Salvage World Q2 2020

INTERNATIONAL SALVAGE UNION

July 2020

ISU publishes salvage industry statistics for 2019 ISU has published the industry statistics for 2019. The number of services shows a slight fall while gross revenues show a slight gain. LOF revenue is at an historic low.

• Gross revenue for ISU members - US$ 482 M (2018, US$ 409 M) • Activity levels - 216 services (2018, 234 services) •

Lloyd’s Open Form at very low levels 35 cases (2018, 55) and LOF revenue at historic low of US$ 49 M (2018, US$ 104 M)

• Wreck removal income - US$ 284 M from 101 services (2018 - US$ 208 M from 71 services) Commenting of the statistics, ISU President, Richard Janssen, said: “The 2019 ISU statistics are broadly comparable with the previous year.

"Gross income has rallied somewhat but the numbers are still well below the levels of several years ago when annual income was typically more than US$ 700 million, driven by large scale wreck removals.

It shows the economic pressures on our industry but our members have confidence that they provide critical services for shipowners and insurers protecting the environment, reducing risk, mitigating loss, and keeping trade moving.

They are however concerned about the sustainability of their businesses and the model on which their services are historically being compensated.

“The market conditions have caused contraction of the industry which has sadly lost some famous names in the past few years.

"It is essential that there remains global provision of a professional salvage capability so that owners, insurers and wider society can have confidence that marine casualties will be safely and cleanly managed by contractors with the right skills, experience, people and equipment.”

The 2019 ISU statistics show that there were 35 Lloyd’s Open Form (LOF) cases for ISU members generating income of US$ 49 million. It compares with 55 cases worth US$ 104 million in 2018. Average income from each LOF case in 2019 was

Salvage operation, Northern Ireland, during 2019

US$ 1.4 million representing 10% of the average LOF salved value.

Revenue from LOF cases represented 27% of all “dry” salvage (emergency response) revenue and LOF cases accounted for 16% of all “dry” salvage cases in 2019.

SCOPIC revenue at US$ 17 million was the lowest since 2001.

Revenue in 2019 from operations conducted under contracts other than LOF (commercial terms) was US$ 131 million – up from US$ 75 million the previous year.

Average revenue from non-LOF contracts Continued page 2

Salvage industry responds to COVID-19 The worldwide Coronavirus has caused huge issues and challenges to the shipping industry.

Seafarers being stranded at sea or in port has become a major issue as restrictions have prevented normal crew changes.

ISU members, many of whom are shipowners and employ their own seafarers, have been affected and salvage operations have been made more complex logistically. There are concerns about delay when salvage teams have been forced by quarantine requirements to wait – in some cases for weeks – before being able to proceed to a job or to demobilise.

The heads of the UN maritime, labour and aviation organizations published a joint statement calling for urgent action on crew changes and for keyworker designation so that seafarers can be relieved and repatriated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the difficulties, ISU members have continued to provide vital services - as reported in this edition of Salvage Wolrld - showing their determination to function regardless of the circumstances.

Some 150,000 seafarers a month will require international flights to ensure crew changeovers can take place. The three organizations have demanded the "key worker" designation for seafarers, marine personnel, fishing vessel personnel, offshore energy sector personnel and port workers, regardless of nationality.

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Governments are urged to exempt these personnel from travel restrictions, to ensure crew changes can be carried out and that they have access to emergency medical treatment and, if necessary, to facilitate emergency repatriation.

IMO Secretary-General, Kitack Lim, endorsed a series of protocols developed by a coalition of global maritime industry associations to ensure that ship crew changes can take place safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The document contains recommendations to maritime administrations and other relevant national authorities such as health, customs, immigration, border control, seaport and civil aviation authorities.

Salvage industry statistics continued was therefore US$ 723,000 per case.

Wreck removal income is a major source of income for members of the ISU. In 2019, 101 operations were reported with a gross income of US$ 284 million 59% of total income.

