Salvage World Q3 2015

October 2015

INTERNATIONAL SALVAGE UNION

New President for International Salvage Union The ISU has elected Mr John Witte Jr as its new President. Mr Witte succeeds Mr Leendert Muller, who will continue as a member of the ISU Executive Committee.

Mr Muller said: “It has been a privilege to be the President of ISU and to represent the interests of all our members as we have tackled the major issues facing our industry.

“We have made good progress, not least at the European Union on the matter of Places of Refuge for casualty vessels.

We have grown our membership and attendance at our events has continued to rise. We have continued to build our relationships with the insurers, particularly through our strengthened links with the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI). A few weeks ago I spoke at the IUMI conference and was able to remind them of the importance of the salvage industry and its great benefit to them in preventing catastrophic loss".

Mr Witte is Executive Vice President and Senior Salvage Master of Donjon Marine Co, Inc based in New Jersey, USA. The company operates a substantial fleet of tugs, barges and heavy lifting equipment and conducts salvage, towage and wreck removal both in the US and overseas. Donjon also has shipbuilding interests. Mr Witte has

worked for Donjon since 1982 where he has day-to-day operational oversight of Donjon’s Marine Salvage, Demolition, Marine Transportation and Heavy Lift Operations. Mr Witte is also Director and General Manager of Donjon’s shipbuilding and repair facility located on Lake Erie in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. He is a past President of the American Salvage Association.

Mr Muller continued: “I am delighted to be handing over to John Witte who, like me, comes from a family with a long and proud tradition in salvage. John has much experience of the industry - both as a salvage master and operational manager - and has demonstrated great commitment to the ISU and to marine salvage and I am sure the leadership of our association will be in good hands.”

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Witte said: “We all know of Leendert’s strong interest in the traditional salvage business and I should like to thank him for his hard work during his Presidency of ISU. Leendert has ensured that ISU has maintained a high profile and has been an effective trade association and we look forward to continuing to benefit from his experience and contributions to the Executive Committee and the wider ISU.” “It is a great honour to be the President of the ISU and I will do my best to represent our members’ interests as we continue

ISU AGM New York

It will help to guide the ISU’s strategic plans.

The International Salvage Union held its 61st Annual General Meeting in New York on 01 October. There were more than 70 delegates from some 35 member companies.

Mr Herbert said: “It is vital that our members feel they can discuss, frankly and openly, the issues and challenges the industry faces. The open forum gave delegates that opportunity and it was good to hear members having their say and influencing the ISU’s leadership and direction. I was grateful for contributors’ willingness to tackle the issues.”

The formal business of the ISU was conducted in the morning before a presentation from Mike Dean the US Navy’s Deputy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving. Much of the afternoon session was devoted to an open forum led by ISU communications adviser, James Herbert. The session addressed many of the issues which had been raised in the confidential annual survey of the members’ opinions.

Key themes included the SCOPIC regime, the Lloyd’s Open Form salvage contract and the ethics and reputation of the salvage industry.

The AGM programme started with a reception for delegates and 1

ISU President John Witte

working on the issues we face to make sure this industry continues to provide a vital service to world shipping.”

At the same meeting, Ms Charo Coll Bargues was confirmed as vice President of the International Salvage Union. Ms Coll Bargues is General Manager of the Towage and Salvage Division of Spanish company Boluda Offshore. Ms Coll Bargues has more than 25 years’ experience in the industry and is a former Chair of the European Tug Owners’ Association and is a member of numerous commercial and professional associations.

representatives of the New York shipping community and concluded with a gala dinner for more than 100 ISU members and partners. See pictures P7.

ISU News Joop Timmermans ISU past President, Joop Timmermans, stepped down from the ISU Executive Committee at its recent AGM in New York. Mr Timmermans has a long and distinguished career - more than 40 years - in ocean towage, salvage and the offshore sector. He has been involved with ISU since 1983 and as an Executive Committee member has attended more than 70 committee meetings.

Joop Timmermans (left) and Leendert Muller

Places of Refuge ISU is campaigning on the issue of Places of Refuge for casualty vessels and is supported by the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Union of Marine Insurance. The European Union has recognised the importance of the issue and is developing a set of operational guidelines to try to improve the situation in Europe. UK SOSREP, Hugh Shaw, has been central to the process and ISU has been closely involved. In September, ISU President, Leendert Muller, attended a “table-top” exercise in Malta to test the new guidelines.

