Salvage and wreck removal remain key issues

James Herbert, of the International Salvage Union (ISU), provides a review of the ISU's annual associate members' day conference

Salvage and wreck removal continue to be matters of great interest to shipowners, their insurers and the marine law community. Statistics show the number of casualties has declined in the past two decades as ships and operating practices have become safer. But casualties do still occur frequently and the increasing size of several classes of vessel means that salvage and wreck removal operations can be more complex and the values involved – both ship and cargo – have significantly increased. Members of the International Salvage Union (ISU) typically carry out more than 200 operations each year. Co-operation between all parties involved in marine salvage is critical to the outcome of an operation and many of those involved came together in London in March to discuss the current issues affecting the salvage industry.