Salvage World Q1 2023

ISU pollution prevention survey shows environmental benefit of salvage industry

Members of the International Salvage Union (ISU) provided 186 services to vessels carrying 2.6 million tonnes of potentially polluting cargo and fuel during operations in 2022.

It clearly shows the critical role of professional salvors in protecting the marine environment. The data come from the results of the ISU’s Annual Pollution Prevention Survey for operations in 2022.

President of the ISU, Captain Nicholas Sloane, said: “We are all now so much more aware of, and careful about, the environment. But we all need shipping and incidents like the Suez Canal blockage demonstrated that reliance. The shipping and insurance industries recognise their responsibilities and the importance of maintaining their “licence to operate” and the availability of emergency response services is a critical part of meeting those responsibilities.

“The number of services fell last year and each year there can be significant variations of the quantities of pollutants in each category. But, overall, the amount of pollutants has stayed consistent. The number of containers is lower than last year but, after bulk cargo, still represents the most significant category with our members providing services to vessels carrying 50,000 TEU amounting to some 747,270 tonnes of cargo. It compares with 141,000 tonnes of crude oil, confirming the shift over the past decades as oil trades have become safer. Boxes stuffed with harmful and dangerous goods including plastic pellets (nurdles) represent one of the biggest threats to the marine environment. They are potentially very damaging and, with the added issue of misdeclaration of contents, dangerous to deal with.”

Captain Sloane added: “The ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) agenda is so important for shipowners and insurers and we need to ensure that the capability, and willingness, of commercial salvors to provide vital services around

the world is valued and not eroded.”

Cargoes of refined oil products in 2022’s numbers were similar to crude oil at 144,808 tonnes. Chemical cargoes rose to 79,319 tonnes in 2022. Bulk cargoes increased significantly to 1,235,741 tonnes in 2022 compared to 424,719 last time. This category includes products such as coal, scrap steel, grains, soya and cement. A number of bulk cargoes are not included as potential pollutants and ISU members also provided services to bulkers carrying 113,926 tonnes of non-hazardous dry bulk – mainly metal ores.

11 cases had more than 2000 tonnes of bunkers on board and the total of bunkers involved was 108,112 tonnes. A number of the services noted in the survey did not record the quantity of bunkers or the cargo-type meaning the reported totals likely represent a more modest total than the reality.

ISU is transparent about the fact that not all these potential pollutants were at immediate risk of going into the sea. Some cases will have had limited danger, but others will have carried a real risk of causing substantial environmental damage. In an era of “zero tolerance” of any pollution, even the smaller cases represent a significant concern.

The 186 services in 2022 included 12 wreck removal/marine services contracts; 16 Lloyd’s Open Forms; 38 towage contracts; 4 Japanese Forms; 4 Lump Sum and 5 Day Rate 5 contracts; 84 other contracts (including commercial terms and common law salvage) and 23 Turkish Forms.

The survey was first conducted by ISU in 1994 and the methodology was updated in 2014 to include a wider range of potential pollutants including containers and hazardous and dirty bulk cargoes. In the period 1994 to end-2022, ISU members have provided services to casualty vessels carrying 41,478,058 tonnes of potential pollutants, an average of 1.4 million tonnes per year.

2022 ISU pollution prevention survey results

New guidelines published by International Chamber of Shipping

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has published a fourth edition of its Guidelines on the IMO STCW Convention to assist with complying with STCW.

It includes industry best practice and the training requirements of the associated codes, such as the International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code) and the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code).

This fourth edition covers the developments to the Convention and Code since the 2010 Manila Amendments and recognises that the working environment to which it applies has evolved.

Chris Oliver, ICS Principal Director –Marine, said: “Changes in technology, onboard processes, and a greater understanding of the importance of crew

welfare provide a new environment against which STCW must operate. This new publication, our first STCW update in 10 years, recognises those factors and presents the information as it applies to modern working.

Guidelines on the IMO STCW Convention covers an overview of the STCW Convention as well as the new regulatory changes that affect training, including:

• International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code).

• International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code).

• New requirements for familiarisation training for crew on Ro-Ro Passenger Ships.

• Changes to Chapter V regarding tanker training.

• Updated guidance for crews operating dynamically positioned (DP) vessels.