The ISU statistics are collected from all ISU members by a professional third party which aggregates and analyses them. The statistics do not include the revenues of non-ISU members but are the only formal measure of the state of the marine salvage industry. The statistics are for income

Gross revenues all sources

received in the relevant year but that can include revenue relating to services provided in previous years and therefore there is an element of “lag�. The statistics are for gross revenues from which all of the salvors’ costs must be met.

"Dry" salvage revenue

LOF and SCOPIC revenue

Wreck removal revenue

Tugs from ISU member Boluda's towage unit assisted the world's largest container ship, HMM ALGECIRAS, on her first visit to London

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ISU News Executive Committee meetings

The review can be read at https://www. marine-salvage. com/isu-documents/

AGM 2020

Top row, left to right, Nick Sloane (Resolve Marine), James Herbert (communications adviser), Carlos Bastias (Ultratug), Shimonishi Sukekazu (Nippon Salvage). Middle row, left to right, Nikolaos Pappas (Five Oceans Salvage), Pascal Potrel (Les Abeilles), Ciara McGarry (administrative assistant), Roger Evans (secretary general). Bottom row, left to right, Leendert Muller (Multraship), Rob Wallis (legal adviser), Charo Coll (Boluda), Ricard Janssen (Smit). Not “in vision” but participating, John Witte (Donjon Marine), Li Jianping (China Rescue and Salvage)

The ISU Executive Committee has continued to meet during the current restrictions using the Zoom video conference facility.

The Q2 meeting took place on 30 June with full participation of all committee members. The screenshot shows those who were “in vision” at the end of the meeting.

Annual Review 2019 The ISU has published its annual review for 2019. The document is a record of the

activities, outlook and financial position of the ISU. Communications adviser, James Herbert, said: “It is not a statutory requirement for ISU to publish an annual review. But we hope this demonstrates to our members and other stakeholders who are interested in marine salvage our commitment and intent to be open and transparent.

"We hope that this annual review will provide a useful record of the ISU’s activities in the last financial year.”

The Coronavirus restrictions in many parts of the world mean that it is not possible to hold a physical ISU AGM this year, instead there will be a virtual AGM on the same date, 17 September, using video conferencing.

The meeting will be short and will cover the usual statutory reporting matters as well as presentations from the secretariat and there will be an open forum for members to discuss issues and to put questions to Executive Committee members.

ISU secretary general, Roger Evans, said: “It is disappointing that we cannot meet as planned in Rotterdam this year. But we are sure that a virtual AGM will nevertheless provide a good opportunity for members to engage with their association, hear about its activities and have their say on current issues.” Details will be circulated to members in the next period.

Simon Kverndal QC - a tribute

By Michael Howard QC The well-known and widely respected Lloyd’s Salvage Arbitrator, Simon Kverndal QC, died peacefully in June, aged just 62.

Simon had only told a few close friends of his illness from which he had been suffering for more than two years and even to them he was always upbeat and cheerful. He would refer to his chemotherapy clinic as his “cocktail lounge”.

Simon was, in many ways, a typical English gentleman but, as his surname suggests, he was ultimately of Norwegian stock. His family were part of the shipping industry for several generations, and one branch had come to England and settled here in the 19th century. But he remained proud of his Norwegian roots. Most summers he went with his family to the lakeside cabin in Norway he shared with

his Norwegian cousins. His sons were named Thor and Finn in tribute to their forefathers.

Simon had many outside interests and was a member of a number of clubs.

Some of these reflected the fact that he was a gifted sportsman; but his deepest involvement was with the Garrick with its tradition of convivial dining and conversation. But he was a serious professional – a hardworking and popular senior barrister. Having always been a diligent and fluent advocate, he had grown in addition into a very effective arbitrator, renowned for his pleasantness and efficiency and for getting the right answer.

Relatively recently he had started to act as mediator and his personal qualities were generating a rapidly growing and enthusiastic following.

Simon had from the outset of his career been a member of what became Quadrant Chambers.

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Always approachable, always ready to help or advise, he was much-loved throughout Chambers, not merely by his contemporaries, but from senior QCs to junior juniors and even pupils. Simon put in many hours sitting on committees where he would offer sage advice on the organisation of legal institutions and the clubs of which he was a member.

