environmentalsalvageawards-ComiteMaritimeInternational.docVIP

Salvage Law – Is it Working? Does it Protect the Environment? Kiran Khosla – International Chamber of Shipping The International Camber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Shipping Federation (ISF) are the principal international trade associations and employers’ organisations for merchant ship operators, representing all sectors and trades and over 75% of the world merchant fleet. Good morning ladies and Gentlemen, It is my honour to be invited here by the CMI today to talk about the subject of salvage and the environment. Now of course this subject albeit with a somewhat different emphasis, has already, even before today, been the subject of a lot of discussion for several years now between the Industry associations most directly concerned with salvage and the environment through the offices of the Lloyds Salvage Group. Lloyds of course administers the most frequently used contract for the provision of salvage services, the Lloyds Open Form (LOF). These discussions have involved shipowners, salvors, and property and liability insurers. However, despite these extensive discussions, the industry associations have been unable to agree on a consensus and we now face the same discussion within the CMI. We find it encouraging therefore that the title of the panel discussion takes us back to square one, asking the very pertinent question – is salvage law working and does it protect the environment? We think this will help to focus on the real issue and with a full discussion, we hope that we can reach a consensus. Before I go on to put forward our answer to the posed questions, it is important to briefly describe where we are at the present time and why. Salvage services are of course absolutely essential to the safety of all marine adventures but strangely, despite their essential nature, they are also voluntary. The two characteristics explain the consistent theme of public policy to encourage and support salvors by providing an incentive for them