IMRF Activity Report 2018 - Improving Maritime Search and Rescue Capability Worldwide

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

MARITIME RESCUE FEDER ATION

International Maritime Rescue Federation

2018 Activity Report Improving maritime search and rescue capability worldwide

Our Chairman Captain Udo Fox IMRF Trustee & Chairman “It's been an honourable tradition of the sea to help people in distress for as long as anyone can remember, and today it’s formally enshrined in both maritime and international law.

“Maritime search and rescue is highly skilled, requiring expert knowledge, as well as courage. Now there are also many new innovations and exciting new technologies that can help search and rescue activities to be more effective.

The IMRF's work sharing search and rescue knowledge and expertise between individuals, organisations and countries around the world is a vital part of raising and maintaining standards in a dynamic operational environment.

“I urge you to consider supporting the valuable work of the IMRF, either by becoming a member or by contributing as a partner organisation. Together we can improve maritime search and rescue capability around the globe and help to save many more lives at sea.”

Udo is a Master Mariner and a Master of Business Administration. He has been Executive Director of the German Maritime SAR Service (DGzRS) since 2001, and before that Chief of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre at Bremen. He has done much work at, and on behalf of, the IMO and the EU, and has lectured at the World Maritime University.

Our CEO Theresa Crossley IMRF Chief Executive Officer “Established in 1924 - as the International Lifeboat Federation - the IMRF has been working with its partners for over 95 years to share lifesaving ideas, technologies and experience, all with the common aim of working together to improve maritime search and rescue capability worldwide.

“The IMRF now has over 100 members and represents their views through its consultative status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

“Just as it did 95 years ago, the IMRF's work today allows search and rescue organisations from around the world to share their experience of developing rescue capability to meet ever-growing challenges, while raising and maintaining standards and learning from the ideas of others.

“But we are far from complacent, there are still many gaps in provision in different parts of the world, and with 320,000 lives lost every year in the world’s waters, there is still much to do.”

Theresa was appointed CEO of the IMRF in October 2017. Theresa has a long association with the maritime sector. She was the Head of Shipping Policy (and Chair of the UK Search and Rescue Strategic Policy Committee) in the UK Department for Transport for six years and was for five years a Deputy Director of the European Maritime Safety Agency based in Lisbon, Portugal.

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L

MARITIME RESCUE FEDER ATION

About us

Our work

The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) is the international non-governmental organisation (NGO) and charity working to develop and improve maritime search and rescue (SAR) capacity around the world, preventing loss of life in the world’s waters.

The IMRF:

The IMRF brings together the world's maritime SAR organisations and has both voluntary and governmental organisations as members. As well as capacity building, the IMRF also has an advocacy role, providing an international voice for its members. It is the only maritime SAR NGO in consultative status at the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO).

320,000 LIVES LOST every year in the

world’s waters

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• facilitates cooperation and the exchange of • • •

information, research and development, advice and consultancy between maritime SAR services around the world encourages and supports the formation and development of new maritime SAR services provides training in maritime SAR operational skills, including those required for a Mass Rescue Operation (MRO) and, promotes public education and raises awareness of the importance of safety on the water.

The latest World Health Organization (WHO)1 Global Health Estimates show that around 320,000 people drown every year. That means that roughly 36 people around the world drown every hour. Although the WHO figures do not include all the lives lost in the world’s waters, drowning is still the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths.

Previous WHO reports2 have stated that Africa and Asia-Pacific account for almost 90% of drowning deaths with drowning death rates being the highest in the WHO Africa Region - 20x higher than in the United Kingdom. The IMRF’s own research has found that 93% of ferry accidents and 97% of associated fatalities occur in developing countries.

Many of these deaths could be prevented by improved maritime SAR services, which is why the work of the IMRF is so important.

