Salvors to produce Casualty Management Guidelines

For several years the International Salvage Union (ISU) has proposed the production of best practice guidelines for Marine Casualty Management (MCM Guidelines). At its Annual General Meeting in Malta, ISU members endorsed the project to complete guidelines for circulation and use by salvors, shipowners and coastal states worldwide. The intention is to complete the guidelines during 2009.

Commenting on the initiative, President of the ISU Arnold Witte said, ‘There is existing International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidance on the issue of places of refuge. There is also very general IMO guidance on general issues relating to the control of ships in emergency situations. What is missing is specific, comprehensive guidance on best practice throughout the entire casualty management process. The MCM Guidelines will fill that gap and, in doing so, will sharpen and enhance marine emergency response capabilities worldwide. Our intention is to consult with our maritime industry partners when finalising the guidelines.’

The guidelines will include provisions on pre-event preparations for effective response, special considerations relating to specific casualty types (for example, collision, fire, grounding), first response actions (shore-side and salvor mobilisation, together with ship-board response), preparing and implementing the Salvage Plan, progressing the salvage operation (including pollution prevention and public issues), re-delivery of the casualty, and key factors contributing to successful salvage and pollution prevention.

During the Malta AGM, ISU members also decided to call for publication of Lloyds Form Salvage Awards, including the full text of the Arbitrators Reasons.

Commenting on the decision, Arnold Witte said, ‘It is important that the Lloyds arbitration system is not only entirely fair to all sides but is also seen to be fair. An open policy on publication, should the parties involved in the particular case agree, would amount to a great advance in demonstrating the impartiality, validity and flexibility of the Lloyds Open Form (LOF) system in matching reward to the level of service provided.’

During the ISU AGM, Arnold Witte welcomed new members Beaufort Salvage of Turkey, JP Knight of the UK and T & T Marine Salvage of the USA. The AGM also approved the admission to full membership of Five Oceans Salvage Consultants of Greece.