The London Shipping Law Centre and the Lloyd’s Salvage Group were among those to whom he lent his spare time and commitment. So also was his local church, to which he was quietly but firmly committed.

For all his love of wine, music, friends, sport and his clubs, Simon’s chief interest and concern at all times was his family.

No-one who knew him could doubt that the centre of his focus was Sophie, on whom he doted, with his two sons only just behind. We sympathise with and share in their sorrow and sense of loss.

Members’ News Multraship

Picture courtesy: Dennis Gouda Fotografie

Multraship used its heavy lift sheerlegs, Cormorant, to raise the wreck of the fishing vessel LUMMETJE which sank off the Dutch Coast of Den Helder last year.

The two fishermen on board tragically lost their lives. They were from Urk, a tight-knit small fishing community on the Ijsselmeer.

This operation was done in stages due to weather limitations and COVID-19.

The wreck site is said to be one of the worst parts of the Dutch coast for high currents and a big swell which meant limited opportunities for safe diving. The vessel was almost buried under the sand and it was difficult to get slings under her.

Along with the CORMORANT, Multrahsip deployed its specialist salvage vessel and MULTRASALVOR 4. The same specialist vessel also lifted the sunken yacht/boat JYDEN in the port of IJmuiden (right).

Resolve Mission Resolve Foundation has donated US$ 25,000 to Ocean Voyages Institute to support its forthcoming second clean-up expedition.

The first part of the clean-up expedition returned to Hawaii from the North Pacific Sub-Tropical Convergence Zone in late June pulling 103 tonnes of fishing nets and consumer plastics and having set a record for the largest open ocean clean-up.

Mission Resolve Foundation aims to be a “global catalyst to engage, educate and inspire the public in best practices for humanitarian aid, civic engagement and the deployment of applied environmental science.” Its co-founder is Joseph Farrell II, also founder and CEO of ISU member Resolve Marine.

The Mission Resolve Foundation grant provides funding to help make possible this second 2020 clean-up voyage to the Gyre and enables OVI to increase the amount of plastic it is removing from the ocean this year.

“We’re honoured to support Ocean Voyages Institute on this critically important ocean plastic clean-up work,” said Mr Farrell. “Our support of this mission through our challenge grant highly encourages all other like-minded individuals and organizations to join us in helping to immediately fund these imperative clean-up efforts.”

Plans are currently underway to deploy Mission Resolve Foundation’s 216foot Humanitarian and Environmental Response Vessel, the Lana Rose, in OVI’s 2021 clean-up expedition.

The foundation intends to continue to highlight the ongoing and crucial ocean plastic clean-up work being conducted by Ocean Voyages Institute (OVI).

And Lindsay Malen-Habib (below left), Resolve’s Client Services Manager has been announced as the President of the American Salvage Association. Lindsay has been an active ASA member for over 10 years and will take up the presidency immediately.

Tsavliris Tsavliris Salvage has become an officially licensed member of Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Centre (MEMAC), a marine environmental, intergovernmental organisation based in Bahrain, whose mission is to ensure the environmental protection of the ROPME sea area which consists of eight member states: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Tsavliris said: “We are very pleased that we can continue to expand and meet the needs of our clients and colleagues in shipping around the globe.

"In addition to our presence in Greece, the UK, the USA, China, Cyprus, Turkey and Brazil, this new collaboration in the Middle East with MEMAC gives us the opportunity to serve one of the world’s most important and busy shipping areas with frequent environmental incidents.

The missions are personally coordinated

by Mary T Crowley, Founder and Executive Director of OVI, who is also a founding member of the Mission Resolve Foundation.

She is recognized as a pioneer of the large-scale clean-up of toxic plastic in the oceans. "We know existing maritime equipment can be used successfully by re-purposing and innovating to accomplish extremely effective clean-up of the proliferating poisonous plastics in our global ocean,” she said.

"It strengthens our position in this highly regulated area and will utilise our significant experience through a wide range of services related to marine salvage and towage”.

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Smit Salvage news roundup Smit has reported a busy period and says it has manged to operate effectively despite the complex challenges of Cornavirus. Smit said that having a parent company (Boskalis) which is handling crew changes globally for its 700 vessels has been “instrumental” in providing travel procedures and in "ensuring the progress of projects in these challenging times."

