Remember, Salvage and Recovery is not covered by your TowBoatU.S. Towing Membership...
Salvage assistance due to sinking, fire, accidents, or other perils are the responsibility of you, the vessel owner(s) regardless of fault or how it happened. US Coast Guard and State Agencies will be looking for the vessel owner to remove the vessel and mitigate safety and environmental hazards that sunk, wrecked, or abandoned vessels pose to our maritime communities.
Your towing membership is now off the table and you are shifting into Salvage or Advanced Vessel Assistance services.
⚠ Important: Salvage is not covered by TowBoatU.S. membership. Salvage and recovery services apply to situations involving sinking, fire, grounding, or other vessel perils and require a separate agreement and deposit before we can mobilize.
Emergency Protocol
- Call 911 or VHF Channel 16 to contact the U.S. Coast Guard
- Provide your position, nature of distress, crew count, and vessel description
- Don life jackets and activate emergency beacons
- Contact your insurance company's claims line once help is dispatched
Before We Can Mobilize
Federal Admiralty law and the nature of salvage operations require two things before we can dispatch:
- Credit card deposit
- Signed salvage contract
We cannot mobilize on a promise to pay. Sunken vessels have little retained value for recoupment.
Regulatory Penalties
U.S. Coast Guard and state agencies mandate immediate vessel recovery and pollution cleanup. Delays are costly:
- Federal Clean Water Act violations: ~$52,000 per day
- State agency violations: up to $5,000 per day
TowBoatU.S. St. Catherines Available 24/7 for emergency response
(912) 898-9659