Waves Group at the 2025 Global Salvage & Wreck Forum

It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas as the team arrived to help set up for the Global Salvage and Wreck Forum 2025. With festive lights around the Leonardo Royal Hotel and the familiar buzz of colleagues and industry friends arriving, it set the tone for what became two busy, engaging and genuinely valuable days.

Hosted jointly by the International Underwriting Association (IUA), the International Salvage Union (ISU) and the International Group of P&I Clubs, this year’s Forum brought together professionals from across the global salvage, insurance, legal and casualty response community. For Waves Group, these conversations sit right at the heart of what we do.

A Forum That Reflected Real Life in the Industry

If there was ever a perfect illustration of how fast-moving this sector really is, it happened during the Forum itself.

Our CEO, Simon Burnay was scheduled to speak on Day 1 – but in true industry fashion, he was called away at the last minute to attend an urgent incident. When the call comes, you go. It’s the reality of marine casualty response, and it’s exactly what Waves Group is built for.

We were extremely grateful to Allan Stuart who stepped in seamlessly to deliver the session. Allan shared his extensive experience in Arctic salvage and wreck response, setting the tone for a thoughtful and well-received Day 2 discussion. His calm authority and practical insight resonated strongly with the audience and reflected the depth of expertise within the Waves Group team.

And the theme continued right through to the final day. On the last day of the conference, Lea McDonald was also required to jet off, this time to the United States to respond to a fire incident. From Simon being called away at the start of the Forum to Lea departing at the end, it was a very real reminder that this industry doesn’t pause for conferences, and neither do the people working in it.

Strong Engagement, Meaningful Conversations

Across the two days, the programme covered topics that closely mirror the challenges our teams work on every day, from casualty response and wreck removal to environmental protection and regulatory developments. There was also growing interest in Places of Refuge, a subject that featured heavily in conversations and is increasingly shaping industry thinking.

The Forum brought together senior representatives from P&I clubs, insurers, law firms, salvage companies, SOS organisations and regulators. Many existing clients and long-standing partners were in attendance, alongside new international contacts. Several delegates took the time to share positive feedback on recent work with Waves Group, referencing specific team members and ongoing cases,  something we always value hearing.

One particularly proud moment came when a salvage company publicly highlighted Simon’s involvement in a recent yacht salvage case, recognising both his contribution and the wider expertise of the Waves Group team. That acknowledgement, alongside both Simon and Lea being called away on live instructions during the Forum, neatly summed up the real-world nature of the work discussed throughout the event.

Collaboration, Community and a Little Bit of Fun

As always, the Forum was about more than just the agenda. It was about reconnecting, learning from one another and strengthening the relationships that underpin effective casualty response.

We were also delighted to congratulate Martin Barnes of Ambipar, winner of the Waves Group hamper. In another moment that felt very on-brand for the industry, Martin had to dash off before collecting it, with thanks to Janni Järvinen for stepping in to receive it on his behalf, presented by Charlotte Ward.

Looking Ahead

The quality of discussion, the openness of debate, and the strong turnout all reinforced why the Global Salvage & Wreck Forum remains such an important date in the calendar. It also opened up early conversations around future speaking and presentation opportunities for Waves Group, particularly around PPW and lessons learned from complex incidents.

A sincere thank you to the IUA, ISU and the IG for organising an excellent event, and to everyone who took the time to connect with us over the two days. Events like this remind us how collaborative this industry truly is, and how important those connections are when it matters most.

We look forward to continuing the conversation.

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