Members of the International Salvage Union have confirmed that they will work hard to maintain full service to their clients during the global Coronavirus outbreak, including providing emergency response services to casualty vessels. It has to be appreciated that the 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 the ISU’s members are spread strategically around the world and larger members have people and equipment in multiple locations and on vessels already at sea.

President of the International Salvage Union, Richard Janssen, 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 live, 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.”

The ISU has 49 full members providing emergency response, wreck removal, environmental protection and other marine services around the world.