Omur Salvage Co. Ltd was formed in the second half of 1992 and is a member of International Salvage Union since 1998. However, the salvage experience of our core-team of directors, managers and personnel dates from a decade before this when in 1982 we started operation as a family firm under the name of Istanbul Salvage and Wreck Removal Co. Ltd. Initially quite small and working exclusively around the Turkish coast conduction both salvage work and horbour repairs, Istanbul Salvage almost doubled its turnover every year. When we considered the company experienced enough we began to undertake work abroad, the first operation outside of Turkish waters being the wreck-removal of the "KAPTAN SAIT OZEGE" in Vlora, Albania for Standard P&I Clup in1988. Thereafter, growth was even more pronounced, the company finding itself engaged in projects in many places around the world, including Yemen, Socotra Island, the Red Sea and Russian part of the Black Sea.
As we expanded into the international arena we had of necessity to compete with other international salvage companies. Our efficiency and cost-affectiveness resulted in our frequently being awarded contracts in the face of strong, well-established international companies. Throughout this time all of our operations, whether casualty salvage or wreck-removals, were flawlessly performed.
During this period we purchased an AHTSV, a dredging vessel, crawler cranes and much assorted salvage equipment. This investment enabled us to broaden our scope of operations, for instance enabling us to tackle the concurrent wreck-removals of the "C.EREGLI" and the "NEJMAT EL PETROL XVIII" durring the winter of 1990.
In early 1990 an outsider with no previous maritime experience joined the company. Following unfortunate irreconciliable differences of opinion between him and ourselves we left the company (its name and all of its equipment) that we had founded and set up Omur in 1992. Because of our personal reputations business grew rapidly, and, despite competition from Istanbul Salvage (with the assistance of the formidable Nan Halfweeg of Princess Marine) as well as other local firms, Omur Salvage has carried out all the salvage cases extant within Turkish waters except those in the monopoly area of the State body, the Turkish Maritime Organization.
Since Omur's formation we have completed a wide variety of salvage work, including rescue towages, groundings, the refloating of partially sunken vessels, fire-figting, pollution combat and wreck-removal. Throughout 1994 and 1995 Omur performed an average of 12 salvage operations per annum, these being mainly LOF cases with some wreck-removal, and over 65% of all these being outside of Turkey. The new year of 1995 was particulary busy with 4 cases simultaneously ongoing, one of Holland, one of Italy, another in the Dardanelles, and a wreck-removal off the Black-Sea coast of Turkey.
During Omur's lifetime we have also made substantial investments in hardware, purchasing assorted equipment, a dredging unit hydraulic pumps and a crawler crane and a fully equipped 3,500 bhp salvage tug, the "OCEAN ERGUN". This investment in hardware continues with projects underway to design and commission air-mobile fire-fighting packs and also to purchase pollution prevention equipment in the form of oil-skimmer. We are also engaged in the ongoing training of personnel for salvage work as the specialist know-how required for trade is not such that is readily found. Our ongoing commitment to salvage is reflected in that in 1998 we were accepted as a member of the International Salvage Union.
Although we have occasionally used Turkish Open Form (TOF) the bulk of our work is performed under Lloyd's Open Form, and we pride ourselves that Omur Salvage enjoys a strong international reputation amongst underwriters, insurance companies and shipowners /managers in general. This is attributable to a number of factors. Firstly, we never left a job unfinished, even when situations look hopeless or expenses have started to grossly outweigh any benefits that a successful completion may result in. Secondly, there has never been an operation in which we were unsuccesful. Thirdly, we are known for being amenable to amicable settlements always preferring to avoid litigation wherever possible.
As of December 2005, Omur Salvage was consolidated to Med Group of Companies.
