The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) in collaboration with Lloyd’s Register Foundation has launched the first-ever Global Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) Systems Review in order to understand, evaluate and help strengthen maritime SAR systems worldwide.
This strategic review will assess the current effectiveness of SAR capabilities at local, national and international levels, as well as identify emerging risks and critical gaps. Furthermore, the review aims to deliver long-term, evidence-based recommendations to ensure SAR systems remain resilient in an increasingly complex maritime environment.
The review will also identify key challenges and opportunities that could shape global maritime SAR systems over the next 10 to 20 years and will examine the effects of climate change, geopolitical instability and economic pressures. Additionally, the initiative aims to gain a deeper understanding of regional disparities in SAR capacity.
“Those in distress on the water depend on timely and effective search and rescue responses from all involved in the global SAR system. This comprehensive global review of maritime SAR systems by the IMRF, with the vital support of Lloyd’s Register Foundation, will help to identify persistent gaps in capabilities, foster collaboration across borders, and lay the groundwork for a safer maritime future around the world, said Caroline Jupe, CEO, IMRF.
The assessment will include a wide range of stakeholders across the maritime SAR sector, including local and national SAR organisations, government entities, commercial shipping operators, artisanal fishing communities, academics, industry suppliers and technological innovators.
This new collaboration between the IMRF and Lloyd’s Register Foundation is the latest in a series of joint efforts to improve the capabilities and effectiveness of maritime SAR organisations around the world.