Thanks to a major three-year grant from The TK Foundation, the IMRF has launched the Maritime SAR Academy for maritime SAR personnel and commercial seafarers. It is a modern, accessible e-learning programme designed to strengthen lifesaving capability worldwide. The Academy will translate proven international guidance into practical, interactive training that is free to access for IMRF members and participants from low-resource regions, and widely available to commercial shipping. Watch a short overview video here.
Every day, volunteers and professionals respond to emergencies at sea - often in challenging conditions, with limited time and information. Whilst the SAR Academy content is based on the IAMSAR Manual which sets the global framework, many organisations still lack consistent, practical training that’s easy to access, up-to-date, and tailored to different roles (from RCC staff to lifeboat crews and merchant mariners). The Maritime SAR Academy closes this gap with structured courses, real-world scenarios, and tools crews can use immediately.
IMRF SAR Academy materials are for guidance only. The content represents internationally sourced references, as at the date of publication, and should not be considered as legal advice. The IMRF does not accept any responsibility for errors made within SAR Academy products. Users are respectfully reminded that Maritime SAR Academy learning materials are the intellectual property of the IMRF and provided for personal use only.
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