Sitting at the heart of IUMI’s daily work are the Technical Committees (TCs) and Forums. While the “TCs” have existed for a long time, the first Forum was only founded in 2011 in Vienna. Initially, this was known as the “Salvage Forum”. The Salvage Forum represents IUMI in all matters relevant to salvage and wreck removal, such as the York Antwerp Rules and the Lloyd’s Open Form or “SCOPIC”. Salvage Forum representatives were IUMI’s voice in the CMI reconsideration of the York Antwerp Rules a few years ago, for example, and also represent IUMI day-to-day in bodies such as the Lloyd’s Salvage Group or the CMI Standing Committee on YAR.

After more than 10 years of experience, the IUMI Executive Committee (EC) felt it was time to reconsider its tasks and purpose and propose an “upgrade” of the Salvage Forum’s impact and responsibilities. Salvage and wreck removal related topics have become increasingly important. To address this, special knowledge and cooperation between different lines of business is necessary. The Salvage Forum offers, in the EC’s view, a unique opportunity to bundle these functions.

Accordingly, under the leadership of IUMI EC member Jan-Hugo Marthinsen and the new Salvage Forum Chair Nick Coleman, a working group was tasked to investigate the following issues:

• Rethink the mandate for the Salvage Forum and widen it in a sense that the Salvage Forum can comply with the tasks it is confronted with.
• Build a stronger ongoing connection between the Salvage Forum and IUMI’s relevant TCs, namely Ocean Hull, Offshore Energy and Cargo.
• Ensure that the Salvage Forum has a suitable set-up for its work (composition of membership (skills/regional), support from the Secretariat / a secretary).
• Amend the Terms of Reference for the Salvage Forum accordingly.

This work was completed in the summer of 2022. The new Terms of Reference for the Salvage Forum reflect the enhanced responsibility and can be found here Salvage Forum (iumi.com). The Salvage Forum is underway to work with IUMI TCs on closer cooperation and to add new members to represent all skills and regions needed. Many thanks to Salvage Forum and Working Group members for supporting this change!