Two rescue tows were successfully conducted in the Atlantic for a large container owner and assistance was provided elsewhere to a container vessel which suffered an explosion in one of her cargo holds. Smit winched a salvage team on board to assist the crew and the vessel berthed in South Africa for inspection and discharge of damaged containers.

In Europe, preparations are ongoing to execute a wreck removal project and also to remove heavy subsea structures for the offshore wind industry using Boskalisowned vessels, BOKALIFT 1 and the DSV BOKA DA VINCI. Another emergency response case was the bulker ASIAN PEARL IV (below) laden with 30,000 tonnes of sugar and grounded off Belitung island, Indonesia.

Equipment was prepared in Singapore for lightering as well as pulling. Projectspecific COVID-19 procedures were created to ensure a safe working environment for the salvage team and allow for a continuous operation. Smit said “it was crucial to set up a self-supportive salvage operation, with limited third party involvement, reducing the risk for any COVID-19 contamination.”

An anchor handling tug was outfitted with salvage equipment from Smit’s warehouse in Singapore and mobilised to site while local partner, Samudera Salvage, prepared and assisted with logistical and administrative matters with the authorities.

On site it was confirmed that about 3,500 tonnes needed to be discharged.

Lightering assets were arranged and the salvage permit was received.

The vessel was kept stable aground while cargo was being discharged. Once the discharge of the cargo was completed, a safe refloating operation was carried out followed by a dive survey showing that the vessel did not have any significant damage. The cargo was backloaded into the bulkerl which was redelivered to her owners and the still-healthy salvage crew returned to Singapore.

In South Africa in May, the VLCC YUAN HUA HA was reported to be drifting 70NM off the Eastern Cape coast. Strong winds were pushing the vessel at 4 knots against the Agulhas current and towards the shore and the owners requested urgent tug

assistance. With Smit’s long-term partners, AMSOL, two tugs were identified and mobilised: the Smit SIYANDA (95 TBP) from Durban and the PACIFIC DOLPHIN (220 TBP) from Cape Town.

The trajectory of the casualty and time for the tugs to arrive meant that grounding was expected unless she could drop her anchor, and it hold, until the tugs could render assistance.

Given the urgency of the situation and potential disaster of the vessel running aground on the pristine Wild Coast of South Africa, all efforts were made to expedite the mobilization and sailing of the two tugs.

The Smit SIYANDA was instructed to sail immediately from Durban and, if safe, to make a connection and hold the YUAN HUA HA off the coastline, until the larger tug was able to tow the vessel to safety.

In Cape Town, the PACIFIC DOLPHIN was loaded with salvage equipment and a Salvage Master taken aboard – all work being done in line with COVID-19 restrictions and requirements. Additionally, and in close cooperation with the owners and local authorities, a Smit Salvage response team and equipment was put on standby to respond if the tanker did run aground.

The YUAN HUA HA reported that she had let go her anchor and it was holding just 0.7NM off Port St John’s beach. The Smit SIYANDA arrived onsite several hours later and connected to the stern of the VLCC. The two vessels were instructed to stay in this condition until the PACIFIC DOLPHIN was onsite. She arrived two days later, connected up and towed the YUAN HUA HA safely to Durban (above).

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Resolve Marine in Isle of Skye salvage operation The vessel MV KAAMI, carrying eight crew and 1,900 tonnes of solid recovered fuel pellets (SRF), grounded on rocks off the coast of the Isle of Skye, Scotland, in March.

MV KAAMI aground off Skye

In the face of unpredictable weather and difficult conditions associated with the COVID-19 restrictions, Resolve mobilised salvage teams and equipment from bases in Europe, Africa and the United States.

Initial search and rescue efforts by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) focused on safely evacuating the crew from the casualty. Soon after, a LOF was agreed between Resolve Marine and the vessel’s owners. Storm force conditions prevented the salvage team from boarding the vessel initially but, after two days they were able to board via helicopter and begin an on-site assessment.

