About Advocacy

As the international voice of maritime SAR, the IMRF plays a significant role in the development of international maritime SAR regulation and policy.

Recently the IMRF has:

	contributed to the work of the IMO Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue, particularly the SAR Working Group.
	provided SAR recommendations on work undertaken by the International Committee of the Red Cross on the Commentaries on the Second Geneva Convention.
	addressed members of the European Parliament regarding the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.
	provided SAR recommendations on work undertaken by the International Committee of the Red Cross on the Second Geneva Convention, supporting the work of the ICAO/IMO Joint Working Group.

For the latest IMO and NCSR reports, please go to "IMO Meeting Reports & Various" (new window) page under IMO Documents.

IMRF at the IMO

The International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) is the lead technical SAR forum at the international level. Read more

ICAO / IMO Joint Working Group on SAR

Each year the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the ... Read more

IMRF to Update the IMO

The IMRF attends meetings of the International Maritime Organization’s ... Read more

Latest

Celebrating 100 Years of International Co-operation in Maritime SAR

In 2024, the IMRF celebrates its 100th anniversary. However, the important work of the maritime SAR community long predates that and provides a crucial link to the federation’s future.
Save The Date: IMRF Annual Meeting 2023

The IMRF's Annual Meeting will take place on 7-8 November 2023 in Norway. This meeting is kindly hosted by the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue (RS) at their Training Centre, RS Noatun, in Horten in Norway,
#SARyouOK? – Jacob Tas, Chief Executive Officer, KNRM

Jacob Tas talks about the sometimes tragic nature of maritime SAR operations and how SAR organisations must do their bit to support their crews during these difficult events.
Blog: Henk Spanjer, lecturer at MIWB and volunteer at KNRM

We sit down with Henk Spanjer, the keynote speaker at this year's WMRC in Rotterdam, about his drive to help people in trouble at sea

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.
OLD - Join the IMRF - OLD

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.
WMRC 2023 - Registration Open

The fifth World Maritime Rescue Congress will be held from 18–20 June 2023 in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The Congress theme is: "Towards Sustainable Maritime SAR – Building on our History to Secure our Future."
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Dean Storey, Assistant Commissioner NSW State Emergency Service tells us a bit about his background and his career up to this point

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) is an emergency and rescue service dedicated to assisting the community. It is a volunteer-based organisation providing emergency assistance to the people of NSW 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
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.