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World Health Organization Global Health Estimates 2016 https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/drowning/en/ World Health Organization Global Report on Drowning 2014 World Health Organization Fact Sheet https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drowning)

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“The IMRF has been the single biggest influencer in the development and advancement of our organization over the last 15 years. Our involvement with the IMRF has provided us with a significant amount of knowledge in regards to operations, training, and leadership which has allowed us to develop at an unprecedented rate. The connections we have developed through our membership with the IMRF has provided direct and clearly identifiable improvements in our organization. Our training regime and standards were developed with significant influence and assistance from our friendships developed as part of IMRF membership. Vessel standards, policies and procedures, fundraising, governance, recruiting, and rescue training have all rapidly evolved into best practice largely due to our ability to access ideas and knowledge through our connections with the IMRF." Randy Strandt Past President, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue

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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.

We have shared knowledge, skills and resources, and over the last year have:

• delivered 12 regional SAR training courses across Africa to over 160 delegates facilitated three Africa SAR Regional • • • • •

Development Meetings and one SAR Regional Development Meeting in Europe assisted with a World Bank research project to improve SAR capability around Lake Tanganyika conducted a SAR assessment survey for Africa on behalf of the IMO and helped to establish an operational MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) in Guinea Bissau run three Mass Rescue Operations (MRO) workshops in Malaysia, Uruguay and Bangladesh, attended by more than 200 delegates delivered a second MRO Subject-Matter Expert course with 27 participants from 15 countries taking part

• organised the 7th European Lifeboat Crew • • • • •

Exchange involving 69 people from 12 countries co-hosted the East Asia Summit Maritime SAR workshop in partnership with China MRCC co-organised the 4th IMRF Asia Pacific Regional Development Meeting in partnership with Donghai Rescue Bureau presented details of our SAR capacity building work to the IMO Technical Cooperation Committee launched the IMRF’s Basic Rescue Boat Operators Manual, endorsed by Kitack Lim, Secretary General of the IMO who contributed the foreword signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with The Nautical Institute to work together on projects to improve safety at sea.

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Our global SAR development With 110 member organisations in more than 51 countries, the IMRF is leading and supporting SAR development around the world.

In Africa Over the last year, the IMRF has:

• delivered 12 regional SAR training courses •

• • • •

across Africa, with more than 160 participants taking part facilitated two Africa SAR regional meetings in Morocco and one in Kenya, enabling expert knowledge and best practice to be shared and leading to the enhanced development of Government-led regional maritime SAR plans participated in a World Bank funded factfinding mission on improving SAR capability around Lake Tanganyika conducted a SAR Assessment Survey examining current provision across Africa, at the request of the IMO through the Country SAR Development Plan, assisted with the establishment of an operational MRCC in Guinea Bissau ensured that maritime SAR capabilities across Africa continue to grow and strengthen.

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Mohammed Drissi is the IMRF Trustee with special responsibility for co-ordinating IMRF’s work in Africa. In December 2018, he was also appointed as Maritime Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco, to the IMO.

Across the Asia-Pacific Region The IMRF Asia-Pacific Regional Centre (APRC), • coordinated the based in Shanghai, China, was established to develop maritime SAR resources and capability across the Asia-Pacific region.

Over the last year, the IMRF’s APRC has:

• delivered the keynote speech at the 7th • •

International Search and Rescue Conference, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia co-hosted the East Asia Summit Maritime SAR Workshop, in partnership with China MRCC held the 4th IMRF Asia Pacific Regional Development Meeting, in partnership with Donghai Rescue Bureau

• •

donation of 2,000 lifejackets to Bangladesh fishermen and presented the lifejackets at a Distribution Ceremony in Dhaka, Bangladesh contributed to the draft of China MRCC's Mass Rescue Operation Guiding Plan for Cruise Ships translated a series of IMO Guidelines and MRO Case Studies and promoted them to maritime SAR professionals across the AsiaPacific Region.

Our Regional Meetings In 2018, the IMRF held four SAR regional development meetings: one in Europe (hosted by the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue in Horten, Norway), and three in Africa (two in Morocco and one in Kenya). These meetings provided valuable forums for the exchange of ideas and best practice on how maritime SAR can be improved in each location.

The outputs from these meetings included:

• the development of regional maritime SAR plans • embedding the practice of holding •

regular table-top and/or live SAR exercises, to ensure that these regional SAR plans remain fit for purpose the development and delivery of training for SAR administrators, mission coordinators and on scene coordinators.

