S EA T ECHNOLOGY I NCLUDING U NDER S EA T ECHNOLOGY Charles H. Bussmann Founder and Publisher 1924-1999 publisher managing editor production manager assistant design/ website manager advertising service manager C. Amos Bussmann Aileen Torres-Bennett Russell S. Conward Joshua Ortega Susan M. Ingle Owen ® The Industry’s Recognized Authority for Design, Engineering and Application of Equipment and Services in the Global Ocean Community James Herbert , Secretary General, International Salvage Union editorial The Important Work Of Salvage T ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES: HEADQUARTERS C. Amos Bussmann 10449 White Granite Drive, #83 Oakton, VA 22124-9998 Tel: (703) 524-3136 seatechads@sea-technology.com WESTERN U.S.A. & CANADA Barbara Sabo Gregory Sabo John Sabo Associates 447 Herondo St. #305 Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Tel: (310) 374-2301 bsabo@jsaboassoc.com EUROPE John Gold John F. Gold & Associates “Highview” 18a Aultone Way Sutton, Surrey, SM1 3LE, England Phone/FAX Nat’l: 020-8641-7717 Int’l: +44-20-8641-7717 johnfgold@gmail.com For other geographical areas, please contact our home office at (703) 524-3136 or seatechads@sea-technology.com Sea Technology back issues available on microform. Contact: NA Publishing, Inc. P.O. Box 998, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0998 1-800-420-6272 COMPASS PUBLICATIONS, INC. 10449 White Granite Drive, #83 Oakton, VA 22124-9998 Tel: (703) 524-3136 oceanbiz@sea-technology.com www.sea-technology.com publishers of: Sea Technology Commercial Fisheries News Fish Farming News Sea Technology Buyers Guide/Directory Sea Tech e-News Celebrating more than 62 years of serving the global ocean community -Since 1963 -he marine salvage industry is something of a niche within a niche, yet for shipowners, insurers and wider society, it is a vital industry. The International Salvage Union (ISU) is the trade association that rep-resents marine insurers globally. Its members are professional salvors with the equipment, personnel, and experience to safely handle vessels that are in distress and, if necessary, to remove wrecks and pollutants from the seabed that pose a threat to navigation. The work of the salvor is critical to saving life, protecting the environment, protecting property and maintaining the flow of trade. The practice of marine salvage is governed by ancient legal principles, modern international conven-tions and various contractual models, typically on a commercial basis. As the maritime industry evolves, so too does the work of salvage. In nearly all heavy industries, environmental, social and governance (ESG) measures are playing a greater role in the heart of decision making and op-erations, and shipping is no exception. In recent years, carbon reduction and future fuels have tended to dominate the debate. While shipping has generally become safer in recent decades, the threat from marine casualty and the possibility of adverse environmental impact has not diminished. As vessel sizes have increased, for example, because of the growing amount of bunker fuel carried by the largest vessel classes, the rep-utational impact for shipowners and insurers is potentially more damaging, especially in a more connected world. One of the key priorities in a emergency response is to prevent pollutants from entering the sea. This could involve working at depth and on the seabed when dealing with wrecks that still contain pollutants. Wrecks may sometimes have been on the seabed for decades. ISU members have frequently shown great technological innovation in ex-ecuting this kind of operation, with saturation dive teams using ROVs, often with “hot tapping” (underwater drilling through the vessel’s plating). In the historic case of the Kyung Shin , a tanker that sank off the coast of South Korea in 1988, ISU member Smit Salvage engineered a technologically challenging solution involving hot tapping, boilers and heat exchangers (to reduce the viscosity of the heavy fuel oil remaining in the wreck), and special pumps and hoses, all at a depth of 100 m. A crucial success factor was producing the correct temperatures for optimum pumping of the various fuel oil grades. This was achieved by warm-water heating to the required temperature for pumping. Spiral heat exchangers were inserted into each tank, by means of the hot-tap system. During the operation, a total of 12 tanks were emptied. Another historic case was the raising of the Russian submarine, Kursk in 2001. This involved not only dealing with potentially dangerous ordnance but also nuclear materials, and required a highly engineered solution to raise the vessel, with recognition that it was the grave of more than 100 sailors. Each year, the ISU’s pollution prevention statistics show the total quantity of potential pollutants involved in its members’ operations. In 2024, among 160 operations, there were some 2.4 million tonnes of potential pollutants: bunker fuel, refined and crude oils and chemicals, and dirty bulk cargo. Tech-nological innovation and bold action prevents such pollutants from causing environmental damage. Professional salvors can be proud of their contribution to industry and so-ciety: combining heavy engineering, traditional methods and technological innovation in their interventions. ST www.sea-technology.com September 2025 | ST 7
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