12.1 Salvage and wreck removal

12.1.1 Introduction

When there is a casualty, it is most likely that, before any application of the law relating to wreck removal, it will be necessary to consider whether the principles of salvage law will apply. This is because the ship and cargo owners will be hoping that their valuable property can be saved. Of course, a casualty might immediately become a wreck, eg where a ship sinks, but even here the sunken ship and cargo might still have a positive value if raised. In this general sense, salvage activities to remove this valuable property could be called a form of wreck removal.