ICS has also launched the International Medical Guide for Seafarers and Fishers. It is written in collaboration with maritime medical practitioners and reviewed and approved by organisations representing shipowners, seafarer unions and maritime health professionals and ICS says it will “help deliver important improvements to seafarers’ and fishers’ lives on board vessels.”

The Guide has been created to support those responsible for providing medical care but who are not fully-trained doctors. It can also be used in onshore safety departments, medical assistance centres and training institutions which support seafarers and fishers.

https://publications.ics-shipping.org

AGM 2023

The ISU AGM, followed by a gala dinner, will take place on Thursday 12 October at the Conrad Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. There will be an Executive Committee meeting and welcome reception the preceding day, Wednesday 11 October and there will be visits and other activities on Friday 13 October. Hotel booking information has been circulated to all ISU members. Further details of the associated events will be circulated in the next period.

There is the possibility that the annual Marine Insurance USA conference will be held in Fort Lauderdale on 11 October and which may also be of interest to ISU members – details to be circulated when known.

If members have questions about the AGM and its arrangements, contact the Secretary General.

SCOPIC and the role of the SCR

ISU has been working with members of the SCOPIC Committee to create a set of guidelines for the role of the SCR and these were launched at the ISU Associate Members’ Day conference.

The context for the work is that following the introduction of SCOPIC, as experience built, a series of SCR Digests were published and these were combined into “consolidated Guidelines” in 2018 but that did not involve a major review of the role. In 2021 the SCOPIC Committee decided to review the Guidelines with the objective of providing more clarity on the role of the SCR.

The result is the Guidelines On The Role And Responsibilities Of The Special Casualty Representative. The Guidelines emphasise that the SCR is independent

and is appointed to observe and support the operation on behalf of all salved interests. There is a clear definition of the different parties and there is more consistency throughout regarding use of such terms. The application and reapplication process is more rigorous, for example, incomplete applications or re-applications may be rejected without opportunity correct deficiencies.

It is noted that, among other requirements, the role is to advise rather than to assist the Salvage Master and the possibility of an SCR’s assistant is introduced. The SCR must be familiar with the main agreement (LOF) and SCOPIC and the ISU/IG and IG/IUMI Codes of Practice. The need for open and frank communications between the SCR and Salvage Master is clear along with the recognition that the SCR should consider the objectives of the operation and its conclusion.

It is recognised that if the prospects of a useful result are diminishing, the SCR, Salvage Master and interested parties should liaise regarding options available and working towards a “managed conclusion of the salvage services”. This is different from discussing “termination of SCOPIC”.

It is made clear that the SCR has no

Comité Maritime International

Ann Fenech, partner of long-standing ISU Associate Member, Maltese law firm, Fenech and Fenech was elected as the President of the Comité Maritime Intenrational (CMI). It is the legal body which represents the various national Maritime Legal Associations (MLAs). It is a not for profit international organization established in Antwerp in 1897, the object of which is “to contribute by all appropriate means and activities to the unification of maritime law in all its aspects. To this end it shall promote the establishment of

national associations of maritime law and shall cooperate with other international organizations.”

The CMI has an Executive Council comprising officers and councillors from around the world. Its members are 56 National Maritime Law Associations, with memberships ranging from 10 to 3,600. In all, the CMI is composed of approximately 11,000 individuals worldwide concerned in one way or another with maritime law. They include lawyers, commercial men

authority to vary the terms of SCOPIC or its appendices.

The requirement for transparency of reporting between SCRs and Interested Parties is enhanced. The SCR must inform interested parties if they are aware of any variation to SCOPIC or the main agreement or if they are asked by any party to engage in activity that runs contrary to the SCR's obligation to all Interested Parties and the successful completion of the services.

Marine Insurance London

ISU President, Nick Sloane, (below second from left) joined a panel at the well-attended Cannon Events Marine Insurance London Conference. The panel was chaired by George Tsvaliris, principal of ISU Member, Tsavliris Salvage (below left), and also included Ben Harris, Shipowners P&I and the IG (below right) and Stephen Chapman marine claims manager at Ascot Underwriting and past chair of the London joint marine claims committee (below third from left). The panel addressed the decline in use of Lloyd’s Open Form. In the context of underwriters’ concerns about awards, Captain Sloane noted that if they think casualty is expensive they should consider the costs of total loss.

and women in the shipping and cargo industries, insurers and brokers, and bankers among others.