In a ceremony at the recent ISU AGM in New York, President of the ISU, Leendert Muller, thanked Mr Timmermans for his huge contribution to the industry and to ISU and also thanked him for mentoring many executives over the years.

In recognition of his great service, Mr Timmermans was awarded an Honorary Life Membership of ISU and presented with a certificate noting the award. In response, Mr Timmermans thanked Mr Muller and noted his many friends in ISU and, in particular, he thanked his wife, Nancy, for her great support over the years.

Mr Muller said the exercise was valuable and the guidelines are welcome. They aim to improve decision making, clarify points of contact and employ the ISU’s

IUMI Conference ISU has been building its relations with the property underwriting community and President Leendert Muller gave a presentation at the recent International Union of Marine Insurance’s annual conference in Berlin (below) at which there were some 700 delegates. Mr Muller spoke at the Ocean Hull Committee session and emphasised the importance of the salvage industry to the insurers. He noted that in 2014 ISU members saved owners and insurers from property losses of more than US$ 1 billion in Lloyd’s Open Form cases alone.

In September, Mr Muller also gave a presentation at the Salvage and Wreck Asia conference in Singapore.

& Wreck Removal Conference, 9 – 10 December, at the Grange City Hotel, London.

ISU has stated the importance of maintaining an international outlook and recognises the importance of shipping operations in Asia. Mr Muller discussed the ISU annual statistics in the context of Asian casualty – highlighting that South East Asia is a casualty “hotspot”.

It is the 18th edition of the conference and the organisers say its highlights include: a case study discussing the AMADEO 1 and the GOODFAITH by Standard Club, Resolve and Brookes Bell (see stories P3); panel sessions on the authorities, considering salvage contracts and industry consolidation with UK SOSREP and others.

American Salvage Association The ISU leadership team met its counterparts from the American Salvage Association in New York. The discussions centred on communication and coordination and areas of mutual interest – particularly Places of Refuge; the workings of OPA 90 and responder immunity.

ISU vice President, John Witte said: “It was useful to have face-to-face discussion between ISU and the ASA and to explore current issues and ISU looks forward to maintaining good relations with the ASA.” Salvage and Wreck Conference ISU is supporting the Informa Salvage 2

There is a contracts working group looking at alternatives to LOF with Toby Stephens from HFW. Further sessions include the hull and machinery insurance market and representatives from the Port of Bremen discussing the MSC FLAMINIA and a salvage contracts Tutorial Day and a Cargo Risk Management Seminar.

ISU Members and Associates are entitled to a discount. To receive your discount code, please apply to the ISU General Manager: isu@marine-salvage.com For conference details visit: http://www. informamaritimeevents.com

ISU Members in major wreck removal operations Spanopoulos The Spanopoulos Group was award a Wreckstage contract to remove the wreck of the 168 m LOA bulker GOODFAITH from the north coast of the island of Andros off Greece. It followed an international invitation to tender. The casualty had gone aground in bad weather in February.

Spanopoulos Group’s own assets floating cranes barges and tugs - were central to the bid and it assembled a team of naval architects, masters and environmentalists under the direction of an experienced salvage master and salvage manager. The Port Authorities from Andros were present throughout and the job was conducted with the cooperation and supervision of Brookes Bell.

The Spanopoulos method was to reduce ground force as much as possible by removing the weight of the hatch covers, cranes, the accommodation block and stern section. Holds were then made watertight with numerous patches and divers conducted underwater welding and installed rubber patches to seal cracks. The engine room required much work in order to be pressurized with compressed air.

Electric pumps were installed in the holds, mooring lines fixed to the rocky shore and booms laid to contain any remaining pollutants that might be released. A self-propelled floating crane was anchored at 90 degrees alongside to assist with position-keeping of the wreck as she refloated.

There were several bad weather interruptions before the successful 20 hour operation in which GOODFAITH was safely re-floated and then pulled sideways away from the rocks by tugs.

She was then prepared for towage and taken to the Spanopoulos-owned shipyard at Salamis Island before going on to her final disposal destination.

Resolve Marine The remote location meant that limited resources were available locally so coordinating logistics was a crucial aspect of the operation.

