Full Members
Full members of the ISU are companies and organisations that are active as main contractors and have a track record of providing successful salvage services. The ISU has some 55 full members worldwide. Applicants for membership must be supported by at least two existing ISU full members.
Membership of the ISU confers a mark of professional respect and competence and ISU members may use the ISU logo on their corporate marketing and business materials.
Membership of the ISU demonstrates good standing with other salvors; shipowners and their insurers as well as with other marine professionals.
ISU members receive a listing in the ISU website and are entitled to have their news published in the widely distributed and well-regarded quarterly newsletter, Salvage World.
Members may attend the annual meeting of the association and help to shape policy regarding the business and legal frameworks and practice of salvage and wreck removal. It is also an excellent networking opportunity allowing members to meet and re-establish existing relationships and make new contacts.
ISU also produces an annual associate members’ conference with a programme of relevant speakers and the chance to meet other full members and associate and affiliate members at no cost.
Members are expected to abide by the ISU Code of Conduct and there is a disciplinary process to deal with issues and disputes.
Membership fees are kept as low as possible and are reviewed regularly.
Associate Members
The ISU is also open to associate membership. Associate members are typically organisations which do not provide salvage services directly but which support the industry or have an interest in it. They include marine consultancies, liability and property insurers and brokers; marine law firms, national response organisations and others with an interest in salvage, pollution prevention and wreck removal services.
ISU associate members receive a listing on the ISU website and are entitled to have their news published in the widely distributed and well-regarded quarterly newsletter, Salvage World.
Two representatives of each associate member may attend the annual ISU associate members’ conference at no cost with the opportunity to hear about current issues and to meet and engage with full members.
Associate membership fees are modest and formal applications are considered by the Executive Committee.
Affiliate Members
Affiliate membership is open to non-commercial organisations with an interest in marine salvage and are usually similar shipping industry trade associations. There is no fee for affiliate members and requests to join this category of membership are considered on a case by case basis with no formal application process.
There are some 80 associate and affiliate members of the ISU.
The Admiralty Solicitors Group
Biography
Protecting and promoting high standards in the practice of English Maritime Law, the Admiralty Solicitors Group (ASG) was formed in 1972 to promote and preserve standards in the practice of maritime law in England. ASG member firms all have established reputations in maritime law and are committed to the continued development of England, and particularly London, as a maritime legal centre. Although the group was established principally with Admiralty Law matters in mind its interests now also embrace ‘dry’ matters: carriage of goods, sale and purchase, insurance and all other aspects of shipping law in which member firms play a prominent part.
Many if not most firms have among their practitioners Master Mariners or other ex-seafarers also qualified as lawyers. This industry ‘inside knowledge’ gives case-handlers a unique and thoroughly practical insight into the issues to be resolved in cases, resulting in a cost-efficient approach.
The Group meets regularly to discuss current issues that affect the efficient practice of English maritime law. Over the years the ASG has developed and agreed standard wordings: for instance, guarantee and jurisdiction wordings which are regularly accepted internationally in the shipping and insurance industries, thus saving time and money by avoiding unnecessary drafting and negotiation. The Group is represented on committees and working parties including the Commercial Court Users Committee and the Lloyd’s Salvage Group and is consulted by other organizations on shipping issues and the development of maritime law.
The ASG offers a panel of experienced practitioners to act as arbitrators in small collision and salvage cases and a panel of solicitor mediators.
If you are interested in applying membership of the ISU then please contact James Herbert on +44 (0)7979 855126 or e: isu@marine-salvage.com