Working closely with the UK Secretary of State’s Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention (SOSREP) and the Special Casualty Representative, a salvage plan was developed to mitigate pollution threats, stabilize the vessel and prepare her for refloating.

The team’s immediate priority was to remove the vessel’s bunkers containing approximately 63 tonnes of fuel. Once the fuels were removed, the team’s attention turned to removing the SRF pellet cargo which posed a significant environmental threat.

INTERCARGO bulker reports Intercargo has published it's bulk carrier casualty report for 2019. It said the loss of the bulk carrier NUR ALLYA in August 2019 “cast a shadow over the industry’s excellent safety performance throughout the previous year, during which no bulk carrier casualties were reported.”

Intercargo is disappinted only 24 of a total of 39 bulk carrier losses over the past decade had their investigation reports made available on the IMO Global Integrated Shipping Information System database at the end of January 2020. Intercargo noted that cargo failure and liquefaction continue to be a major risk. Between 2010 and 2019, among the 39 losses there were eight casualties with suspected cargo failure. The

The KAAMI was grounded on an exposed rock pinnacle subject to strong currents and a five-metre tidal range. The tide and current conditions allowed only a few hours between tides for lightering assets to be positioned alongside the vessel for bunkers and cargo removal.

After 43 days working in northern Scotland’s unforgiving weather, the Resolve salvage team, along with their partners, successfully managed to refloat the KAAMI using a combination of salvage patches and compressed air. The vessel was then towed and safely redelivered to a dry dock at Kishorn on the west coast of the Scottish mainland.

Elsewhere, Resolve Alaska response teams mobilised in sub-zero temperatures to assist a mining platform barge grounded in shallow water west of Nome Harbor. Response teams from Resolve’s Dutch Harbor facility transported equipment to the grounding site, commenced ice thawing operations and secured the dead men anchor. Resolve transported excavators, welding equipment and pumps by air and land in order to lighten the barge so it could be dug out of ice.

The vessel was then rigged to be pulled using roller bags to a safe landing. Warmer weather changed the vessel’s situation from ice-bound to stranded on a sandy beach.

Operations continue with raised safety protocols due to Coronavirus.

report is at: https://www.intercargo.org/bulkcarrier-casualty-report-2019/

Detention rates and Deficiencies per Inspection ratio indices.

Intercargo has also published its 2018– 2019 Benchmarking Report at what it called a “time of much uncertainty in the dry bulk market.”

This report is at: https://www.intercargo. org/about/benchmarking/benchmarkingreport-2018-2019/

In 2018, Intercargo-entered ships continued to significantly outperform industry averages in respect of both detentions and deficiencies per inspection. It remains a core requirement of Intercargo policy that vessels entered by its members should meet strict acceptance criteria, which is set significantly higher than industry averages.

The owners’ benchmarking tables apply to the global dry cargo fleet and allow dry bulk companies to compare their fleet performance against their peers, including 6

Associates’ and Affiliates' News Waves Group Waves Group supported the Turks and Caicos Islands government in the removal of the MEGA ONE TRITON wreck (right) from Governor’s Beach, Grand Turk. The project was completed on schedule and within budget in March 2020.

The vessel went aground during the passing of hurricane Sandy in 2012 and had become an unfortunate attraction for visitors to the beach. However, since then, its deteriorating condition posed an increasing risk to the sensitive marine environment and the safety of the hundreds of visitors to this pristine tropical beach.

project for the wreck removal, including the initial survey and assessment of the wreck.

Waves Group were appointed as the client representative and technical advisers to the Turks and Caicos Islands government in 2017 to oversee and manage the

Waves Group also undertook a follow up condition assessment in late 2019, before supporting the tender processes to appoint a removal contractor and overseeing the safe removal of the wreck. Koole

bMC

MFB

The bMC GROUP has continued its growth and development, opening an office in the busy German port of Bremerhaven, an important location in the marine industry. bMC has also announced its entry into the USA by taking on Mr Josue (JC) Ocasio (below) and establishing a presence in the state of Florida. Mr Ocasio is a native Spanish speaker bringing benefits to bMC’s clients for incidents in the Americas and Caribbean.