Salvage Master Andy Butts and the crew worked in freezing conditions for four months to successfully parbuckle and re-float the vessel, ensuring the safe removal and disposal of hazardous cargo, residual oils, cargo, trucks, trailers and other vehicles onboard.

The RoRo ferry AMADEO-1 grounded at Kirke Canal in southern Chile, causing ingress of water into the vessel. Despite the efforts of the crew to control the flooding, water continued to enter and eventually left the AMADEO-1 keeled over 60 degrees carrying a load of livestock.

Resolve was contracted to provide cargo and wreck removal services. In a major mobilisation, Resolve moved assets from

across the globe including the 134T BP tug RESOLVE EARL, the 78T BP tug RESOLVE COMMANDER, and the deck cargo barges, RMG 302 and RMG 280.

Resolve’s custom-built 325 tonne hydraulic chain pullers and various other items of salvage equipment were also dispatched from the Group’s warehouses in Mobile, Fort Lauderdale, Cork, Singapore, and Mumbai.

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Resolve said that its experience of pollution control and remediation gained on the RENA job in New Zealand helped it to comply with Chile’s stringent environmental regulations. Resolve also used local organizations to ensure a constant Chilean presence throughout the project.

On 21 September 2015, Resolve scuttled the vessel in 2,700 meters of water approximately 70 km from Diego de Almagro Island, Chile.

To view a time-lapse video of the operation, visit: https://vimeo. com/132211164

Members’ News Union of Shipowners, the Cyprus Marine Environment Protection Association (CYMEPA) as well as representatives from shipping and management companies, P&I Clubs and underwriters.

Ardent launch event The newly formed Ardent held an event to formally mark the creation of the venture linking Titan Salvage and Svitzer Salvage. The event was held on the top floor of London’s iconic “Gherkin” building offering spectacular views of London (below). It was hosted by ISU Executive Committee members, Pieter Pietka and Todd Busch.

Right: Ardent CEO, Peter Pietka

George Tsavliris, principal of Tsavliris Salvage and president of CYMEPA welcomed guests noting that the Tsavliris Group’s founder, Alexander G. Tsavliris, had a presence in Cyprus from the early 1960s, when he first registered ships with the Cyprus Registry and that by 1967 he had a dozen cargo vessels registered under the Cyprus flag.

Since then the group has had a continued presence in Cyprus in the fields of salvage and towage and environmental protection. Mr Tsavliris announced that Tsavliris is actively focusing on offshore oil and gas on the Cypriot continental shelf.

Gigilinis

Donjon Smit

Gigilinis conducted a salvage operation in the English Channel with its tug HELLAS (below) which assisted a general cargo vessel suffering main engines failure. The connection was made in adverse weather and the casualty was towed safely to Falmouth and re-delivered to her owners.

Since 2004 Smit and Donjon Marine have been working in a joint venture dedicated to offering OPA 90 (SMFF) response in US waters. In recent years, Smit says only a limited number of responses have materialized into substantial projects under the OPA 90 regime. However, this has changed considerably in 2015.

Gigilinis Shipping Group also reports a busy quarter with its tugs covering a total combined distance of over 28,000 nautical miles in a wide range of tows involving new builds, scrap vessels, barges and dredgers. The operations were to and from a range of ports in Europe and Africa under all kinds of weather conditions.

In addition, the Tsavliris Cultural Foundation has been formed in Cyprus.

Tsavliris said that the fact that all three principals - Andreas, George, and Nicolas Tsavliris (above, left to right) - and their families and senior staff were at the event showed the importance of Cyprus to their Group.

China Rescue and Salvage

In the first eight months,16 projects have been successfully executed by DonjonSmit. Smit said it is too early to determine whether this increased work is a result of the regulations also being applicable to non-tank vessels or other factors such owners, Qualified Individuals (QIs), the Coastguard and underwriters being more comfortable calling on services they have seen well-delivered.

Tsavliris Tsavliris Salvage hosted an event for 200 guests from the shipping industry during Maritime Cyprus 2015 in September.

Guests included the Cypriot Minister of Transport, representatives from the Department of Merchant Shipping, the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, the Cyprus 4

Mr Zhenliang Wang attended the ISU AGM in New York on behalf of China Rescue and Salvage and took the opportunity to congratulate John Witte on his election to the Presidency and presented him with a corporate plaque representing CRS (above).