CMI has announced that the second edition of the CMI guidelines on General Average were approved by its Assembly and include standard general average security forms. All the documents were developed in consultation with various market organisations and have received official approval from the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Union of Marine Insurance.

ISU held its popular annual Associate Members’ Day Conference in late March at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall, London.

The event was opened by ISU President, Captain Nick Sloane, who emphasised the importance of good relationships in the industry and he was followed by the industry’s key stakeholders, President of IUMI Frédéric Denèfle, Chair of the International Group, Andrew Cutler and policy director, UK Chamber of Shipping, Peter Aylott. Mr Denèfle emphasised the need for education and that salvage should be the first option in a casualty.

Mr Cutler said that parties working together, particularly in response to large casualties, were “collectively stronger” and that the decline in LOF was an immediate and worrying concern.

Mr Aylott highlighted that many shipowners had no experience of salvage and noted the changing role between masters and owners. He also emphasised the need for education.

ISU legal adviser, Richard Gunn, gave a round-up of the issues facing the industry and noted the conclusion of the work to revise the SCRs Guidleines. ISU Secretary General, James Herbert, revealed the results of the ISU Pollution Prevention Survey 2022.

Ben Harris, Head of Claims for the London branch of the Shipowner’s P&I Club and chair of the IG’s salvage committee, and Amy Dalloway, Lancashire Group and Chair of the London Joint Marine Claims Committee described the new code of practice agreed between the IG and JMCC in the context of the IG research project

exploring the issue of delays in agreeing contracts in emergency situations. It aims to improve communication and coordination during the handling of a casualty.

Nick Sloane and Ian Freeman, Steamship Mutual and representing the International Group, introduced the revised SCRs’ Guidelines pointing out the key changes, one of which is to emphasise the independence of the role.

Grant Hunter of BIMCO described the work to revise its wreck removal contracts. He noted that progress had been made and hoped that the drafting would be completed soon followed by a consultation with the new contract available later this year.

IMO consultant, Michael Kingston, gave a paper detailing the development of the legislative context for polar operations and the possible impact on the salvage industry and was followed by ISU past President and Managing Director of Multraship, Leendert Muller. He gave a case study about the rapid refloating of the giant boxship CSCL JUPITER in the River Scheldt and used it to highlight issues like the erosion of the authority of

masters and the importance of salvors in keeping ports open (picture below).

A segment of the conference was given to the “ESG” agenda in shipping and particularly insurance. Oli Beavan, Managing Director of ITOPF, gave a presentation about current pollution and the work of ITOPF noting that increasingly they are interested in not just response clean up but social impacts as well as the importance of information and data.

Andreas Ogrey, Skuld’s Global Head of Casualty and Major Claims gave the perspective of the Clubs noting that sustainability for marine insurers was far broader than just the risks covered.

Gard’s Nick Coleman, Chair of IUMI’s Salvage Forum gave a property perspective and said that ESG was an “unstoppable force”. All three were joined in a panel discussion by Eline Muller, director of Multraship and Chair of the ISU Salvage sub-Committee and Gordon Lorenson, Project Manager at Donjon Marine and member of the ISU Salvage sub-Committee. The discussion focussed on the increasing requirement that responders and contractors need to demonstrate their own ESG credentials.

There was an interview with Frederick Kenney, Director of Legal Affairs and External Relations at the International Maritime Organisation who shared his long experience of service with the US Coastguard and as US representative to IMO as well as his work at IMO. In a wide-ranging discussion with ISU’s James Herbert, Mr Kenney outlined the possible impacts of the new high seas treaty. He also described the work to secure the agreements to enable shipment of grain from Ukraine.

Speakers at the conference included left to right: Frédéric Denèfle, President, IUMI; Andrew Cutler, Chair, IG P&I; Michael Kingston, IMO Polar Code consultant.

ISU Annual Dinner at Trinity House, London

ISU held its annual dinner at Trinity House in London. Guests of honour included Sir Nigel Teare, Frédéric Denèfle and Ann Fenech who made a presentation to ISU President Nicholas Sloane.