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“The European regional meeting was fantastic. I really liked it because all the members and the people attending were so nice and honest, and so willing to help develop SAR projects – all to reduce the number of deaths by drowning. So many, many things to learn...”

Andris Kraulis, Chairman, Latvian Beach Lifeguard Association

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

Over the last year we have:

• contributed to the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Safety • • •

of Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR), particularly the SAR Working Group delivered a presentation about the IMRF’s capacity building work around the world to the IMO’s Maritime Safety and Technical Cooperation Committee actively represented the IMRF at the annual meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)/IMO Joint Working Group on SAR advised and contributed to IMO’s technical cooperation and development work in SAR, particularly in Africa

Migration and SAR The movement of asylum-seekers and economic migrants across large areas of sea – in inadequate boats with resulting loss of life - continues in several parts of the world.

The IMRF continues to advocate action at an international level to address this issue and defends the fundamental principles of maritime search and rescue, as well as the humanitarian principle of non-refoulement implicit in the SAR principle of delivery of anyone in distress to a ‘place of safety’.

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The IMRF’s online open-source MRO resource library continues to grow and is recognised as one of the leading sources of information on this specialist subject. It was visited 29,514 times in 2018.

In 2018, the IMRF published the Basic Rescue Boat Operators Manual, endorsed by Kitack Lim, Secretary General of the IMO, which provides information on essential skills, knowledge and guidance for SAR organisations with limited access to equipment.

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“The benefits of IMRF membership are that you gain so much from other organisations, it is always good to speak to colleagues from other countries to see how they work and to share their experiences and knowledge. In 2008 when the Hellenic Rescue Team joined the IMRF, we could never have imagined that the IMRF would be so helpful to us in dealing with the refugee crisis, it is something we will never forget.”

Alexandros Liamos, Head of Operations, Hellenic Rescue Team

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Sharing our maritime Mass Rescue Operations expertise A mass rescue operation (MRO) is defined by the IMO as being “characterised by the need for immediate response to large numbers of persons in distress such that the capabilities normally available to the SAR authorities are inadequate.”

MROs are major life-threatening events beyond normal SAR service capability, and can have widespread negative effects, not just on those who are victims of the incident, but also on the responders facing a highly traumatic situation.

In 2018, the IMRF:

• ran three MRO workshops, in Malaysia, • •

The IMRF’s maritime MRO project works to raise awareness amongst the maritime community of the absolute vital importance of planning and training for such extraordinary events.

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Uruguay and Bangladesh, which were attended by more than 200 delegates delivered a presentation to the ANZSAR (Australian & New Zealand SAR) Conference in Australia on the work of IMRF and its maritime MRO activities ran a second MRO Subject-Matter Expert course in co-operation with Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden and IMRF member The Swedish Sea Rescue Society. Twenty-seven senior personnel with emergency planning responsibilities from 15 countries attended continued to enhance and update the IMRF’s open-source MRO resource library (www.imrfmro.org).

Cooperation, collaboration and knowledge sharing: The European Lifeboat Crew Exchange For the last seven years the IMRF has organised this popular event, bringing together volunteers from different European lifeboat organisations to ‘swap places’ and train together.

Each participating organisation devises its own week-long programme of training, demonstrating the specialist activities they carry out and the best practice training methods appropriate to their climate and circumstances. The exchange offers a perfect platform for crews to experience simulated SAR exercises, learn new operational techniques and skills and exchange knowledge all with the common aim of preventing loss of life in the world’s waters.

In 2018, 69 people from 12 countries, hosted by 10 different organisations, took part in the IMRF’s popular and highly rated European Lifeboat Crew

Exchange programme. All of those who took part said they would recommend it to their organisations and crews.

Over the last seven years:

• almost 500 participants from 19 countries have •

taken part in the European Lifeboat Crew Exchange the vast majority of the participants have rated the programme ‘excellent’ and felt they learnt something new.

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Each year, the IMRF Awards celebrate the achievements of exceptional individuals and organisations, raising global awareness of the outstanding work done by people across the maritime SAR sector.

The IMRF Awards 2018 were hosted by Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue (RS) at their new training centre, RS Noatun, near Horten in Norway and attracted nominations from around the world, representing a wide range of SAR activities.

