ChemSAR Manual Available

Following discussions at the International Maritime Organization, the Finnish Border Guard has shared a manual which was developed as part of the ChemSAR project.

The document contains important information valuable to any country or IMRF member wishing to establish their own procedures or operational plans for maritime search and rescue (SAR) incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances (HNS).

The ChemSAR Manual - Handbook for Maritime SAR in HNS Incidents

Click on the manual on the right to View and Download:

The ChemSAR project started when the Finnish Border Guard realised there was an information gap in this area.

Enormous volumes of different chemicals are transported by sea every day and as a result there’s always a risk of a major incident.

By the nature of the industry, maritime accidents are almost always international which highlights the need for common procedures and a basic level of global knowledge.

Lieutenant Commander Kimmo Ahvonen from the Finnish Border Guard explained - “The ChemSAR manual is a useful and comprehensive practical resource, offering a good grounding for any SAR organisation wanting to update or prepare its operational plans for an HNS SAR scenario."

Theresa Crossley, CEO IMRF says -"Our thanks go to the Finnish Border Guard for sharing this valuable project and its outcomes, allowing IMRF members and others around the world to plan and anticipate the resources and skills needed in such a complex situation."

The procedures in the ChemSAR manual improve the safety of rescue operations for both the rescue crews and the rescued.

The e-learning materials offer a way to share basic knowledge across the SAR community enabling joint transnational rescue operations in the future, while the Chemical Dataportal provides easy access to reliable, relevant, practical information on dealing with HNS in rescue operations.

All of the ChemSAR procedures, e-learning materials and the Dataportal have been comprehensively tested, or piloted, by end-users, including in three international exercises.

The first of which was a tabletop exercise in June 2017, then a simulator exercise in October 2017 and a live exercise in Sept 2018. In each case the testing was carried out by the relevant authorities responsible for maritime SAR.

Altogether nine project partners from five countries in the Baltic Sea Region took part in the project which ran from March 2016 – February 2019 and was partly funded by the EU’s Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme.

ChemSAR was granted the label of a flagship project under the Priority Area SAFE in the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR).

The lead partner of the project was the Centre for Maritime Studies of the Brahea Centre at the University of Turku.

The other partners included the Finnish Border Guard, NOVIA University of Applied Sciences, Marine Technology, Helsinki City Rescue Department, Estonian Police and Border Guard Board, Swedish Coast Guard Headquarters, Klaipėda University, Free and Hanseatic City if Hamburg/Ministry of Environment and Energy/Department of Emission Control/Fire Brigade Hamburg and the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies Germany.

Further Resources

ChemSAR website	https://blogit.utu.fi/chemsar/
E-learning material	https://chemsar.utu.fi/
Chemical Dataportal	https://chemsarportal.com/

Latest

Development of Inflatable Rescue Craft
#FutureSAR, Fredrik Falkman, Swedish Sea Rescue Society (SSRS)

Fredrik Falkman from Sweden's SSRS suggests that SAR organisations need to have a smarter approach to operating in rising sea levels, with a critical assigning of resources for each operation.
Blog: Captain Hilmar Snorrason, Principle at the Maritime Safety and Survival Training Centre, ICE-SAR

We speak with Captain Hilmar Snorrason, Principal at the Maritime Safety and Survival Training Centre at ICE-SAR, about his 30-year career in maritime safety.
Future SAR Videos

IMRF launches #FutureSAR Report to address climate change impact on maritime SAR operations

The report marks the completion of the first phase of the IMRF #FutureSAR initiative, which is funded and supported by Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
#FutureSAR webinar shows insights into the impact of climate change on maritime SAR

Members of the maritime SAR community gathered on 27 March for the IMRF’s latest #FutureSAR webinar, which was held to launch the IMRF’s #FutureSAR report
IMRF to launch aviation panel for global maritime SAR community

The new maritime SAR Aviation Panel will enable the IMRF to broaden its understanding and engagement with evolving and expanding areas of SAR
IMRF looks to bolster women’s leadership in maritime SAR operations

The IMRF’s #WomenInSAR panel at WMRC 2023 reminded participants of the need to steer maritime SAR towards an inclusive future
A Farewell From Sir Efthimios Mitropoulos

Following more than 11 years as Patron of the IMRF, Sir Efthimios Mitropoulos, the Secretary-General Emeritus of the IMO, stepped down in 2023. He has written an open letter to the entire IMRF community to thank everyone for his time in the post and his support for maritime SAR efforts globally.
IMRF launches official #SARyouOK? mental health and wellbeing guidance document

The document provides a clear and structured approach for SAR organisations to aid stress and trauma that personnel experience on an often daily basis.
IMRF looks forward to an exciting 2024

The IMRF kicked off its 100th anniversary with its annual Forward Look webinar, which took a detailed look at the achievements of the organisation over the past 12 months, as well as a look ahead to an action-packed and exciting 2024.
IMRF joins African SAR community at IMO SAR workshop

Representatives of the IMRF joined the IMO’s Africa Regional SAR Workshop in Cape Town, South Africa to discuss developments on SAR procedures, techniques, and equipment.
Maritime SAR converges in Norway for the IMRF’s Annual Meeting 2023

More than 50 members of the IMRF community from over a dozen countries around the world gathered in Norway for this year's Annual Meeting.
IMRF launches #SaferSAR in collaboration with Lloyd’s Register Foundation

The initiative will look to enable global SAR organisations to better collect, analyse and share maritime SAR incident response data in a bid to enhance future maritime SAR response operations

SAR Matters: Defining Distress Continued ...

People known to be in distress need to be rescued, of course – and the SAR community knows that this concept must also be extended to those believed to be in distress, and to those who, while not yet in distress, will become so if help is not provided to them in the meantime.
MRO Home
Our Work
People's Choice Award 2024
Basic Rescue Boat Operator Manual & Search Cards

This manual, together with the accompanying Rescue Boat Operator Search Cards, provides recommended best practice for any organisation looking at introducing basic training in Rescue Boat SAR operations.
Join Our Mailing List
Contact Us
Join the IMRF

The IMRF brings together and represents the world’s maritime search and rescue organisations, including voluntary and governmental organisations, as well as suppliers to the sector, to improve maritime SAR capabilities worldwide.
Our Members
Staff