Lloyd's Appoints BMT Expert to SCR Panel

BMT Surveys (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group, the leading international maritime design, engineering and risk management consultancy, has announced the appointment of its marine surveyor and salvage consultant, Arjan van Aalst as Special Casualty Representative (SCR) for the Lloyd’s Agency Department.

Director, Jeroen de Haas comments: “Van Aalst is the first SCR employed by a Dutch marine surveying company to join Lloyd’s SCR list of just 70 specialists drawn from around the world. The other Dutch SCR’s are self-employed, mostly former salvage inspectors. We anticipate that other BMT colleagues who have been working in the salvage industry will soon be joining Van Aalst as SCR members.”

The SCR role is of crucial importance to the ship owner and underwriters as their sole expert representative dealing with the salvor.  They provide specialist expert opinion on the plan of action, measures to be taken and cost estimates suggested by the salvor and, if required, the SCR will make additional recommendations. In this way they help to prevent salvage costs becoming higher than strictly necessary, while keeping in mind that the protection of people and the environment always take precedence. Salvage operations are usually performed on a no cure no pay basis, meaning that the salvor only gets compensated for his work if the ship is actually salvaged. In case of imminent environmental pollution, the salvor may invoke the so-called SCOPIC-clause, possibly giving him the right to at least recover his expenses, regardless of the result.