Lifetime Achievement Awards went to (left) John Kooijman, founder of the Citizens’ Rescue Organisation of Curacao (CITRO) and (right) Captain Nick Guerchev, Chairman and founder of the Bulgarian National Volunteer Maritime Safety Society (BULSAR).

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The winners were: Outstanding Individual Contribution to a Maritime SAR Operation Captain Siddarth Sharma, a ship's master from Mumbai, India, for his actions to save two French fishermen who had been drifting for three days on a sinking fishing boat.

Outstanding Team Contribution to a Maritime SAR Operation The crew of KNRM Station Terschelling Paal 8, from Friesland, Netherlands for their part in the successful rescue of the crew of a fishing vessel in particularly challenging weather conditions.

Innovation and Technology in Maritime SAR The Pink Rescue Buoy, developed by the National Sea Rescue Institute in South Africa, was chosen for being relatively low cost, but very effective in terms of saving lives.

The Vladimir Maksimov Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Maritime SAR Sector This year, there were two exceptional nominations that stood out, and as a result this award was presented to two winners. John Kooijman, founder of the Citizens’ Rescue Organisation of Curacao (CITRO) and Captain Nick Guerchev, Chairman and founder of the Bulgarian National Volunteer Maritime Safety Society (BULSAR) were considered to have both made outstanding contributions to maritime safety in their regions.

The People’s Choice IMRF Award (shortlisted nomination voted for by the public) The Canadian Coast Guard Volunteer Rescue Specialists for their work providing life-saving medical care during maritime SAR operations.

The Local IMRF Award (nominated by the host of the IMRF Awards) The Norwegian Society of Sea Rescue (RS) recognised the outstanding contribution of two of their SAR teams: Coxwain Espen Johan Hole and crew members Kristian Lundemo and Magnus Hafslund were given an Award for their part in a highprofile rescue saving three people; and volunteers Frode Rostad and Stein Erik Aannerud were given an Award in recognition of their tireless efforts saving lives at sea over the past 20 years.

The IMRF is grateful for the kind support of the following sponsors of the IMRF Awards 2018: Orolia Maritime (lead sponsor), Inmarsat, CM Hammar, Pole Star, Swede Ship Marine, the Norwegian Seafarers Union, the Norwegian Union of Marine Engineers, the NSOF Novsk Sjooffisersforbund, and Hansen Protection.

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Looking ahead... in 2019 The IMRF will continue to lead and support SAR development around the world…

WMRC 2019 The 4th World Maritime Rescue Congress (WMRC 2019) will take place in June in Vancouver, Canada.

The quadrennial event brings together search and rescue practitioners, industry and governments to share experience and best practice and to set the course for the future of maritime SAR. The theme for WMRC 2019 is “Learning from the Past; Looking to the Future”, with a focus on benefitting from lessons learnt, whilst gaining an insight into innovations and technologies that will help shape the maritime SAR operations of the future.

The Congress will also mark the launch of IMRF’s new “Women in SAR” initiative, which aims to support the IMO’s “Empowering Women in Maritime” programme by helping women to make an even bigger contribution to maritime SAR. The IMRF Quadrennial General Meeting (QGM) will be held on Tuesday 18 June 2019, following on from WMRC 2019. At the meeting, the members will be given a report on the IMRF’s activities since the last QGM in 2015 and will hear about the organisation’s future plans. Members will also have the opportunity to elect the IMRF Board of Trustees for the next four years.

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“The IMRF has been a strong supporter and participant in the global work undertaken by the ICAO/IMO Joint Working Group on the Harmonisation of SAR for many years. Their active involvement in the development of specific guidance material for the international aviation and maritime SAR community has been invaluable, especially in the area of Mass Rescue Operations, where they are deemed to be world leaders in this field. I have no hesitation in commending the SAR project work undertaken by the IMRF and their selfless devotion to improvements in international SAR responsiveness for the benefit of the world’s aviators and mariners.”

