Governance

The Directors, who are also the Trustees (new window), have overall responsibility for the good governance of the charity.

The Trustees are elected for a four-year period of office by the member organisations at the Quadrennial General Meeting, which takes place in conjunction with the World Maritime Rescue Congress.

The most recent Quadrennial General Meeting was held in June 2015 in Bremerhaven, Germany.

The day-to-day administration and management of the organisation is undertaken by the Chief Executive Officer, Secretary and staff of the permanent Secretariat.

In the early part of 2017 an independent Board Evaluation was carried out by ISCO Group Norway, supported by.

The results of this evaluation were presented to the Trustees at their meeting in April 2017.

The 2019 Quadrennial General Meeting was held in Vancouver, Canada, in June 2019. For more information, please go to our WMRC 2019 Website (new window).

The IMRF Organisation Chart

Or download the Organisation Chart here

Meet the Team

Want to see a face next to the name? Visit our Meet the Team pages today: Staff, Trustees and Ambassadors.

Latest

ChemSAR Manual Now Available

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.
ChemSAR manual

Following discussions at the International Maritime Organization, the Finnish Border Guard has shared a manual which was developed as part of the ChemSAR project.
IMRF CEO Update – COVID-19

Dear Member, At this time of unprecedented disruption, I wanted to send you a personal note as we all face the effects of COVID-19. If we haven’t already been affected, it is inevitable that everyone will be touched by it to some extent, whether it is in our work, our organisation or our own family and friends.
Use of Cookies

Contact
IMRF Delivers Tailored Training to Boost Maritime SAR Capabilities Across Africa

The International Maritime Rescue Federation has held a basic rescue boat operating course, in conjunction with the RNLI, specifically tailored and structured for maritime SAR (search and rescue) professionals from Africa. The teaching is designed to be a ‘train the trainer’ course, so the participants will return home and share the learnings with their organisations and colleagues.
SIR EFTHIMIOS E. MITROPOULOS, KCMG

Mr. Mitropoulos is Secretary-General Emeritus of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations specialized agency responsible for the regulation of international shipping from the safety, security, environmental protection and facilitation of international maritime traffic points of view.
Facts & Statistics

Our Achievements in 2018 The IMRF has continued to support the global search and rescue (SAR) community, preventing loss of life by connecting people and organisations around the world and influencing improvements in maritime SAR capacity and effectiveness.
Activity Reports
Contact Us
How We're Funded
The IMRF & Our Mission
Africa

Replace this with your content
IMRF and Inmarsat Deliver First ‘Train the Trainer’ GMDSS Course in Africa

The IMRF and the global telecommunicatons company, Inmarsat, have delivered the very first maritime search and rescue Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) course in Morocco.

IMRF Holds First All-Women SAR Training to Address Gender Imbalance

As part of its ongoing #WomenInSAR initiative and supporting the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) theme of empowering women, the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) has held its first all-women maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) training in Morocco.
Meet the new Board of Trustees

Meet the new Board of Trustees - elected at the QGM in Vancouver on 18 June 2019.
International Maritime Rescue Federation Elects New Board

IMRF members elected their new Board of Trustees yesterday (18 June 2019) at their Quadrennial General Meeting (QGM) in Vancouver. The meeting followed on from the 4th World Maritime Rescue Congress, which brought together maritime search and rescue specialists and equipment providers from around the globe.
The IMRF Awards 2019 Winners Have Been Announced

Exceptional search and rescue teams, outstanding individuals and innovative technology from around the world have been recognised in the annual IMRF Awards
The IMRF Awards 2019 shortlist is announced

International shortlist showcases skills and commitment to saving lives at sea, across the sector and around the world
IMRF Second Fundraising and Communication Skills-Share hosted by the Swedish Sea Rescue Society (SSRS)

“It was two very productive days in keeping our skills current. Tacit and explicit knowledge (information, skills, or expertise) was “It was two very productive days in keeping our skills current. Tacit and explicit knowledge (information, skills, or expertise) was exchanged among experts of our organizations. Skill-sharing not only bolstered our understanding, but helped create an archive of accessible knowledge. "
IMRF Launches Updated Basic Rescue Boat Operator Manual

The International Maritime Rescue Federation has launched a new Basic Rescue Boat Operator Manual, a vital best practice guide for any SAR rescue organisation.
World’s Maritime Search and Rescue Experts Gather in Vancouver

Some of the world’s leading maritime search and rescue experts will be meeting in Vancouver, Canada to share knowledge and improve their skills this weekend (15-18 June).
Membership of the IMRF

IMRF membership provides a unique opportunity for SAR organisations to share knowledge, experience and expertise, through the IMRF’s programme of conferences, meetings, forums and activities. Suppliers into the sector can also attend, participate, and engage in discussions and are encouraged to share any innovations that might benefit wider SAR activities.
The IMRF & Our Mission