ISU pollution survey highlights decline in salvage workload

Results from the latest annual Pollution Prevention Survey published by the International Salvage Union (ISU) show that oils, chemicals, other pollutants and bunker fuel recovered last year totalled 605,677 tonnes, as against 957,122 tonnes in 2002. This amounts to a decrease of nearly 37%. This is a significant decline in numbers.

ISU President Joop Timmermans said “ISU salvors have recovered over 11 million tonnes of potential pollutants in the 10 years to end-2003. While the volume of pollutants recovered in 2003 is down on 2002, it represents a figure more in keeping with the trend of recent years, with total annual recoveries at around half a million tonnes. In 2001, for example, the total recovery was 539,000 tonnes. In 2002, the figure was inflated by a laden VLCC ? the first such case to appear in the ISU caseload for several years. There were no laden VLCC cases involving ISU salvors in 2003.”

Timmermans added “Last year there was a substantial decrease of 18.7% in the number of casualties assisted. This suggests continued shrinkage in the salvage industry?s workload. Turning to the recoveries of pollutants, the crude oil volume was half that of 2002, yet the figure of 303,486 tonnes still represents around four spills of Prestige size. The recovery of chemicals, at 61,177 tonnes, marks a return to typical annual levels following an abnormally low figure in 2002. The volume of bunkers recovered each year remains remarkably consistent ? in the range of 60,000-70,000 tonnes.”

During 2003 there was a decrease in the number of tanker salvage operations: 27, as against 39 in 2002. This figure of 27, however, is still higher than the 19 recorded in 2001. The largest tanker recovery involved the Vicky, with a cargo of nearly 67,000 tonnes of gasoil. During the year, another ISU salvor undertook the ship-to-ship transfer of 60,000 tonnes of carbon black from the vessel San Sebastian.

Last year saw a minor decrease in the number of casualties (tankers and other vessels) requiring the ship-to-ship transfer of cargoes and/or bunkers. The total fell from 35 cases in 2002 to 30 in 2003. Lloyd’s Form remains the most regularly used form of salvage contract. Some 39% of the services in 2003 involved LOF ? a 4% rise on the previous two years.