Global Marine Salvage Market to Reach US$708.5 Million by 2030

The global market for Marine Salvage estimated at US$478.9 Million in the year 2024, is expected to reach US$708.5 Million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.7% over the analysis period 2024-2030. Undertaking Minor Repairs on Vessels, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is expected to record a 8.2% CAGR and reach US$326.1 Million by the end of the analysis period. Growth in the Towing Services segment is estimated at 4.8% CAGR over the analysis period.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at US$130.5 Million While China is Forecast to Grow at 10.8% CAGR

The Marine Salvage market in the U.S. is estimated at US$130.5 Million in the year 2024. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$149.1 Million by the year 2030 trailing a CAGR of 10.8% over the analysis period 2024-2030. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at a CAGR of 3.2% and 6.6% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 4.5% CAGR.

Global Marine Salvage Market - Key Trends & Drivers Summarized

Why Is Marine Salvage a Strategic Necessity in Global Maritime Operations?
Marine salvage refers to the process of recovering ships, cargo, and other assets after maritime accidents such as collisions, groundings, sinkings, or environmental disasters. Salvage operations serve critical strategic, economic, and environmental roles-preserving valuable maritime assets, maintaining navigational safety, and preventing ecological harm from oil spills, chemical leaks, or vessel degradation. In an era of intensified shipping volumes, extreme weather events, and geopolitical tension, marine salvage has become a cornerstone of maritime emergency response and insurance recovery mechanisms.

Salvage activities range from refloating grounded vessels and patching hull breaches to containing hazardous spills and recovering containers lost overboard. As maritime logistics become more complex and congested-especially along chokepoints such as the Suez Canal, Strait of Malacca, and Panama Canal-the ability to quickly execute salvage operations can have immense commercial implications. Delays in refloating large vessels not only block global trade but also incur enormous demurrage and environmental costs.

How Are Advanced Technologies and Environmental Regulations Transforming the Sector?
Technological advancements have redefined the capabilities of modern marine salvage operations. Today’s salvage firms deploy sophisticated equipment such as dynamic positioning (DP) vessels, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), side-scan sonars, and autonomous underwater drones to locate, stabilize, and recover sunken or stranded assets. Cutting-edge simulation software helps plan salvage engineering strategies in advance, accounting for tidal conditions, hull stress dynamics, and environmental impact.

Underwater robotics, modular lifting systems, and subsea cutting tools have become essential for wreck removal, particularly in deep-sea scenarios. Salvage companies also use floating cranes, oil recovery skimmers, heavy-lift barges, and inert gas systems to mitigate fire or explosion risks in volatile cargo. Environmental compliance has become a key priority, with salvage operations now incorporating oil spill response modules, chemical containment booms, and waste filtration systems to align with MARPOL (Marine Pollution) and IMO regulations.

Governments and maritime regulators are mandating stricter standards for pollution prevention and crew safety during salvage operations. The Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007, has been instrumental in assigning legal responsibilities for wreck removal in territorial and international waters. This regulatory focus has led to greater transparency, pre-contract risk assessments, and faster mobilization through pre-positioned salvage response vessels near global trade corridors.

Which Regions and Stakeholders Are Driving Demand for Salvage Services?
The Asia-Pacific region, home to some of the busiest commercial ports and most vulnerable shipping lanes, leads the marine salvage demand. Countries like China, Singapore, India, Japan, and South Korea invest heavily in domestic salvage capabilities to respond swiftly to maritime disruptions. In China, government-linked salvage agencies such as Shanghai Salvage and Guangzhou Salvage dominate the sector, often coordinating large-scale underwater recovery operations.

Europe follows closely, with the Netherlands, the UK, and Norway leading salvage service innovation. Dutch firms such as Boskalis and Smit Salvage have global operations and are routinely engaged in high-risk, high-value salvage missions. In North America, the United States Coast Guard and private contractors maintain extensive salvage frameworks for oil spill prevention, vessel refloating, and environmental containment, particularly along hurricane-prone coastal areas.

Offshore oil and gas operators, shipping conglomerates, marine insurers, and port authorities constitute the primary clients for salvage operations. The offshore wind energy sector is emerging as a new growth area, requiring specialized recovery services for turbine foundations, cable systems, and floating structures. Salvage contracts are increasingly pre-negotiated through Lloyd’s Open Form (LOF), fixed-price, or time-and-materials arrangements-depending on risk, vessel value, and environmental sensitivity.

What Is Fueling Growth in the Marine Salvage Market Globally?
The growth in the global marine salvage market is driven by several factors, including rising global maritime traffic, aging vessel fleets, environmental risks, and increasing severity of climate-related sea events. As the global shipping industry contends with larger vessels, complex cargoes, and tight delivery schedules, the probability and impact of maritime accidents have also grown. Salvage services are critical to reducing losses, preserving insurance value, and maintaining navigational safety in congested trade routes.

Heightened environmental awareness and stricter global maritime regulations are pushing vessel operators to contract salvage firms with proven environmental mitigation capabilities. At the same time, the digitalization of shipping and port operations is improving incident tracking, vessel monitoring, and response readiness-enabling faster salvage mobilization. Public-private partnerships are also playing a role, with governments investing in regional salvage assets to ensure maritime resilience.

Meanwhile, geopolitical risks, underwater infrastructure growth, and naval modernization are generating new salvage needs-from submarine recovery and unexploded ordnance clearance to warship refloating and military asset retrieval. As maritime security becomes intertwined with environmental stewardship and economic continuity, the marine salvage market is evolving into a mission-critical segment supported by cutting-edge engineering, regulatory alignment, and growing private sector participation.