IMRF Announces Nomination Shortlist for the IMRF Awards 2023

The IMRF is pleased to announce the finalists for this year’s IMRF Awards, which recognises volunteer and professional search-and-rescue (SAR) personnel from around the world, highlighting those that have shown excellence in their field, developed innovative technology and equipment, or acted as a role model to inspire others.

The judging panel reviewed an incredible number of nominations from all corners of the globe that highlighted some of the amazing feats achieved by the maritime SAR community over the last 12 months.

This year’s finalists are:

Amber Sheasgreen, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, Canada
Anders Bagge, Swedish Sea Rescue Society, Sweden (posthumous)
Beach Safety Camera Network, NSRI, South Africa
Coastguard Waiuku, New Zealand Coastguard, New Zealand
Geoffrey Denman, Canadian Coast Guard, Canada
Henry Ategeka, Ministry of Works & Transport, Uganda
Inmarsat Maritime Safety Team, United Kingdom
Jelena Simovic, MRS, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Ramsgate Lifeboat Station, RNLI, United Kingdom
Xu Fan, Beihai Flying Rescue Service, China

The winners of this year’s awards will be announced on 18 October 2023.

IMRF CEO Caroline Jupe said, “I want to extend my thanks to every individual and SAR organisation who submitted a nomination for this year’s IMRF Awards. The nominations we received are a testament to the incredible work done by the maritime community. We received some incredible nominations from all over the world and I would also like to thank our expert judging panel for their efforts in narrowing down an extraordinary field of candidates, all of whom deserve international recognition.”

The judging panel for this year’s awards was led by former IMRF Chair Michael Vlasto. Michael was joined by Nigel Clifford, former Chair IMO NCSR and former Deputy Chief Executive Safety and Response Services, Maritime New Zealand; Julie-Anne Wood, Assistant Director, Policy, Standards & International at the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency; and Clay Evans, maritime historian and a former lifeboat coxswain with the Canadian Coastguard and IMRF Trustee.

The IMRF would also like to extend its thanks to this year’s awards sponsors for their continued support: Hamilton Jet, the sponsor of the #WomenInSAR Award, and Inmarsat, the sponsor of the Vladamir Maksimov Award for Lifetime Achievement.

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