Pictures:

1. L-R, Sir Nigel Teare, Nicholas Sloane, Ann Fenech, Frédéric Denèfle

2. Suzanne Byrne

3. L-R David Hyne-Jones, Kyriakos Mitsotakis

4. L-R Frederick J Kenney, Nicholas Sloane, Ann Fenech, John Lloyd, Andrew Squire

5. L-R Stephan Hennig, Leendert Muller

6. L-R Sean Frestle, Mark Dawson

7. L-R Keith Hart, Kiran Khosla, Charo Coll, Lars Lange

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Marine Masters' Scottish operation

Marine Masters has successfully refloated a salmon farm feed barge in Scotland.

The 1000 tonne feed barge sank during a period of extreme weather in November 2021 and while waiting to be recovered the salmon feed started to decompose which resulted in high concentrations of toxic H2S gasses escaping from the casualty.

Marine Masters was contracted to purge the feed storage spaces and subsequently refloat the salmon feed barge without causing any further damage to the structure.

While purging the feed storage spaces with nitrogen the salvage team engineered a robust refloating plan which involved the chartering of the sheerlegs MATADOR 3. Upon arrival of the MATADOR 3 in Scotland the salvage team completed all preparations and the concrete feed barge was refloated quickly using an inhousedeveloped lifting concept comprising of steel slings which were integrated in steel spheres. These slings were installed through the mooring hawser pipes at each corner of the casualty.

Resolve Marine news

A bulk carrier loaded with steel bars collided with an LNG carrier just outside the Port of Gibraltar in August 2022.

The Port Authority ordered the vessel to be beached to minimise the risk of it sinking (below right). Resolve was immediately called into action and mobilised Resolveowned tugs, salvage teams and equipment from its Gibraltar response location. A dive survey was carried out within hours of the collision and significant damage was noted in way of holds 2 and 3.

Subsequently, a Lloyds Open Form, with SCOPIC incorporated and invoked, was agreed and a further salvage team was mobilised to stabilise the vessel and remove all pollutants onboard.

Elsewhere in December 2022, Resolve Marine mobilised its tug RESOLVE COMMANDER from Freeport, Bahamas to assist a stricken general cargo vessel which was taking on water near Abaco Island, Bahamas. By the next day the situation had deteriorated and a Lloyds

Expert marine chemists were employed to continuously monitor the atmosphere inside the storage spaces and in direct vicinity of the casualty to safeguard

salvors against the toxic gasses. Marine Masters said the entire operation was conducted in “close cooperation” with the owners.

Open Form agreement was signed with SCOPIC invoked. Resolve subsequently mobilised its 300 x 100ft salvage/crane barge and additional salvage equipment from its Fort Lauderdale, Florida response base and safely removed all hydrocarbons onboard.

In Colombia, Resolve Marine was called

into action off the coast of Buenaventura when a fishing vessel caught fire and sank. Resolve was contracted by the P&I Club and their consultants to assist in removing the hydrocarbons onboard and worked with its local partner “battling tough diving conditions” that included high currents and near zero visibility to remove the hydrocarbons remaining onboard.

Tatham & Co.

Tatham & Co. has appointed solicitor and Master Mariner Paul Haworth as a senior member of its legal team. Mr Haworth is experienced in all aspects of shipping law and joins the firm’s “wet” team focusing on Admiralty and crisis response cases.

He joins from Birketts LLP, a law firm with a specialist shipping team, where he was a Legal Director. Prior to that, Mr Haworth was a partner at maritime law firm Winter Scott LLP and before coming ashore he spent 16 years at sea on a variety of vessels. Since qualifying as a solicitor in 2009, Mr Haworth has worked on highprofile cases, acting for the salvors in the RENA, HOEGH OSAKA and the CCNI ARAUCO incidents and more recently he represented cargo interests on the MAERSK HONAM and the EVER GIVEN.

Tatham & Co. also recently appointed Chris Farmer, a solicitor and Master Mariner, and now has four Master Marinerqualified solicitors with a total legal team of 17 people.

The firm is also “pushing into the Greek market” adding Athens-based lawyer Ioanna Vitta to its team. She has more than 30 years of experience, specialising in dry cargo shipping and has been a partner at Penningtons Manches Cooper since 2002.

Seawind Shipping Services

Seawind reports that it has been “very active” in ocean towages, barge transportation and rig moves. Its recent operations include: the emergency towage of SANTANA (10,860 tonnes dwt) from Ionian Sea roads in Greece to Katakolon, Greece; the towage of the RoRo passenger catamaran SPEED JET from Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago to Chalkis; towage of Aframax Tanker EVERGLADES (134,005 tonnes dwt), from Galveston, to Tampa in the USA (below) and the towage of the bulker SANDPIPE from Bangladesh to Sri Lanka.

