TSAVLIRIS SALVAGE GROUP - News & Announcements

TSAVLIRIS Says Professional Salvors Have Prime Role To Play To Protect Europe From Pollution - 2004 Jun 25

Leading salvor George Tsavliris has urged the European Union to work closely with the salvage industry in developing antipollution response capabilities within Europe - and at the same time he called for a harmonized approach with that of global bodies, particularly the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

 

Speaking at a two-day workshop on Oil Pollution Response in the EU organized by the European Maritime Safety Agency, Mr. Tsavliris said that a cost-efficient use of resources coupled with the right expertise meant that the EU and member states ought to seek standby agreements with experienced international salvors which already kept tugs in strategic locations. From a salvor's perspective, he took the opportunity to "critically" refer to other burning issues that stigmatize the maritime community such as the: criminilization of seafarers, the uncertain result of the EU's measurement on the adoption of double hull vessels, and the importance of the ports of refuge.

 

In his speech, Mr. Tsavliris deliberately took a leaf out of the book regarding Pakistan's treatment towards Tsavliris' Technical Manager Nikos Pappas, who was unlawfully detained for nine months in the famous "TASMAN SPIRIT" case but finally released, and contradicted with the still unresolved two - years detention of Mangouras in the Prestige case in Spain, and called for EU to act more drastically.

 

Thereafter, Mr. Tsavliris called on leading salvage firms to cooperate together in order to provide antipollution coverage for European requirements. "Working arrangements can be effective if there is a positive commitment by all parties and official organizations on a regional as well as international level" he underlined. "There also needs to be good exchange of information among European states regarding their preparedness and response plans for oil pollution but there also needs to be international uniformity, with a legal requirement for identification of ports of refuge," he added.

 

The 23-24 June workshop in Brussels featured numerous prominent guest speakers from many European member states and examined many different issues related to oil pollution response. Mr. Tsavliris emphasised the role played by the international salvage industry, which recovers about 1 million tonnes of pollutants annually during salvage operations, according to International Salvage Union surveys of its members.