The loss of a salvage legend

When reading accounts of marine salvage operations, while technology and machinery muscle play their part it is the skill, courage and innovation from the human involvement which determines eventual outcomes. Throughout history the industry has thrown up true larger than life characters and reviewing Captain Habib’s history and achievements, he was clearly in the premier league of professional salvage masters.

Captain Habib was former managing director at Titan Salvage and a roll call of the salvage and wreck removal projects he was involved in during his career provides an indication of his achievements: APL Panama, Cougar Ace, Smart, A Turtle and what is recognised as the largest wreck removal of all time; that of the cruise ship Costa Concordia, all cases which will be quoted in history books yet to be written.

He graduated from the US Coast Guard Academy in 1977 and after a spell in the USCG including an exchange post in the US Navy transferred to the commercial maritime scene included time with Dock Express and Van Ommeren gaining his Master’s qualification. It was a short step from heavy-lift shipping to salvage and he joined Titan in 2001 quickly rising through the ranks before moving to Resolve Marine as managing director Europe in 2008. After returning to Titan in the role of managing director he left them when they merged with Svitzer Salvage in 2014.

Another experienced player in the world of salvage, Captain Nicholas Sloane paid tribute to Captain Habib saying: “After Rich returned to Titan Salvage and headed up their global operations as managing director, he truly came into his own – winning some amazing salvage contracts around the world, none bigger than the Costa Concordia.”

By Peter Barker