In 18 years of operation Seawind has carried out more than 600 ocean towages; 200 rig moves in Middle East, Mediterranean Sea, West Africa. 600 fixtures of various types of vessels (AHTS, PSV, ASD TUG, AHT); sold more than 500,000 bhp of offshore vessels and handled more than 4500 vessels (tankers, bulk carriers, containers) as Agents calling in Greek Ports.

Ambipar

In 2022, Ambipar Response, as the current national oil spill response contractor, was mobilised on behalf of the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency to provide marine environmental response to a subsea release of heavy fuel oil off the southeast coast of England.

Miko Marine

A Miko Marine Moskito automated oil recovery tool has been used to verify the tank contents of the RONE, a Swedish bunker support vessel that sank off Gotland. It effectively eliminated any pollution threat by quickly removing any oil that remained trapped inside its tanks.

RONE sank in 1981 in 98 metres of water with 190 tonnes of heavy fuel oil onboard. The two-man crew was saved but the RONE remained on the sea bed from where it has been releasing quantities of fuel oil into the sea around the Swedish islands.

The Swedish authorities invited a Danish contractor to investigate the contents of the vessel’s tanks and to remove any oil remaining. They turned to Miko Marine whose well-proven Moskito oil recovery system had been developed for such tasks. Support was also provided for the project by ROV teams from Abyss and Film Ocean and by Bunker One whose steam generators were on hand to heat any oil found and assist its removal if it had become too waxy for recovery.

Extensive Response equipment was mobilised, alongside Ambipar Response personnel, from three of the strategically located national response stockpiles. During the seven weeks of the marine response, Ambipar deployed and maintained two single vessel oil recovery systems and there was very little impact to sensitive shoreline receptors.

Ambipar Response said it was “delighted to work alongside” a range of response partners such as Resolve Marine, SeaTech Diving and Braemar Offshore who provided specialist salvage assistance, diving services and vessels for the operation. Additionally working with OSRL which provided on-vessel-at-sea oil slick surveillance capability using an aerostat and Shoreline Clean Assessment Technique (SCAT) surveys.

the Miko team was able to work from the main contractor’s DP support vessel ASSISTER (below) and drill into seven of the RONE’s 10 tanks in just two days. Because of corrosion and wreck movement, most of the tanks were found to have been emptied during the 41 years since it sank. However the project partners succeeded in quickly recovering 10 tonnes of fuel oil from the remaining tank and were able to confirm that the vessel was no longer a pollution risk.

JIfmar

Jifmar Offshore Services has been involved in the successful salvage operation of a 66ft Landing Utility Vessel - a fish farm workboat - that sank off the Shiant Isles in Scotland.

North West Marine, Jifmar Offshore Services' subsidiary based in Oban, organised a complex and challenging salvage operation.

The sunken vessel was forced against rocks and sank after being ripped from its mooring by 80mph winds during a storm. North West Marine was able to carry out a successful salvage operation using a 240ft crane barge and the PAUL B multicat.

The LARA 1 vessel was on standby for a week in Oban due to bad weather conditions before going around the Mull of Kintyre. Unfortunately, the vessel was

Obituaries

Keith Rusby passed away in January aged 94. Keith - seen below with his wife Jackie at an ISU Annual General Meeting in Chile - went to sea in 1943 and served in large ocean-going vessels rising to Chief Engineer in 1952.

He came ashore in 1958 to work as a superintendent supervising the building and conversion of a number of large Great Lakes vessels. He also served on board

already written off by insurers due to the extensive damage it sustained during the storm, including structural damage and numerous holes in the hull.

Jifmar said, “we are proud to be

associated with the successful salvage operation of the Landing Utility Vessel. With our fleet of shallow draft workboats, we have the perfect tools to support or perform salvage operations in shallow waters and restricted access areas.”

such vessels operating between Seven Islands and the Western end of Lake Superior.

After a spell managing a large fleet of Canadian fishing vessels in 1971 he joined McAllister Towing and Salvage Limited and later became the company's Vice President of Engineering and Salvage Master.

