Members of the International Salvage
Union (ISU) provided 226 services to
vessels carrying 2.6 million tonnes of
potentially polluting cargo and fuel
during operations in 2021.
It demonstrates the critical role of
professional salvors in protecting the
marine environment. The data come from
the results of the ISU's Annual Pollution
Prevention Survey for operations in 2021.
President of the ISU, Captain Nicholas
Sloane, said: "The shipping industry
knows only too well that it is under
the spotlight for its environmental
performance: both for the environmental
impact of operating ships and for the
threat they, and their cargo, present to the
environment.
"All casualties have the potential to
develop into serious incidents and, in a
world where even the smallest amount of
pollution is unacceptable, the work of our
members is essential.
"The most eye-catching number in these
results is for containers. ISU members
provided services to vessels carrying
more than 100,000 TEU amounting to
more than 1.5 million tonnes of cargo.
"The mixed nature of such cargoes -
including dangerous goods, harmful
chemicals, plastic pellets - means that
they are potentially highly polluting and
difficult and dangerous to deal with."
Captain Sloane added: "Shipowners and
insurers are increasingly under pressure
to demonstrate their ESG credentials
(Environmental, Social and Governance)
and, where engaged, ISU members
play an important role in helping them to
meet their environmental obligations and
demonstrate their commitment. Continued
global provision of the professional
salvage services offered by members of
the ISU is essential."
Crude oil cargo was relatively low in
2021 at 103,408 tonnes while cargoes
of refined oil products rose to 182,232
tonnes. Chemical cargoes fell significantly
to 24,126 tonnes in 2021. The number
of containers involved in ISU members'
services in 2021 climbed dramatically
to 103,935 TEU equating to some to
1,559,025 tonnes (allowing a nominal 15
tonnes per TEU.)
Bulk cargoes decreased significantly
to 424,719 tonnes in 2021 compared to
744,246 tonnes last time. This category
includes products such as coal, scrap
steel, grains, soya and cement. A number
of bulk cargoes are not included as
potential pollutants and ISU members
also provided services to bulkers carrying
209,475 tonnes of non-hazardous dry bulk
– mainly metal ores.
11 cases had more that 2000 tonnes of
bunkers on board and the total of bunkers
involved was 89,456 tonnes. An increased
number of the services noted in the survey
did not record the quantity of bunkers or
the cargo type.
ISU is clear that not all these potential
pollutants were at immediate risk of going
into the sea. Some cases will have had
limited danger, but many others will have
carried a real risk of causing substantial
environmental damage.
The 226 services in 2021 included 30
wreck removal/marine services contracts;
26 Lloyd's Open Forms. 52 towage
contracts; 15 Japanese Forms; 8 Fixed
Price and Lump Sum contracts; 27 Day
Rate contracts; 44 other contracts and 24
Turkish Forms.
The survey was first conducted by ISU in
1994 and the methodology was updated
in 2014 to include a wider range of
potential pollutants including containers
and hazardous and dirty bulk cargoes.
In the period 1994 to end-2021, ISU
members have provided services to
casualty vessels carrying 38,872,986
tonnes of potential pollutants, an average
of 1.4 million tonnes per year.