Resolve Marine Group director Nick Soane has been appointed president of the International Salvage Union (ISU).
Sloane takes over the position from Smit Salvage managing director Richard Janssen.
Sloane is perhaps the industry's most familiar face. He was the salvage master of the 114,000-gt Costa Concordia (built 2006) off the Italian island of Giglio between 2012 and 2014. The operation is shipping's most expensive and high-profile wreck removal.
As ISU president Sloane said he wanted to work more closely with the marine insurance industry and promote the role salvors play in protecting the environment.
"I want to vigorously promote our industry and its benefits. In particular, I will emphasise that protection of the environment is such an important aspect of our members' operations and so crucial in the world today which has rightly put the environment at the top of the international political agenda," Sloane said.
Personal commitment
Janssen, who headed the ISU through the current pandemic, said: "I hand over the presidency with real confidence to Nick, who is well-known across the shipping industry and beyond. He is a vastly experienced salvor and has a deep personal commitment to our industry and also to the protection of the marine environment."
Janssen will remain on the ISU executive committee.
In a separate development at the ISU, Roger Evans is to retire from his position as secretary general in 2022.
The ISU's communications consultant James Herbert is to take over his role.