In 1984 Mr Rusby took a minor partnership in a new iteration of the firm and remained with the company as Vice President, Engineering and Senior Salvage Officer until October 1993 when it was sold to a partnership consisting of Groupe Ocean, and Co. Remorquage St. Laurent.

Mr Rusby was re-engaged by Groupe Ocean as Senior Salvage Master stationed in Montreal. He was in charge of more than one hundred salvage operations on a variety of casualties, not only on the St Lawrence River, but elsewhere in Canadian waters and in the United States.

Keith and his wife Jackie were great supporters if the ISU and attended many AGMs. Keith was Australian born and never lost his slight Australian accent.

Ian Tew died peacefully at home in the UK in late 2022, aged 79. In 1960 he

joined the British India Steam Navigation Company (BI). Early in his career he was serving in BI’s DARA off Dubai when the passenger ship exploded due to a terrorist bomb, which had been placed on boeard. It was the worst peacetime disaster to strike a British-flagged vessel since the TITANIC. Ian survived after a harrowing lifeboat ordeal but 238 lost their lives.

Ian acquired his Master’s ticket aged 25 - too young for command - and moved into the international salvage business in 1974 where he found his true calling.

Over the next 20 years, mostly working for Selco in Singapore, he became one of the leading salvors commanding some of the biggest and fastest tugs and accomplishing a number of notable salvage operations including four burning tankers from the Persian Gulf war zone during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

In later life Ian came ashore and opened a shop selling nautical memorabilia and then undertook a four-year circumnavigation of the globe in his yacht. He wrote an account of his lifeMemoirs of a Seafarer - one of five books including Salvage: A Personal Odyssey.

Les Abeilles tows ferry to safety

In March, a ferry crossing the busy straits between Dover and Calais in the English Channel reported smoke in the engine room.

The ABEILLE NORMANDIE, with FiFi II,

and passenger rescue capabilities was immediately deployed from her station and reached the ferry in less than 90 minutes.

The incident was brought under control by

Smit operational update

Smit reports a busy start to the year with eight projects going on around the world at the same time – both emergency response and wreck removals.

The oceangoing tug Boka Summit (owned by Smit’s parent company Boskalis) has successfully executed the almost 5,000 NM towage of a 180,000 tonne dwt bulk carrier laden with coal from Australia to Singapore. This was the final phase of the project that Smit Salvage began earlier this year.

During scheduled repairs at an anchorage in Northeast Australia, thre were problems and the casualty’s engine room filled with water. After conducting an initial survey, the flaw was soon found: one of the valves was leaking. Smit Salvage was hired to seal the hole on the inside so that the water could be safely pumped from the engine room to a ballast tank.

There are few shipyards in that part of the world that can assist such large vessels, so she had to be towed to Singapore for the necessary final repair work. This was a towing trip of more than 40 days. Smit said there was “great cooperation” with the authorities in an environmentally pristine area - the casualty was in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef – and

they were scrutinised “every step of the way”. The work was done in cooperation with the tugs and personnel of Smits’s parent company Boskalis, as well as with its Australian joint venture company Smit Lamnalco.

Another coal-laden 54,000 tonne dwt bulk carrier suffered water ingress via the sea chest whilst repairs were conducted by the crew off South Kalimantan, Indonesia.

The engine room flooded and the crew did their utmost to pump the oily water into various ballast tanks. Because of various complexities and dynamics in the circumstances, a LOF was signed with Smit and a salvage team and specialist craft and equipment were mobilised promptly.

The sources of the leak were patched and oily water was offloaded to a tanker and subsequently disposed of in an environmental-friendly way (right). The vessel was stabilised and later safely redelivered to its owners.

Smit Salvage was also tasked with the refloating of a grounded 82,000 tonne dwt bulk carrier, laden with soy, in Sao Francisco do Sul, Brazil. Smit said the main challenges consisted of dealing with the strong and highly unpredictable tides

the crew, and the ABEILLE NORMANDIE towed the ferry to Calais where all the passengers disembarked safe and sound. The towage was carried out from the stern of the ferry which was a requirement due to the configuration of its bow.

and currents, which were well managed by the overall coordination of the Smit salvage master and team on board. After several days the vessel was eventually successfully refloated with the use of six local harbour tugs during high tide.

In the period, Smit also completed the last phases of the large wreck removal projects in India which were started the year before following the impact of a cyclone.

Smit said it is now working on preparations for several new wreck removal and environmental care projects worldwide.