Tsavliris Salvage operations Tsavliris Salvage has conducted several operations in the last period.

In June the bulker NAVIOS KYPROS 55,000 tonnes dwt and fully laden with general cargo - was immobilized due to main engine problems some 600 nautical miles south of Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

In August the product chemical tanker FAIR AFRODITI - 8,513 tonnes dwt suffered significant damage following an explosion during tank cleaning while she was off Lomé, Togo. Severe structural damage was sustained; flooding of the engine room and cargo tanks occurred and the casualty listed about 18 degrees to port. The crew abandoned the vessel.

Tsavliris Salvage dispatched the salvage tug DE ZHOU (16,500 BHP – 205 BP) from Shanghai to the casualty which was then towed safely over the next 20 days to Pusan, Republic of Korea. A tow of more than 3000 nautical miles.

Tsavliris Salvage deployed the tug RATCEL J and the AHTS THE GUARDIAN to provide assistance and a salvage team of a salvage master, salvage engineers and riggers was mobilised from Greece to Lomé along with suitable salvage equipment.

Entry to port was delayed by typhoon Chan Hom and services were terminated in July after the impact of a further typhoon, Nangka

IUMI – the International Union of Marine Insurance – has published its annual statistical report on the marine insurance market.

Global premiums for 2014 were $US 32.6 billion. It was a 3.2% reduction on the 2013 figure but IUMI said converting local currencies to a single US dollar figure had an impact on the true result.

The 2014 total comprised income from the following regions: • • • • • •

Europe Asia Pacific Latin America North America Middle East Africa

52.6% 25.0% 9.8% 6.4% 3.1% 3.0%

and the following business lines: • • • •

Global hull Transport/cargo Marine liability Offshore/energy

23.2% 51.9% 6.6% 18.2%

The salvage operation was completed in early September and a skeleton team is continuing to provide services under a Care Taking Arrangement until the vessel’s final disposal.

Left: The product tanker FAIR AFRODITI suffered an explosion during tank cleaning operations

Elsewhere in July the salvage tug TSAVLIRIS UNITY (7,000 BHP - 83 TBP) was dispatched from her permanent salvage station at Galle, Sri Lanka, to assist the bulk Carrier AMBER L 47,282 tonnes dwt and fully laden with manganese ore – which was immobilized due to engine problems about 600 miles south-east of Sri Lanka. The casualty was safely towed to Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.

IUMI annual statistics

The Tsavliris team boarded the casualty and stabilized her by correcting the list and trim by transferring ballast and removing oily water and bunkers. The hull, pump room and engine room were made watertight and all bunkers, oily water, lubricating oil and paints were removed from the vessel. Further work saw the stripping of the engine room tanks, pump room bilges and slop tanks.

In the cargo sector, a number of local markets experienced positive growth but that growth was largely hidden by the strong US dollar.

The extraordinary absence of major hull losses in 2014 resulted in the sector recording a technical profit for the underwriting year 2014.

IUMI generally assumes that a loss ratio of 70% or less represents a “technical profit” for the cargo sector. It said that while the 2014 underwriting year seems to have produce a technical profit (based on figures as of December 2014) it is likely that the Tianjin explosion - potentially the largest single cargo loss ever recorded - will impact significantly on 2014 and 2015 results.

IUMI described the outlook for the cargo market as “hard to predict in light of the current changing economic environment.”

In addition, hull premiums are generally collected in US dollars whilst repair costs are often paid-out in local currencies, this might also have contributed to the stronger performance. 2015 has already seen a number of total losses and this will have a negative impact on the 2015 results.

Hull sector premiums amounted to $US 7.6 billion which was a 5.8% reduction from 2013. The majority of hull business is written in US dollars and so the strong US dollar was not thought to be the sole reason for the reduction in premium income in 2014. Some markets (Lloyd’s, IUA, Nordic) recorded an improvement over last year whilst others, notably Japan and Latin America, delivered a reduction in income.

“Although the hull sector turned-in a technical profit this year, we can attribute that positive performance to an unusual lack of large vessel losses. I don’t believe this is the “new normal” and I would not be surprised to see a reversal of fortunes for the hull sector in future years”.