MFB has announced the expansion of its casualty team with the arrival of Geraldine Koon and Adam Vrahnos to the firm.

Ms Koon has joined from Ince and advises on all aspects of wet and dry shipping, specialising in Admiralty matters such as salvage, collisions, unsafe port claims, cargo contamination, fires, engine breakdowns and general average. She regularly acts for salvors, shipowners, charterers, hull underwriters and P&I Clubs.

Mr Vrahnos worked in commercial litigation and insolvency in Australia before moving into shipping in the UK. He joins MFB from Clyde & Co where he has gained experience advising on contentious matters primarily acting for cargo interests.

He is an Australian qualified lawyer and is currently studying to qualify as an English Solicitor.

Managing Director Dennis Brand commented: “There is no doubt that we are going through some strange and unsettling times right now. But whilst we have been focused on keeping our staff safe, we have not lost our ambition to expand on what we can offer to our clients. Opening in Bremerhaven and gaining our first presence in the USA were our next steps, so I’m really pleased. I’m also confident that both of these developments will really benefit our clients across the group.”

Global Diving & Salvage The Jim Clark Marina, Seattle, caught fire in late March, destroying 8 boat houses and the boats inside and damaging adjacent dock structures and another vessel. Global was contacted by the USCG to put containment boom in place.

A Global marine casualty response team mobilised early the next morning and spent the next week at the scene, removing pollution and floating debris.

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Contractors were appointed as contractor.

Waves Group attended on site throughout the removal operations to ensure adherence to the plans, procedures and timeline proposed by the contractor and liaised with the local government on progress and performance of the contractor.

A drone survey was launched to check for release of oil and fuel and a Marco Skimmer was used to skim small charcoal debris off the surface; cranes and barges were utilized to lift and transport large debris.

IUMI The IUMI annual conference is to be held online due to Coranvirus restrictions.

The common theme this year is “Navigating changing climates – delivering expertise to shape the future”. COVID-19 and its consequences for marine insurance will be on the agenda as well as discussions on the impact of sustainability and digitalization on marine insurance.

The 2020 event will be held over the two-week period 14-25 September, with one workshop held each day in a 90-120-minute session.

Each of the ten sessions will run twice a day to ensure all time zones are able to participate. Sessions will comprise a mix of presentations, discussion and online Q&A. IUMI has decided to open the event to the whole industry including brokers, lawyers, surveyors and other stakeholders involved in the maritime business. NonIUMI-members may join for a fee of €600 net. For more information and to register please visit the conference website: www.iumi2020.com

Tsavliris operational update A round up of Tsavliris’ recent activities shows a string of services provided around the world to immobilised and grounded bulkers as well as assisting two tankers.

The bulker cases included the FIRST 1, fully laden with 56,000 tonnes of wheat, which sustained rudder damage in the Suez Canal and was disabled. A salvage team was dispatched from Piraeus, underwater inspection undertaken and the vessel towed by the AHTS THOR 1 to Ciwandan, Indonesia. An additional stern steering tug and armed guards were added in the Red Sea. The second leg of the passage was from Ciwandan to Gresik for cargo discharge, towed by AHTS TRITON ARJUNA. The casualty was then towed on to Singapore for re-delivery. The operation lasted 24 weeks and covered 6,500 nautical miles.

The bulker EDELWEISS, loaded with 71,000 tonnes of coal, grounded off Taboneo, Indonesia. The tug NAKULA arrived and the salvage team confirmed there was no water ingress. The salvors re-ballasted to stabilise the vessel after she moved during bad weather. Further tugs and a crane barge went to the site and 10,000 tonnes of cargo was offloaded into barges to lighten the vessel which was firmly aground along her entire length except for aft, with the propeller and rudder free.

After numerous attempts, the bulker was re-floated, and escorted to Kotabaru where the cargo was reloaded to complete the 10 week operation.

In the Pacific, the bulker LILA TOKYO was immobilsed in ballast 800 miles SW of Los Angeles due to tail shaft damage with water ingress. The crew’s damage control method was reviewed by Tsavliris engineers and naval architects and the tug NICOLE FOSS dispatched from Seattle via Long Beach. Following rendezvous, the casualty was towed to Panama.

