From wartime wrecks to modern maritime mayhem, the International Salvage Union’s latest report reveals 15 missions in the first quarter of the year in a pertinent reminder that in salvage, writes Peter Barker, no two battles are ever the same.

The ISU’s analysis of the last 15 incidents has revealed they consisted of four vessel groundings, four fires, two capsizes and two vessel breakdowns. The other two involved fuel removal and oil response, and collision.