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From the Costa Concordia Response to the Next Generation of Canadian Oil-Recovery Technology

Posted on July 22, 2026 by Nigel Bennett  |  532 Views

The new Netflix documentary Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea revisits the Costa Concordia disaster and the extraordinary emergency response that followed. After the cruise ship capsized off the coast of Italy in January 2012, responders faced the serious risk of a major fuel spill and its potential impact on the surrounding coastline and marine environment.

During the initial emergency response and defuelling operation, Aqua-Guard supplied Livorno-based Fratelli Neri S.p.A. with state-of-the-art RBS TRITON™ 150 large offshore oil-skimming systems and other spill-response equipment.

The equipment was positioned on standby off the Italian coast, ready for rapid deployment in the event of an oil spill. Aqua-Guard was proud to support the responders working to protect Italy’s coastline and marine environment during this complex operation.

Advancing a Proven Offshore System

More than a decade later, Aqua-Guard continues to advance the technology behind this proven offshore oil-recovery system.

The latest-generation RBS TRITON™ 150 OS, pictured behind the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, during his recent visit to Aqua-Guard, incorporates the newest developments in our offshore oil-skimming technology.

Designed and built in Canada, the updated RBS TRITON™ 150 OS reflects Aqua-Guard’s continuing commitment to innovation, dependable performance and the protection of marine environments worldwide.

We are proud of the role Canadian technology played in supporting the Costa Concordia response—and even prouder to continue building the next generation of offshore spill-response equipment here in Canada. - Nigel Bennett (Aqua-Guard Co-Founder).

Watch Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea on Netflix today.

Photo caption:The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, pictured with Aqua-Guard’s latest-generation RBS TRITON™ 150 OS offshore oil-skimming system. Designed and built in Canada, the system represents the newest evolution of Aqua-Guard’s proven offshore oil-recovery technology.

About Aqua-Guard

Aqua-Guard provides a range of state-of-the-the-art oil spill response solutions including the URO Skimmer System and the RBS TRITON™ range of oil skimmers—all built on Aqua-Guard’s patented RBS TRITON™ technology to deliver some of the highest efficiency and recovery rates in the industry.