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Vice-Chairman of IUMI’s Facts & Figures Committee, Astrid Seltmann expressed caution:

By comparison, ISU Members’ gross revenue from all sources in 2014 was $US 775 million.

Associates’ News New Associates ISU welcomes the following new Associate Member G-master Marine Services pte ltd.

Address: 8 Marina Boulevard, Level 11, MBFC Tower 1 Singapore 018981 Tel: (65) 6653 4306 Contact: Zhenyu Gong, Managing Director Email: gzhenyu@gmastermarine.com Internet: www.gmastermarine.com BIMCO Event ISU is closely involved with a BIMCO event in Hamburg on 18 November which will simulate a marine casualty in the US. Delegates will have the opportunity to participate in an unfolding scenario in which the ISU’s new President, John Witte, will play the key role of Salvage Master alongside other experienced responders and media handlers. To see a trail for the event, go to: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=gXn_jHLyXAQ IUMI At the IUMI Annual Conference in Berlin lin September, Agnes Choi and Colin Sprott were elected as vice chairmen of the Executive Committee replacing Richard Turner (Global Director, RSA) and Mike Davies (Chief Underwriting Officer, XL Caitlin Group) who stood down having completed their set term.

Agnes Choi is the Chief Distribution

Officer, Property and Casualty for AXA, Hong Kong, specifically responsible for the development of cargo and hull insurance for AXA in the region. She was the Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers and this year she was awarded the Hong Kong Government Medal of Honour to recognise her outstanding contribution to the insurance industry in Hong Kong.

at better identifying core skills and excellence in seafarers.

Colin Sprott is responsible for the Global Marine Underwriting operation at Navigators Group. He began his career in the London insurance market 25 years ago at Sedgwick before moving to underwriting at AIG, and then to XL, where he held the position of CUO for global marine and offshore energy.

Colin was Chairman of the Joint Liability Committee and has served on both the LMA Marine committee and also the IUMI Legal and Liability Committee.

Hill Dickinson

InterManager Seafarers must continue to be seen as the ‘heart and soul’ of the shipping industry and InterManager will continue to support initiatives which work to enhance people’s skills and competencies on board ship and ashore, according to its President Gerardo Borromeo.

Speaking at InterManager’s AGM in London, Mr Borromeo said the association was working closely with partner organisations and member companies on initiatives such as the Martha Project which addresses concerns on seafarer fatigue as well as introducing psychometric testing aimed

Five Oceans Salvage operations Five Oceans Salvage has been busy with three Lloyd’s Open Form cases in the past quarter.

In July, the chemical tanker STARLET - 10,048 dwt, built 2003 and in ballast suffered water ingress in her engine room whilst at anchor in the inner anchorage of Hodeidah, Yemen. A LOF was signed between Five Oceans Salvage and the owners and Scopic was invoked.

The salvage tug IONIAN SEA FOS (10,560BHP, 102BP) fully equipped with salvage, patching and anti-pollution equipment was engaged to assist together with a salvage team of eight and five armed guards needed to enter the Yemeni warzone.

The team embarked in Djibouti because air transportation to and from Yemen is not possible due to the war risk.

The operation is ongoing in Hodeidah anchorage despite airstrikes and military operations on land nearby.

Elsewhere, in August, the bulker PEBBLE BEACH - 37,000 dwt, built 2013 and laden with approximately 9,400 tonnes of barley in bulk ran aground in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Five Oceans Salvage was awarded the LOF contract straightaway and mobilised a salvage team from Greece. Salvage services were rendered using two local port tugs and the vessel was successfully re-floated on the 28th August.

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He acknowledged that “a lot of work still needs to be done” in areas such as the continuous professional development of human resource both on board and onshore. He added: “It is through quality people that we will ultimately achieve the results we strive for."

Hill Dickinson announced that Captain Joe Quain, formerly of Bentley’s Stokes and Lowless, has joined the firm as a partner in its Singapore office. It means the firm now has six master mariner lawyers.

Hill Dickinson said that Mr Quain’s appointment will “enhance the already impressive international standing of the shipping team in Singapore”. Tony Goldsmith, partner and master mariner who heads the Singapore office, commented: “As a solicitor and master mariner of 20 years’ experience, Joe's expertise in all aspects of Admiralty work can only strengthen our existing commitment to provide our clients with the highest standard of legal advice.”

