The world needs places of refuge

ON MONDAY, newly elected International Salvage Union (ISU) president Leendert Muller told journalists in London that salvors strongly believed there must be progress on the issue of "places of refuge". These are sheltered coastal areas of water where salvors can take a ship in difficulties and carry out emergency repairs and cargo transfers.

Mr Muller said that taking a ship to a place of refuge "carries some risk of pollution to the nearby coastline if the condition of the ship gets worse, but that risk is even greater in the open sea or at a more dangerous coastal location".

He continued: "The problem is that too many states refuse to accept their obligations and refuse to grant a place of refuge. Our members have frequently had to battle the authorities to find a safe place to bring a casualty."