From 24-hour polar bear guards to 60 day voyages rolling and fishtailing across the Pacific Ocean, extreme salvage operations cover the most unpredictable work in shipping.

A panel at Seatrade Maritime Salvage and Wreck highlighted a distance between salvors and the development of autonomous vessels.

Battery fires were a hot topic at Seatrade Maritime Salvage & Wreck, where panellists stressed the specific dangers of such blazes and the lack of preparedness to deal with them.

As the maritime industry tackles the challenge of decarbonisation, the salvage sector has raised its concerns over safety and wreck recovery as ships and cargos change.

A VLCC which ran aground off Indonesia has been refloated and is reportedly carrying sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

Growing volumes of lithium-ion (li-ion) battery shipments are a major hazard across all transport modes. but container ships and vehicle carriers are particularly vulnerable.

The Commanding Officer of a US Coast Guard (USCG) cutter James that ran aground in August has been permanently relieved of duty.

There is concern over an increased risk of tanker accidents from a growing ‘dark fleet’ involved in sanctions busting following two recent incidents.

The loaded VLCC Young Yong grounded in Indonesia waters in the Singapore Strait was warned of shallow waters by the Singapore authorities.

Thirteen people were rescued from a fishing vessel off Virginia after it reported a collision with an MSC containership.