Patrick Hawkins, Hill Dickinson’s Head of Global Shipping, also welcomed his appointment as a significant addition to the firm’s offering: “Joe embodies best all the qualities our clients have come to expect from Hill Dickinson, combining legal and seafaring expertise with a practical, client-focused and commercially pragmatic outlook.”

In September the bulk carrier VICTORIA - 46,841 dwt, built 1997 and laden with 35,000 tonnes of wheat – went aground in the Kattegat, off Varberg, Sweden.

Five Oceans Salvage signed a LOF with the owners the same day and mobilized the tug BB POWER from Stavanger, Norway, to assist, together with a salvage team of six from Greece and Holland.

Over the following days, the salvors engaged the tanker LEON to successfully remove 950 tonnes of fuel from the casualty and FRISIAN SUMMER and TRANSFORZA to assist in the lightering operation. VICTORIA was refloated and brought to Halmstad where the lightered cargo and bunkers were transferred back on board and the vessel redelivered to her owners.

ISU AGM and Dinner 2015, New York 1.

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1. L - R Riccardo Rodrigo Bella, John Witte, Matthias Reinarz 2. Joe Farrell 3. L - R Jun Wang, Zhenliang Wang, Cliff Chow, Peixin Jin 4. L - R An Sofie Muller-Joppe, Victoria Mizzi, Charo Coll

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5. L - R Doug Martin, Charo Coll, Ray Lord 6. L - R Corrado Neri, Federica Meucci, Silvia Dell Agnello Neri, Corrado Neri 7. L - R Alexander Tsavliris, Andreas Tsavliris, Corrado Neri

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8. L - R Alberto Camacho, Iris Cavallo, Maria Paz Fernandez del Rio, Alfred Hubner 9. Ishtar Elmes (left) and Niharika Wahi 10. Zoe Fell and Sean Harrington

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International Monitor

United Kingdom The organisers of London International Shipping Week 2015 (LISW15) declared it a “hugely successful event.”

LISW15 had the backing of the British Government which demonstrated its commitment to the maritime industry with an international round table meeting at 10 Downing Street hosted by the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport.

There was a great variety of and number of events – some 120 conferences, panel discussions, and seminars that took place during the week - with high calibre speakers at high quality venues.

The organisers said it had “once again propelled London to the forefront of global shipping.”

The event organisers were honoured to have the patronage of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, who attended the LISW15 Welcome Reception at Lancaster House with some of the maritime industry’s leading figures (below).

Migrants in the Mediterranean level expressed by respondents in the markets in which they operate was 5.9 on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high). This compares to the 5.3 recorded in May 2015, which equalled the lowest figure recorded in the life of the survey, launched in May 2008 with a confidence rating of 6.8.

Geographically, confidence was up in Asia from 4.9 to 5.8, in Europe from 5.3 to 5.9, and in North America from 6.0 to 6.3.

Richard Greiner, Moore Stephens Partner, Shipping Industry Group says: “It is always encouraging to see a graph moving in the right direction.

Shipping Confidence Overall confidence levels in the shipping industry rose in the three months to the end of August 2015 to their highest level this year, according to the latest Shipping Confidence Survey from international accountant and shipping adviser and ISU Associate Member, Moore Stephens.

Respondents to the survey were concerned predominantly about low freight rates and overtonnaging, with continuing doubts also expressed about private equity funding.

In August 2015, the average confidence

The Guidelines are also applicable to other regions where ships may have to assist with rescue operations involving large numbers migrants or refugees, including South East Asia.

"So the long-term outlook for shipping offers encouragement to existing and new investors alike. Those who are not attracted by the longer-term prospects, meanwhile, will doubtless exit the industry, and in the process may help solve some of its problems.”

CO2 emissions The International Chamber of Shipping says that the global shipping industry is already delivering carbon neutral growth having reduced total CO2 emissions by more than 10% since 2007, despite an increase in maritime trade.

CO2 emissions from international shipping now represent just 2.2% of the world’s total CO2 emissions compared to 2.8% in 2007 (UN IMO Green House Gas Study, 2014).

During the week, the UK government published a Maritime Growth Study which recommended the formation of a Ministerial Working Group which the UK Government has agreed and the Secretary of State for Transport will chair its first meeting.