Picture courtesy: Tyler Drapeau

engine room about 200 miles east of Djibouti, a high risk piracy area. The fire was extinguished by the ship’s own means but she remained disabled. Tsavliris dispatched the AHTS HERCULES and the vessel was towed to Duqm, Oman.

The chemical/product tanker GHETTY BOTTIGLIERI, loaded with 34,000 tonnes of mixed aromatics, was immobilised due to main engine failure 370 miles east of Socotra Island in the Arabian Sea en route from Amstedam to Nantong, China.

The tanker cases were the C ROCK – 5850 tonnes dwt – immobilised in ballast east of Crete. Tsavliris sent the tug PANTOKRATOR from her station in Piraeus and C ROCK was towed to Piraeus.

Tsavliris deployed the salvage tug GLADIATOR from Djibouti, armed guards joined and on arrival at the casualty’s position, the tow connection was established and towage safely completed to Fujairah, UAE. Chemical/product tanker GHETTY BOTTIGLIERI was immobilised in the Arabian Sea and towed to Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

The LADY1 grounded in the Parana River Argentina laden with 44,000 tonnes of maize. Initial refloating attempts were not successful and a more powerful tug was engaged. Scouring of the river bed was undertaken and the vessel refloated and moved to a designated anchorage.

MARAN OCEAN, laden with 108,500 tonnes of iron ore, suffered a fire in the 8

AMSOL battles extreme weather to save trawler

Calm after the storm - SA AMANDLA tows stricken trawler into Cape Town

In May, AMSOL was sub-contracted by Resolve Marine to assist the Korean trawler KOSTAR which had lost her rudder in the middle of the South Atlantic some 2,200 miles south west of Cape Town.

in Cape Town with her cargo of fish intact and still able to be exported.

The SA AMANDLA sailed from Cape Town immediately to the casualty which was at the mercy of the extreme weather conditions as her crew had transferred to another fishing vessel.

The total voyage was 4220 miles over 25 days of which the tow was 2146 miles over 15 days. At times the wind speed was over Beaufort Force 12 and the highest swell height was 13-14 metres.

AMSOL reported that the SA AMANDLA, "built for these conditions dealt with it well although the foredeck was constantly submerged.”

AMSOL described this as “one of the toughest tows ever undertaken” by the SA AMANDLA. Throughout, the weather was described as “of the washing machine type” and with no rudder the tow was erratic resulting in the fairlead of the tow collapsing and a jury towage connection having to be made up, which worked well and lasted until the tow was redelivered

In the time-honoured tradition, the Master, Russel Duse, was welcomed back (with Covid-19 precautions observed, right) with the daily newspaper, and, as the obligatory bottle of whisky is no longer permitted due to a zero alcohol tolerance policy, he was presented with a “tongue in cheek” bunch of South African Proteas

by AMSOL’s Offshore Marine Services

Manager, David Murray who said: “It shows that hardened tug men do have a softer side, even after a highly difficult tow!”

Mr Murray added: “This project just confirms the strong relationships between fellow ISU members, and although competitiveness is generally the name of the game, projects like this are a good example of where two ISU salvors can, and will, work together to the benefit of the client.”

Ocean Infinity finds US battleship Ocean Infinity and US land and underwater archaeology firm SEARCH, Inc. have discovered the USS NEVADA 65 nautical miles southwest of Pearl Harbor at a depth of over 15,400 feet.

The mission was jointly co-ordinated between SEARCH’s operations centre and one of Ocean Infinity’s vessels, PACIFIC CONSTRUCTOR. She had set sail for a range of commercial tasks in the Pacific in early 2020, ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic.

of Okinawa. After WWII, she became a target ship in the first Bikini atomic experiments in 1946, which she survived, before being sunk by torpedo in 1948.

Shawntel Johnson, Director of Search and Recovery at Ocean Infinity, said: “We would like to recognise and say thank you to our crews offshore who have remained

USS NEVADA was launched in 1914, served in WWI and then was the only battleship to get underway in the attack on Pearl Harbor but, having been struck by bombs, sank in nearby shallow waters.

