The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) has announced the launch of its #SaferSAR initiative, which will look to enable global search and rescue (SAR) organizations to better collect, analyze, and share maritime SAR incident response data in a bid to enhance future maritime SAR response operations.

The initiative, which is being funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, will encompass a 12-month feasibility study for a globally accessible platform that SAR personnel and organizations can use to share lessons and best practices identified in SAR response, incidents, accidents, and exercises to improve safety at sea.

“All leading marine accident investigation branches, like the United Kingdom’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) or Germany’s Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU), as well as SAR organizations and government bodies, analyze and publish reports on maritime incidents and lessons learned. However, there is no global system that collates this SAR data, analyses it for trends, patterns, or particular safety concerns, and then disseminates these findings more widely,” said Caroline Jupe, Chief Executive Officer of the IMRF.

“While SAR delivery ranges from country to country and organization to organization, at its core the principle remains the same: saving lives and rescuing people in distress in the world’s waters. By sharing data and experiences more effectively, global SAR organizations can develop greater understanding and safer operations to drive that principle. This way the global community can also assist organizations that do not yet have the adequate resources to collect such information themselves, by providing information on identified safety risks,” she added.

Olivia Swift, Senior Program Manager at Lloyd’s Register Foundation, said, “Global safety challenges around maritime activity are vast, and it is vital that the maritime sector has access to the best possible information on evolving risks and how to mitigate them. We are pleased to partner with the IMRF on the #SaferSAR initiative to help SAR organizations reduce these risks and enhance the safety of the maritime sector more widely.”

The IMRF will work closely with a number of key industry stakeholders and SAR organizations during the study, including its own membership of more than 120 SAR organizations, governmental and non-governmental bodies, and service providers from over 50 countries.