The global shipping industry, represented by a range of international shipowners' associations and seafarers' unions, has collectively updated the industry's Guidelines on Large Scale Rescue Operations at Sea. It comes in response to the continuing crisis in the Mediterranean, in which merchant ships and their civilian crews have so far assisted in the rescue of over 50,000 people.

A new ICS fact sheet ‘Delivering CO2 Emission Reductions: Shipping is Part of the Solution’ can be downloaded at www. ics-shipping.org/docs/shipsandco2-cop21 “These are genuine reductions through fuel efficiency, without the need for complex virtual measures such as carbon offsets,” said ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe.

“With bigger ships, better engines and smarter speed management, the industry is confident of a 50% CO2 reduction by 2050 when the entire world fleet will comprise super fuel-efficient ships, many using clean fuels such as LNG.” ICS says that IMO is the only place that can ensure that the entire world fleet will continue to deliver further CO2 reductions, regardless of a ship’s flag, whilst respecting the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) principle of “Common But Differentiated Responsibility.”

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The new Guidelines update those originally produced by the International Chamber of Shipping at the end of 2014, but now take account of the considerable recent experience gained by shipping companies and their crews.

An important aspect of the revised Guidelines is the additional attention given to ensuring that rescued people are looked after safely once they have been embarked on board commercial ships, whilst also ensuring the safety, security and welfare of the seafarers undertaking such rescue operations, which often involve a significant degree of risk.

The shipping organisations also make it clear that the revision of the Guidelines does not in any way suggest that shipping companies or their crews are reconciled to the continuing failure of governments to provide adequate state-backed rescue resources, as required by international law.

ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe, commented: “The fact that these industry Guidelines are sadly necessary does not mean that the continuing reliance on merchant ships to perform a role which is the proper responsibility of governments is either acceptable or sustainable.”

Smit Salvage operations Smit has concluded the two large wreck removals of the Baltic Ace and the Perro Negro 6 jack up rig and has secured two major refloating operations of drilling and accommodation jack-up rigs.

The jobs are in the Gulf of Mexico and off Qatar. Both platforms have suffered a punch through and are currently being carefully removed away from their respective production platforms and away from the oil fields.

Elsewhere, Smit attended to a 13,000 teu container vessel on fire in the northern part of the Suez canal. The vessel was able to sail under her own power into Mediterranean. Smit mobilised two tugs with high firefighting capacity to assist with the boundary cooling and firefighting under direction of a Smit Salvage team who were quickly on the scene (below).

A second salvage team and specialized mobile firefighting equipment was sent by

charter planes to Cyprus and an offshore supply vessel was despatched from Cyprus to take the team and equipment to the casualty.

After a short period of intensive firefighting, the blaze was extinguished and the team began an inspection of all containers and areas in the vicinity of the fire.

When all compartments where declared safe and gas free the vessel resumed her voyage to Algeciras under the supervision of a SMIT salvage team. On arrival in Spain, Smit assisted the owners in offloading the damaged containers and in processing the contaminated water.

In December 2014, the general cargo vessel GOKBEL was involved in a collision in bad weather a few miles off Ravenna in Italy. The vessel was hit on the port side, capsized and subsequently sank.

Smit Salvage was contracted to refloat and remove the vessel. There was still buoyancy in the bow of the vessel and the plan was to parbuckle her in one piece using sheerlegs. The project was undertaken in cooperation with Smit’s long-standing partners, ISU members Neri of Livorno, who provided the 1,000 tonne sheerleg the ITALIA. The bunkers were removed first and then it was discovered that large amounts of clay had accumulated inside and around the vessel’s accommodation. It meant that the plan had to modified to allow the accommodation block first to be cut off before the parbuckling. The accommodation was lifted and cut into small pieces and loaded into the vessel’s own holds.

After righting, the hull was prepared for onward towage and re-delivred to the owners to enable them to tow the vessel to a scrapyard in Turkey.

Smit Salvage engaged in boundary cooling operations near Suez

Boluda A trio of Boluda Towage and Salvage’s tugs seen manoeuvering the oil tanker ALGECIRAS SPIRIT out of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Harbour. Two azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugs with high bollard pull are making the turn with an azimuth tug at the bow.

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Salvage World is produced by the International Salvage Union. For matters relating to the publication contact: James Herbert, ISU communications advisor.

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