The new Global Salvage & Wreck Forum – “By the industry for the industry”

A new-style international forum will be held on 10 and 11 December 2025 in London, England, and will cover the most pressing technical, regulatory and commercial issues in wreck‑removal and salvage operations.

The International Salvage Union, International Underwriting Association, and International Group of P&I Clubs are working together to produce the Global Salvage & Wreck Forum.

The new event succeeds the long‑running Salvage & Wreck Conference, from which the organizers withdrew, but the Forum continues its legacy of fostering collaboration by convening salvors, consultants, property insurers, shipowners, lawyers, and P&I and hull insurers.

James Herbert, International Salvage Union Secretary General, commented: “Our members provide vital services, and this forum will focus on exactly the kind of work they do and the issues they contend with daily. Emergency response and wreck removal are equally important to our members and so bringing them together with owners, property insurers and the clubs is critical for cooperation and wider understanding of issues. We also value the new approach - concentrating on excellent content and speakers and with much reduced prices to make the Forum more accessible. Of course, meeting existing contacts and making new connections is vital, too.”

Chris Jones, International Underwriting Association CEO, commented: “The line between commercial risk and operational safety is increasingly blurred. Insurers are no longer passive financiers; they are partners in creating solutions that can mitigate loss at the earliest stage. The Global Salvage & Wreck Forum will provide a unique occasion to hear directly from the sector’s leading underwriters, engineers, and lawyers. Such dialogue is essential for developing insurance that reflects real‑world salvage capabilities and for ensuring that capital is available when—and where—it is needed most.”

Nick Shaw, International Group of P&I Clubs CEO, commented: “In an era of increasingly complex cargoes, tighter environmental standards, and heightened geopolitical risk, the Forum will enhance the sector’s collective knowledge base and enable the sharing of expertise that's critical to reducing environmental impacts and response times in the aftermath of a casualty. Despite the EU and IMO guidelines, real-world complexities persist when it comes to places of refuge. A dedicated panel will explore ongoing issues, recent case studies and port authority perspectives on this topic. More generally, we have an excellent roster of speakers, and I would encourage you to secure your seat today and join the industry’s leading minds shaping the future of salvage and wreck removal.”

The Forum’s speakers, panelists, and sponsors will be announced throughout October.