There are many images of rescuing lost ships from the bottom of the sea after a storm, but in fact, it’s much less glamorous. However, it is an extremely valuable service through which vessel and cargo owners from all over the world regain possession of their goods, shipping routes can be kept clear, and the environment can be saved.

On this page, we will discuss marine salvage and shipwrecks, describe different kinds of marine salvage, and demonstrate the marine salvage process in detail.

What is Marine Salvage?

The rescue operates as a function of lifting a ship from the water after some marine mishap or disaster. It is also the term used for the recovery of any cargo that was being transported by the vessel. The whole process involves not only refloating a vessel but also ocean towage, moving the vessel to a place where a ship layup management company can keep it.

The modern practice of marine salvage is mostly done by salvage contractors, who are engaged by the owners of the vessels and cargoes to reclaim their property. On an international level, some norms regulate the theme of marine salvage, like the 1910 Brussels Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules with Respect to Assistance and Salvage at Sea and the 1989 International Convention on Salvage.

Marine Salvage and Wreck Removal

Wreck salvage often requires the mobilisation of some of the heaviest machinery in the global salvage fleet, including floating cranes and tugboats. Salvage & Wreck brings the salvage and wreck removal industries together for deep learning, collaboration, and exchange.

What are the procedures for salvaging a capsized vessel?

Salvaging a capsized vessel may involve righting it in place or towing it to a safer area and then righting it; it may include refloating, either before or after correction. It is not uncommon for a vessel to capsize while it is sinking, making refloating more difficult.

What is wreck salvage in marine transport?

Most coastal states require the removal of the Wreck, with the cost of removal being borne by the shipowner and its liability insurer. This is certainly the case if the vessel is a threat to the environment or dangerous to navigation.

What are the four essential elements of a salvage claim?

For a salvage claim to be successful, four elements generally need to be met: there must be a marine hazard; the assistance of the salvor must be necessary to avoid danger to the salved vessel or other property; the salvage assistance must be voluntary; and the actions of the salvor must be successful in the salvage operation.

What is a marine salvage claim?

Salvage is a principle of maritime law under which anyone who assists in salvaging another’s vessel or cargo in distress at sea is entitled to a reward in proportion to the value of the salvaged property.

The Process of Marine Salvage

In the varied field of marine salvage, there are two major categories: pure salvage and salvage, which are different from Lloyd’s Open Form.

Pure salvage is a kind of salvage in which a salvor rescues a vessel and its cargo but has no contract with the ship’s owner. However, the salvors claim to ask everyone to repay for services offered in salvaging the ship. The court will then determine the amount due to the salvor—the conservative range awarded to a salvor is 10-25%.

Some conditions that may help determine the reward are the complexity of the operation, the value of the property, and the effect on the surrounding environment.

However, there is what is termed contracted salvage, where salvors make arrangements before they embark on salvaging the vessel. It is almost always managed using a Lloyd’s Open Form, which is discussed next.

Salvage Contract – Lloyd’s Open Form

The Lloyd’s Open Form has existed since the late nineteenth century and is the most commonly used salvage agreement worldwide. In practical terms, it states how much the salvor will be paid once the ship and/or cargo has been salvaged.

It is recommended that Lloyd’s Salvage Arbitration Branch fill out the form, and every participant in the salvage operation—starting with the vessel/cargo owner and ending with salvors—consider using it to avoid possible conflict during or after the specific salvage operation.

Types of Marine Salvage

There are two (2) types of salvage actions faced by yacht owners and their insurance companies. The first is a “pure salvage”, where there is no prior agreement between the parties. The second is a “contract salvage”, where the salvor agrees to use “best efforts” to salvage marine property. Following the listings made above, here are detailed descriptions of the main types of marine salvage.

Harbor Salvage

The actual process, as the name suggests, involves salvaging a vessel from a harbour location. However, the environment should not be challenging—harbours generally have increased chances of well-indented waters, fewer currents, and are much more shallow than the ocean.

Harbor salvage can be an extremely time-sensitive exercise because sunk or stranded vessels and cargo may pose a great threat to other vessels wishing to use the harbour.

Shipwreck Salvage

The salvage of the whole or part of a ship that has capsized or grounded itself. It also can include salvaging all or part of the cargo that the vessel is carrying at the time of an incident. It may be a recently wrecked boat or a boat that sank hundreds of years ago, like the Nuestra Señora de Atocha that was salvaged in 1985. The galleon was wrecked in 1623 and was carrying gold or treasure valued at approximately $400 million.

Moreover, the conditions that salvors could encounter are as extreme as they get, and these can make recovery difficult, if not impossible. However, nowadays, salvors are capable of accomplishing certain wonderful things. For instance, they recently raised the fuselage of the Seahawk helicopter that crashed from a depth of 5,814 metres, which is quite a record if we speak about 2021.

Equipment Salvage

Often, the value of equipment on a vessel exceeds its total cost. It means that salvors can be placed under a demand to look for whatever part of the vessel, including the engines, the vane, and other valuable cargo being carried along the channel.

Afloat Salvage

It is when the vessel is still afloat but unable to maneuver for any reason. MV Cougar Ace is one of the cases that can be classified as such—this car carrier experienced a stability loss in the Aleutian Islands while transporting more than 5,200 vehicles. Safely, salvors worked escalating to stabilize the vessel, and subsequently, they towed it to another safer position. The ship was salvaged eventually, but many of the vehicles onboard have been declared total losses.

Clearance Salvage

Such marine salvage does not really attempt to reclaim vessels or cargo but to transfer them from the sea to make passage safe for other vessels or to protect the sea environment.