On March 26, the International Salvage Union (ISU) Associate Members’ Day 2025 and the Special Casualty Representative (SCR) Forum took place at Landing Forty Two in the Leadenhall Building, London. The event brought together leading professionals from the global maritime salvage and marine insurance industries to discuss key trends, challenges, and emerging issues shaping the industry. Captain Tony Huang, General Manager of T&A Marine / the first SCR from China, was invited to attend the event. China Rescue and Salvage, under the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China and a full member of ISU, sent Mr. Li Chang, a member of the ISU Executive Committee, to participate in the Executive Committee meeting on March 25 and the main events on March 26.

The ISU Associate Members’ Day is a key annual event for the maritime salvage industry. This year, it was held alongside the SCR Forum, bringing together over a hundred industry leaders. Attendees included representatives from the ISU Secretariat, the International Group of P&I Clubs (IG) Secretariat and its member clubs, the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI), ISU full and associate members, as well as SCRs.

The event focused on several critical topics in the maritime salvage sector, including the Role of Shipmanagers in Emergency Response, Legal Update in Salvage, Salvage in the Context of Conflict and War, Insurance Considerations for Salvors in Challenging Environments, Emergency Response Considerations for Offshore Wind. These discussions not only highlighted pressing issues in the industry but also outlined future trends, providing valuable strategic insights for maritime professionals worldwide.

ISU Secretary General James Herbert chaired the morning sessions. Following an opening address from ISU President John Witte, Hiro Yamada, Director of the Maritime Safety Division at the IMO, delivered a keynote speech titled “Safety Issues at IMO in Relation to Salvage”. In his address, he outlined the salvage-related resolutions adopted by the IMO Assembly, recent regulatory trends at the IMO, recent safety issues after series of incidents and recent incidents requiring assistance by salvor. Mr. Yamada emphasized that salvage has long been an essential maritime service to prevent disasters and environmental catastrophes, as last resort and backstopping. Even though the number of marine incidents has generally declined, the importance of salvage will not diminish due to new challenges such as geopolitical related incidents (attacks by military entities), increase of large ships (particularly ultra-large container ships), and technology developments (e.g. ships carrying new energy vehicles, autonomous ships in future).

In the afternoon, the SCR Forum was chaired by Ben Haris, Chair of the IG P&I Salvage Committee. The forum focused on the core functions and practical operations of SCRs. Experts engaged in in-depth discussions on key issues, including: the role and responsibilities of SCRs in casualty response; whether SCRs should submit a dissenting report when they disagree with a salvor’s actions or daily reports; at the initial stage of an incident, whether SCRs should prioritize vessel and cargo salvage or focus on reviewing salvage expense claims; whether the SCR code of conduct should be revised to allow multiple SCRs or assistant SCRs to be appointed for salvage and emergency response; how SCRs should respond to strong intervention from the authorities.

Capt. Tony Huang actively participated throughout the event, engaging in in-depth discussions with fellow professionals in the maritime salvage sector, as well as representatives from IG and IUMI. After the event, he remarked: “The ISU Associate Members’ Day and SCR Forum provided an excellent opportunity for learning and exchange, allowing us to engage in meaningful discussions with international peers, marine insurers and salvage companies on practical challenges and solutions. It also offered valuable insights into the latest industry developments and cutting-edge technologies.”

Capt. Tony Huang further emphasized that T&A Marine will continue to stay abreast of industry trends, actively participate in industry events, and strengthen collaboration with international organizations and peers. Looking ahead, T&A Marine remains committed to enhancing service quality and professional expertise, delivering practical and effective technical support for responding to various marine accidents.

About T&A Marine

T&A Marine, a Shanghai-based Maritime Consultancy established in 2019, is specialized in providing efficient and professional maritime solutions to clients worldwide. Our services include ship inspection, cargo survey, oil and chemical product testing, accident investigation, emergency response, salvage and wreck removal, claims and dispute resolution, arbitration and mediation, as well as judicial commission services. As a leading maritime consulting service provider in the Industry, T&A Marine adheres to the service philosophy of "Professional, Dedicated, Diligent, and Efficient" and has earned high recognition from maritime clients and community for our highly efficient and outstanding services.