Following salvage operations, she took part in D-Day and the invasion 9

dedicated and committed through these uncertain times.

“It is our hope that sharing the USS NEVADA’S story honours those who served in the Navy and fulfils an important educational role, and in these challenging times also serves as a symbol of perseverance and courage.”

International Monitor Singapore Singapore is set to accede to the International Salvage Convention bringing it into line with other prominent maritime jurisdictions. The Convention will become part of Singapore law under amendments to be made to the Singapore Merchant Shipping Act. In conjunction with incorporating the Salvage Convention as part of Singapore law, other legislation seeks to expand the Singapore High Court’s admiralty jurisdiction beyond traditional common law salvage claims to include claims under the Salvage Convention and claims under

UK The UK’s Salvage and Marine Operations (SALMO) Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, has issued the Contract Notice and Dynamic PreQualification Questionnaire for the tender to bid for the removal of the mast of the sunken World War II munitions ship, SS RICHARD MONTGOMERY in the Thames estuary.

Interested suppliers must complete the pre-qualification questionnaire to demonstrate they have the capacity and capability to successfully deliver the requirement.

Separately, surveyors acting for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency conducted inspections and detained five cruise ships: Astoria, Astor, Colombus and Vasco de Gama and The Marco Polo. The vessels were at Bristol and Tilbury. Four are flagged with the Bahamas and one with Portugal (Madeira).

Surveyors found a number of expired and invalid Seafarers Employment Agreements, late payment of wages and crews who had been on board for over 12 months. All these are in breach of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) and the ships have been detained for that reason.

UK Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps said: “The welfare of seafarers is of the utmost importance and we take any reports of safety concerns around crew incredibly seriously.

"Following today’s investigation, five ships have been detained and we will not hesitate to continue to use every power

contracts in respect of salvage services.

It is significant because it expands the Singapore High Court’s admiralty jurisdiction to include Special Compensation P&I Clause (SCOPIC) claims.

The proposed changes to the Singapore High Court’s admiralty jurisdiction will allow salvors to invoke the Singapore High Court’s admiralty jurisdiction to obtain security for money they may be owed under article 14 or SCOPIC.

within our control to safeguard the health and happiness of every seafarer currently working in the UK.”

latest advice on safety, operations and legislation is instantly available to a wider range of users.”

Director of Maritime Safety and Standards, Katy Ware, who is also the UK’s permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization, said: “This sends a very clear message that crew welfare remains a top priority for us both as a Flag and a Port State. We must care for the well-being and health of seafarers who work so hard in the industry.”

With a choice of licenses, the new digital format enables users to search, print, copy and paste information from both standalone and networked PCs.

International Chamber of Shipping The ever-increasing pace of digital connectivity of ships has led to the rapid development of onboard communications.

Digitalisation is challenging traditional shipping practices and the shipping industry needs instant access to information.

ICS publications are available in digital format through the Witherby Seamanship Library and can be ordered through maritime booksellers.

Brazil Stellar Banner, the huge bulker which had grounded off Brazil, was refloated but the decision was made to sink her when she was judged to be a total loss. The vessel had departed from an iron ore loading terminal bound for China before grounding in February. Some 145,000 tonnes of cargo was removed before refloating.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has now made a wide range of its essential maritime publications available as ebooks.

The new ebook format will enable ship operators to build their ICS maritime library with a choice of formats to reflect the individual requirements of their fleets and their purchasing profiles.

“This is an important step forward for ICS Publications,” said Elliott Adams, Chief Finance & Commercial Officer at the International Chamber of Shipping.

“The next generation of seafarers are ‘digital natives’, demanding increasingly sophisticated sources of information.

The option of purchasing essential ICS titles in digital format ensures that the 10

INTERNATIONAL SALVAGE UNION Salvage World is produced by the International Salvage Union.

For general enquiries contact: ISU, Holland House 1-4 Bury Street London EC3A 5AW Tel: +44 20 7220 6597 Email: ISU@marine-salvage.com