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Mike Barton, Aeronautical SAR expert, Airspace Management and Optimization Section, Air Navigation Bureau, International Civil Aviation Organization

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Other Events in 2019

• the IMRF will continue to act as an advocate for

• the IMRF Awards 2019 will be held on 10 • • • •

September 2019, during London International Shipping Week the second IMRF Fundraising Skill Share will be in September, hosted by the Swedish Sea Rescue Society (SSRS) the 8th European Lifeboat Crew Exchange Programme will also take place in September, with participants from across the region the European Regional Meeting will be held in Croatia in the Autumn a training course based around the Basic Rescue Boat Operator Manual will be run in Poole in October

• • •

maritime organisations, internationally and regionally, working to improve maritime SAR provision around the world IMRF will continue to represent the maritime community at the IMO and at the ICAO/IMO Joint Working Group through meetings, forums, workshops and training, IMRF will work to ensure that knowledge, skills and resources continue to be developed and shared in this important area the IMRF will continue to work to raise awareness of the excellent work done by the maritime SAR community, highlighting new and innovative SAR products and technologies through the IMRF Awards 2019.

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Membership The IMRF now has over 110 member organisations in over 51 countries around the world. IMRF member organisations may be large or small, newly-formed or long established, charities, private or public agencies, or supporting organisations and industries.

Europe

Middle East/Asia-Pacific

Belgium (1) Bulgaria (1) Croatia (1) Denmark (2) Estonia (4) Finland (4) France (3) Germany (7) Greece (1) Iceland (1) Ireland (3) Italy (3) Latvia (1) Malta (4) Norway (3) Poland (1) Portugal (1) Russia (2) Spain (2) Sweden (5) Switzerland (1) The Netherlands (2) Turkey (1) United Kingdom (7)

Australia (3) Bangladesh (1) China (7) India (1) Malaysia (2) New Zealand (3) Sri Lanka (1) United Arab Emirates (2)

Join us…. We offer three categories of membership: Full Membership – for Rescue Coordination Centres, lifeboat operators and any organisations involved in operational maritime SAR who have been authorised by the appropriate authority.

Affiliate Membership – for organisations intending to establish an operational maritime search and/or rescue service in the future, or those whose prime purpose is the promotion of water safety.

Subsidiaries of full member organisations can also join as Affiliate Members.

Associate Membership – for companies, service providers and manufacturers with an interest in the provision of maritime SAR, or the promotion of water safety (e.g. commercial maritime SAR equipment providers and educational establishments).

For more information, please visit www.international-maritime-rescue.org or contact the Secretariat at info@imrf.org.uk or +44 (0)1569 767405

Support us The IMRF’s life-saving work depends entirely on the generous support of its members, partners and benefactors, please help us to prevent loss of life in the world’s waters.

If you would like to discuss IMRF sponsorship or partnership opportunities, please contact Caroline Jupe on c.jupe@imrf.org.uk or +44 (0)1569 767405

Americas Antigua (1) Brazil (3) British Virgin Islands (1) Canada (4) Chile (1) Curaçao (Caribbean) (1) Sint Maarten (Caribbean) (1) United States (3) Uruguay (2) Venezuela (1)

Africa Cape Verde (1) Cote d’Ivoire (1) Ghana (1) Kenya (1) Liberia (1) Morocco (1) Seychelles (1) South Africa (2) Tanzania (1) Uganda (1)

Benefits of IMRF Membership

• participate in expert panels, groups and • • • • • • • •

‘skill-shares’ eg. the IMRF Future Technology Panel - to share ideas and knowledge attend the IMRF Annual Meeting in your region access the IMRF website for free advice and expertise take part in the annual European Lifeboat Crew Exchange share best practice and advice between fellow members and expert personnel contribute towards the IMRF’s work at the IMO and with other regulatory bodies, representing industry expertise and concerns receive LIFE LINE, the quarterly newsletter packed with maritime SAR news enjoy discounts on selected IMRF Events and Conferences enjoy a 20% discount in the IMRF Bookshop, on IMO and other publications.

www.international-maritime-rescue.org International Maritime Rescue Federation, PO Box 1389 Enfield EN1 9GF, UK

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

MARITIME RESCUE FEDER ATION

The International Maritime Rescue Federation is a registered company limited by guarantee in the United Kingdom and registered as a charity in England and Wales. Charity Registration Number: 1100883 Company Registration Number: 4852596.