Tsavliris roundup

In January the bulk carrier ADASTRA - 46,493 tonnes dwt and laden with Agribulk - experienced main engine problems and was drifting off Yemen. The vessel was en route from Riga, Latvia, to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Tsavliris despatched the AHTS HERCULES - 67 tonnes bp - mfrom Berbera, Somalia, to the casualty and she was safely towed to Duqm in Oman. The vessel was berthed with the assistance of port tugs and the operation was successfully completed.

Also in January, the bulker ABILITY - 64,253 dwt and laden with 55,000 tonnes of wheat - was immobilised due to fuel contamination 350 nautical miles north east of Kuril Islands, Japan, in the North Pacific Ocean on passage from Vancouver to East Afica.

A Japanese tug was hired by the owners but was unable to reach the immobilised vessel due to technical problems and heavy weather conditions. Tsavliris was contracted to provide salvage assistance and despatched the tug LIAN HE QI RUI - 250 tonnes bp - from Shanghai, China.

In severe sea conditions with eight metre waves the tug established a tow connection and towage commenced with the convoy arriving safely at Yokohama after 11 days. ABILITY was handed over to five port tugs and the LIAN HE QI RUI provided stand-by services until the operation was completed.

In corporate news, Tsavliris Salvage

Boluda tows sub

In March the 71 metre diesel electric Indian submarine SINDHURATNA called at Le Havre for bunkering of victualling.

Boluda Towage's tugs VB BARFLEUR and VB DEAUVILLE assisted the sub to its berth. Boluda said the rounded shape of the vessel and its hull structure prevented normal towing and mooring operations.

Elsewhere a convoy with the substation Baltic Eagle departed from Antwerp to a German offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea. Two harbour tugs and Tow Masters from Boluda Towage safely assisted the convoy when leaving the port.

The Baltic Eagle, a substation with dimensions of 50 metres in height, and

reports that it has recently renewed successfully its ISO 9001 (quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and ISO 45001 (Health and Safety Management System) with a record of zero incidents at sea and marine pollution. It has also obtained ISO 22301 for Business Continuity Management. The certification was by Bureau Veritas.

In other news, Nicolas Tsavliris was elected by the new Board of Directors as Honourary President of the Hellenic Shipowners' Association of Tugs, Salvage, Antipollution and OSVs for his “lifetime contribution, commitment & invaluable service to the salvage industry and in particular to the Association”.

Nicolas Tsavliris, FICS, is also Chairmanof the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Greek Branch and presided over its traditional new year “pita cutting” event in February 2023. Tsavliris celebrated their own “Pita Cutting" event shortly afterwards. It including the traditional annual blessing and was attended by the Tsavliris family and staff.

Tssavliris Salvage supported the 2023 Capital Link Annual Greek Shipping Forum event for another year and was represented by George, Andreas, Claire and Alexandros Tsavliris. The Forum was attended by IMO secretary general, Kitack Lim and the International Chamber of Shipping chairman, Emanuele Grimaldi.

Elsewhere, Andreas Tsavliris gave his annual lecture at the Bayes University of London (ex-City University) to the “Shipping, Trade and Finance” master's degree students and took the opportunity to emphasise the importance and necessity of a global commercial salvage industry.

In March the Egyptian Ambassador to Greece, Omar Amer, hosted a delegation of business leaders and the shipping sector was represented by Alexander A Tsavliris and George Prokopiou.

George A Tsavliris has also chaired 21st Mare Forum Greece 2023, the 6th Annual Capital Link Shipping Conference in Cyprus and the Greener Shipping Summit.

30 metres in width, weighing 4,550 tons, loaded on top of the barge H-406, required careful attention to leave the port safely.

Boluda Towage also assisted the float-out of Celebrity Cruises’ newest cruise ship CELEBRITY ASCENT from the dry dock at Chantiers de l'Atlantique Shipyard in Saint-Nazaire in France.

And four Boluda Towage tugs safely assisted the arrival and departure of the world’s largest barge, H-851 of Heerema Marine Contractors, in the Dutch port of Vlissingen. The exceptional size of the barge - 260 metres by 63 metres - meant the operation required “special attention”.

Nippon refloats fishing vessel and assists LNG carrier

In December 2022, a fishing vessel of 75 grt ran aground at Tsushima Island, Nagasaki, Japan. Nippon Salvage dispatched its salvage tug KOYO MARU - 10,000 bhp - to the site arriving the next day.

