James Vaughan, IMRF Trustee and International Director of the RNLI, writes about the first ever UN resolution on global drowning prevention and explains what it means for IMRF members and how we can mark the first International Day of Drowning Prevention on 25 July 2021. Read more
The IMO Secretary General, Mr Kitack Lim, has announced a new initiative to mark the World Maritime theme each year, beginning with the theme for 2021, "Seafarers: at the core of shippingʹs future.” Read more
“A stolen ringbuoy is a stolen life” - John Leech, Chief Executive, Water Safety Ireland, tells us about an exciting project aimed at reducing theft of lifesaving ringbuoys. Read more
Michael Vlasto, Chair of the IMRF Awards Judging Panel 2021, writes about the importance of recognising SAR achievements in challenging times. Read more
On 15 April 2021 Navigate Response, IMRF, MarineTraffic, IUMI and UK P&I Club joined together to discuss what would be different (and what might be the same) if the Titanic sank today. Read more
IMRF launched its eagerly awaited #WomenInSAR Report at a webinar to mark International Women's Day, 8 March 2021. Read more
As part of our #WomenInSAR Initiative, in October 2020 we launched our #WomenInSAR survey. We had over 1600 responses from across the globe. Read more
At a webinar held on the 24 February 2021, the IMRF launched its Pandemic Response Guidance Manual. The manual has been produced with support from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation. Read more
The IMRF has now developed a guidance manual that could be used as the basis for planning and delivering maritime SAR services in pandemics. Read more
In January 2021 the IMRF held the first #WomenInSAR webinar. The speakers were Theresa Crossley, CEO, IMRF, Julie-Anne Wood, Assistant Director Policy, Standards & International, UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Jess Shield, Marketing Executive, RNLI. Read more
We meet Brian Meikle, Radio Responder and Association Secretary from new IMRF member, the Vava'u Volunteer Maritime Response Association (VVMRA). Read more
The judges for the 2020 International Maritime Organization (IMO) Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea have presented the crew of the all-weather lifeboat SNS 061 Jack Morisseau with individual Certificates of Commendation, for their actions in the attempted rescue of the only crew member on the fishing vessel Carrera in 2019. Read more
The IMRF is very grateful to Allsalt Maritime, for a generous donation of £1,020 GBP towards its work developing and improving maritime search and rescue (SAR) capacity and capability around the world. Read more
In our Webinar on the 2 February 2021, a panel of SAR experts, led by our Chair, Dean Lawrence. You will find the Webinar recording and the chat log in a PDF on this page. Read more
Welcome to the #WomenInSAR Webinar - 11 January 2021 page. Below you will find the Webinar recording and the chat log in a PDF. Read more
For the IMRF Organisation Main Contact Persons Please Complete IMRF Organisation Focused Only #WomenInSAR Survey Deadline for Completion of the Survey is Friday, 22 January 2021 Read more
Season's Greetings and a Happy and Healthy 2021. The IMRF Secretariat and Bookshop will be closed, from 19 December 2020 – 3 January 2021 inclusive. Read more
The IMRF brings the world's maritime search and rescue organisations together in one global - and growing – family. Our members share their lifesaving ideas, technologies and experiences and freely cooperate with one another all with the aim of improving maritime SAR capability worldwide. Read more
The Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) is an international humanitarian organisation based in Malta dedicated to providing aid and emergency medical relief to refugees and migrants around the world. Read more
Inmarsat has been an IMRF supporter for many years, most recently regularly sponsoring the IMRF Awards (the Vladimir Maksimov Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Maritime SAR sector – named after a much-respected former Inmarsat employee - and the #WomenInSAR Award). Read more
Udo Fox, Executive Director, DGzRS has attended the 27th session of the ICAO/IMO Joint Working Group|(JWG) on the Harmonization of Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue, as the IMRF’s IMO representative. Read more
All around the world, IMRF members are continuing to save lives in the world’s waters despite the ongoing the global pandemic. To help, earlier this year the IMRF produced its IMRF COVID -19 Operational Guidelines: Guidance for SAR Organisations and soon after, the IDRA-ILS-IMRF COVID-19 Drowning Resuscitation Guidance was published. Read more
This Webinar launched the next phase of the IMRF COVID-19 & Pandemic Response project, and also provided an opportunity for participants to share experiences and reflect on lessons learnt from their SAR operational experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
Many IMRF members either work with aviation assets in maritime SAR operations, or are responsible for providing aviation SAR services. And yet there is no formal international benchmark to ensure quality, safety and consistency of aviation SAR standards. Read more