Posted on March 22, 2020
Members of the International Salvage Union (ISU) have stated their desire to maintain a service as usual status during the current global Coronavirus outbreak.
Shipping is by nature a global business, trade routes taking in virtually any combination of countries and of course crews on board ships nowadays will often consist of a wide range of nationalities. ISU members have now confirmed they will work hard to maintain full service to clients during the coronavirus outbreak.
This includes providing emergency response services to casualty vessels although it has to be appreciated that previous destinations of vessels and crew pose an additional challenge when assessing how best to respond to a vessel in distress.
Travel restrictions could affect the way salvors would normally deploy teams but as ISU points out its members are spread strategically around the world and larger members have people and equipment in multiple locations and on vessels already at sea.
Richard Janssen, ISU President said: “Salvors are nothing if not problem solvers and we have a track record of responding to incidents whatever the circumstances. Our priorities are to save life, protect the environment and save property and we will jointly work towards a situation whereby service can be maintained to our shipowner clients during the current difficult times. We are all in competition, but we also work cooperatively together in the service of our clients on many jobs whilst respecting the safety of our teams.”
In lighter news from the salvage industry concerning personnel changes, Ardent Global has announced that Byron E. Vernicos will act as exclusive agent for Ardent focusing on the Greek and Cypriot market.
Mr Vernicos is described by Ardent as one of the leading shipbrokers specialising in the offshore and maritime market since its establishment in 1978 with the main focus on salvage, offshore vessel employment including deep sea towage and period charter, sale and purchase and other related activities.
In similar regional news, Resolve Marine Group has welcomed A.W. McAfee as the new managing director of Resolve Alaska. Mr McAfee was previously an operational manager with the Bechtel Corporation from where his global maritime experience will compliment his new responsibility for overseeing Resolve’s operational response and recovery activities in the Pacific Northwest region.
By Peter Barker
Source: maritimejournal
