Salvage is the compensation allowed to persons by whose voluntary assistance of a vessel at sea or her cargo or both have been saved in whole or in part from impending maritime perils.

The salvor shall owe a duty to the vessel and/or property owner to carry out the salvage operations with due care as to prevent or minimize damage to personal property and the environment.

The owner or operator of the vessel shall owe a duty to the salvor to co-operate fully with him during the salvage operations as to prevent or minimize damage to the environment.

The U.S. District Court in Washington summarized what constitutes a maritime peril in the case of McNabb vs O. S. Bowfin, as follows:
"to constitute a maritime peril, it is not necessary that the danger be actual or imminent, it is sufficient if, at the time assistance was rendered, the vessel was stranded so that it was subject to the potential danger of damage or destruction".

A vessel driven aground on a beach, or similar gravel or shell, for example, in the area involved must be considered as in a state of peril, exposed to wind, weather, and waves, it does not require extensive reflection to come to the conclusion as to being in immediate maritime peril.