Unfavorable sea conditions caused by seasonal wind in winter sometimes hampered the preparatory work, but Nippon Salvage prepared for refloating the casualty by patching and dewatering and KOYO MARU refloated the casualty in early January before her condition worsened.

On 21 February 2023, an LNG carrier - 105,101 grt and fully laden with LNGsuffered main engine problems followed by blackout off Kashiwazaki, Niigata, Japan. The following day, Nippon Salvage received an urgent request from the Japan Coast Guard to dispatch the salvage tug KOYO MARU to the site as the casualty was drifting towards the coast, and also received an order of hire from the shipowners some hours later. While

KOYO MARU was being mobilised to the site, a patrol vessel of Japan Coast Guard connected its towline to the casualty to prevent her from grounding as a tentative measure.

On 23 February KOYO MARU arrived at the site and connected its towline and towed the casualty away from the coast. Four days later, the casualty restored its power and KOYO MARU escorted her for about a week until the day before the

casualty safely enter the discharge port.

Nippon Salvage noted that the Sea of Japan is usually rough in the winter season, and said: “unfortunately almost no suitable tugs capable of ocean towage are stationed on this side of Japan. However, this case showed the readiness of KOYO MARU and the importance of having good communications and collaboration with Japan Coast Guard.”

Ardentia emergency response and wreck removals

Ardentia reports a busy second half of 2022 in both emergency response and wreck removals.

The Spanish firm’s operations included its response to the grounding of the bulk carrier OS-35 in the Strait of Gibraltar. An Ardentia emergency response unit was mobilised from its base at Cartagena to work for the Spanish Coast Guard in pollution prevention activity deploying oil booms around the casualty.

Ardentia has also completed the wreck removal of schooner ELEONORA E in the Spanish port of Tarragona. The operation consisted of bunker removal, refloating, hull repair and then towing the vessel to a recycling facility for scraping.

With an operational base in Tarragona, Ardentia said it was “able to provide quick and professional response to the casualty, and then a well planned wreck removal operation.”

Ardentia said its “most spectacular” operation in the second half of 2022 was the wreck removal of yacht ARIA SF which sank offshore Ibiza.

After removal of bunkers and pollutants, the yacht was hoisted in tandem using a floating crane, to be latter scrapped at an authorised recycling facility. Operational planning was challenging because the wreck was in a nature-protected area.

In addition, Ardentia completed the wreck removal of dredge MIMAR CINCO in Gran Canaria, scrapping it on site. Operations were completed in less than a month.

Ardentia said that the main challenge of the operation was the location of the wreck, which was exposed and open to the sea, with difficult access from cliffs.

Left - The wrecked yacht ARIA SF is hoisted by a powerful flaoting crane in the Mediterranean Sea.

Multraship heavy lift and refloating operations

In January the oil tanker TORM SIGNE ran aground during ebb tide at a speed of about 12.2 knots on the Western Scheldt upstream from Terneuzen having turned hard a starboard to avoid a barge which had lost power and was not under command.

The grounding contact was heavy - the vessel was hard aground and could not have come off the sandbank without tug assistance. In a joint operation with Boluda, tugs were mobilised immediately and the master accepted help promptly. The casualty was pushed and pulled by

nine tugs (below and right) and refloated two and half hours before low water and then escort and standby services were provided.

The NEOPHYTE also grounded in January on the breakwater in the river Scheldt near Antwerp just after high water. She could not be refloated on the same tide because of precarious circumstances.

The tug ECHO and fast rescue vessel MULTRASHIP RESCUE 2 mobilised immediately and a salvage master was sent to the location along with salvage equipment and, in close cooperation with the owners and insurers, a salvage plan was developed.

Oil booms and pumps were mobilised in case there was any leakage or spill or oil pollution. The equipment was not needed and the vessel refloated and, after inspection, was redelivered to the owners.

In early March, Multraship performed a lift of 300 tonnes with its sheerleg CORMORANT (above). The conditions were challenging due to the strong currents and limited tidal-window and detailed planning and preparation were necessary to perform the job.

Multraship was responsible for the sitepreparation which involved dredging as well as the engineering and lifting with the CORMORANT and transport of the workpiece on a pontoon.