The wreck of the cruise liner Costa Concordia is set to be fully refloated at the end of next month for towage to Genoa, where it will be broken up and scrapped.

Salvage officials said after a meeting in Rome that Genoa had been chosen as the ship's final destination, because demolition of the vessel could be taken in hand immediately.

The end of July and the beginning of August also present the best sea conditions for the wreck to finally be pulled away from the Island if Giglio.

Some 350 technicians are working round the clock to complete sponson installation before the refloating phase. 

The 114,500-ton Concordia aground and sank onto one of its sides on January 13, 2012. 32 people died.

It was turned upright in September last year. A series of 11 towers with hydraulic mechanisms controlling 205-kg (450-lb) cables under the ship and attached to its side slowly rotated the vessel, placing it on six specially built platforms drilled into the granite rock bed.

Over the past months salvage teams preparing the hull for it to be re-floated with the aid of additional giant buoyancy tanks before it is towed away for scrap.