The Jury of the Artiglio International Award, composed by Francesco Sodini, President, Marco Fabrizio Saettone, Boris Giannaccini, Guido Jellersitz, Alberto Bargellini, Tommaso Fanfani and Sauro Sodini, decided unanimously to confer the 2007 Award (Theme: “Innovation and Research for Salvage and Recovery in Sea Depths”) to SMIT International of Rotterdam, with the following motivation:

SMIT International, created in 1842 by Fop Smit with a single 140-hp paddle steamer, has become after 165 years a world leader in sea salvage and maritime services. SMIT International is active today in more than 30 locations around the world with 400 ships of different type, offering services with its four Divisions: Harbour Towage, Terminals, Salvage, and Transport & Heavy Lift. SMIT International gained worldwide acclaim as the most experienced and leading marine salvor for the recovery of the Russian nuclear submarine “Kursk”, sunk in the Barents Sea after an explosion. The operation, performed between May 28 and October 22, 2001, presented serious dangers for possible explosions and radioactive contamination of the sea environment. Raising of the wreck, weighing around 9,000 tons, and its safe transport and delivery to the Murmansk dry-dock created a new world record for the enormous difficulties of the enterprise, performed with imposing, advanced and original technical means. The Award is assigned to SMIT International also in memory of the SO.RI.MA. Company of Genoa, owner of the ships Artiglio I° e II°, which, with divers from Viareggio on board, gained in the years ’20 e ‘30 worldwide admiration for salvage operations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.

SMIT'S WORLD ( Presentazione Power Point - File .PPS) »