will be carried out.  Divers and the usual contractors will do a sweep of the seabed to remove any remaining bits and bobs."