ISU Pollution Prevention Survey results
The total of all pollutants salved in 2010 was 574,386 tons compared with 2009’s total of 1,018,872 tons, a fall of 44%. Photo courtesy of ISU.
The International Salvage Union (ISU) has announced the results of its annual Pollution Prevention Survey for 2010, which show a significant decrease in the tonnages of pollutants salved by ISU members in 2010.
There was a corresponding fall in the number of salvage services performed by members of the ISU compared to 2009.
The total of all pollutants salved in 2010 was 574,386 tons compared with 2009’s total of 1,018,872 tons, a fall of 44%. The average annual figure for the 16 years for which data is available continues to exceed one million tons of potential pollutants recovered per year.
In 2010 the major changes were a significant decrease in the quantity of crude oil salved, down 74% from 743,506 tons in 2009 to 195,300 tons. However the figure for 2009 was larger than is typical due to salvage services provided by ISU members to two large tankers.
Similarly, the volume of chemical cargoes salved fell 71% to 32,561from 2009’s 112,740. The category of “other pollutants” also showed a significant rise, 309% up from 62,853 tons in 2009 to 257,158 tons in 2010. This is explained by salvage services provided to two vessels carrying large cargoes totalling 170,000 tons of kerosene.
The Lloyd’s Open Form salvage contract continued to be the most widely used contract with 57 services (56 in 2009). The number of wreck removals was down two to nine. Four other salvage contracts were used and 96 services were carried out on a fixed price basis, 34 down from 2009. A total of 27 casualties needed to be lightened of all or some of their pollutants by ship to ship transfer, a 50% increase on 2009.
Commenting on the results, ISU President, Todd Busch said, “These numbers show how variable our industry is year on year. They also show how provision of salvage services to casualties carrying large quantities of crude oil can dramatically increase the figures, as they did in 2009.
“Even though the numbers are generally well down on the previous year, our members’ work has yet again helped to prevent serious and damaging marine pollution. While not every vessel salved was a real threat to the environment, there can be no doubt that our members’ services to vessels carrying over 500,000 tons of potential pollutants were of benefit to the environment. And, to give some context, during the same year the US administration estimated that some 700,000 tons of oil was spilled into the Gulf of Mexico in its worst environmental disaster.”
The ISU’s Pollution Prevention Survey began in 1994. In the 16 years to the end of 2010, ISU salvors have recovered 16,550,683 tons of potential pollutants, an average of over one million tons per year.
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