LIFE LINE The Newsletter of the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF)
October 2014 December 2010
December News… Experience… Ideas… Information… Development… 2010 In this issue:
some of the benefits of being part of the IMRF family help for small and developing SAR organisations an introduction to the 2015 World Maritime Rescue Congress and QGM and more!
IMRF Membership – here for all!
December 2010 December 2010 December 2010
What is the International Maritime Rescue Federation, and who are our Members? There are IMRF Member organisations all over the world. They may be large Government organisations or the smallest of maritime rescue charities. Our Full Members, large or small, run rescue boats and ships, SAR aircraft, or rescue coordination centres. Our Affiliate Members are working towards providing similar services, or promoting water safety. And our Associates support maritime SAR in various ways. Together, we are an international family of SAR people with a simple but enormously important shared aim – saving lives. IMRF Members are there for anyone in trouble in the world’s waters – and the IMRF is here for our Members. In this special edition of our newsletter we take a look at what that means.
December 2010 December 2010 December 2010 December 2010
IMRF MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL EDITION De2ce0m10ber 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 Patron: Efthimios E. Mitropoulos KCMG, IMO Secretary General Emeritus
December 2010
Registered office: IMRF West Quay Road Poole BH15 1HZ United Kingdom Company Registration Number: 4852596 Charity Registration Number: 1100883
www.international-maritime-rescue.org
December 2010
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October 2014
Editorial Welcome to the latest edition of your newsletter – a ‘membership special’ this time. If your organisation is not yet a member of the IMRF we hope that what you read here will demonstrate some of the benefits of joining us. We are here to support you: read about the sharing of resources on page 10, for example, and the sort of IT support we can provide, on page 5. We are here to help represent you where the decisions are made that, ultimately, affect how maritime SAR is done: see page 5 again. We are here to help run projects that it makes simple sense to do together. Our rescue boat guidelines, crew exchange, education, and various SAR development projects around the world, for example. Or our mass rescue project: see page 9, and the August edition of LIFE LINE, in the newsletter archive at www.internationalmaritime-rescue.org – and don’t miss our next edition, out in early December, when, among many other things, we will be looking at what has changed, and what has not, 20 years after the Estonia disaster. She sank in the Baltic on 28 September 1994 at the cost of 852 lives – and we do not have all the SAR answers even now.
Contents IMRF membership: here for all!
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Editorial
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Dates for the Diary
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Better together
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ISAR 2014
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World Maritime Rescue Congress
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The last four years, and the next
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The IMRF at the IMO ................................
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Regional websites
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Search and rescue 2.0 SAR Matters
But this edition is not only about IMRF membership! We’ve the usual mix of stories from around the world. We are continuing our minitheme on future SAR, for example (see pages 6 & 8), and there are articles from Malaysia, China, Finland, the Mediterranean and North and West Africa. Please read on. Oh: just one final reminder. We do not use hyperlinks in LIFE LINE: not everybody’s IT system likes them. So, to use the links we provide, please copy and paste into your search engine.
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Are rescuers necessary?
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Disaster in the Mediterranean ..................
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Used lifejackets save lives
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Typhoon Matmo rescue
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Vessel triage project ................................
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Welcome
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And farewell
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Send us your news & pictures
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Dates for the Diary
These are the issues we address, and we’re simply better together: see page 3. And if you already are members, we hope that the information this edition contains about our Quadrennial General Meeting next June will be of particular interest. It’s very important that you are represented there. Please see page 4.
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Rescue 2014
17-19 October 2014
Hosted by ICE-SAR in Reykjavik, Iceland. See www.icesar.com/rescue
IMRF European Regional Meeting
30-31 October 2014
Hosted by the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM) in IJmuiden. For details, contact info@imrf.org.uk
Search, Rescue & Recovery
18-19 November 2014
To be held in Rome. See http://search-rescue-recovery.com
World Maritime Rescue Congress
1-4 June 2015
Advance notice of the IMRF’s next Congress and quadrennial general meeting. See page 4. If you are planning a SAR event of international interest which you would like to see listed here, please send the details to news@imrf.org.uk
Dave Jardine-Smith news@imrf.org.uk
www.international-maritime-rescue.org
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The IMRF – benefits of membership...
Better Together What are the benefits of IMRF membership? Well, there are lots, but we can sum them up in the IMRF’s concept of an international SAR family, improving safety and emergency response on the world’s waters by working co-operatively. We are better together! The IMRF is a charity. Our constitution states that our ‘objects’ (the reasons for our existence) “are to prevent loss of life, to promote safety and to provide relief from disaster at sea and on inland waters throughout the world.” We do this by: promoting cooperation, exchange of information, research and development, advice and consultancy between maritime search and rescue services of the world; encouraging and promoting the formation and development of maritime search and rescue services throughout the world; and promoting public education and awareness regarding safety on water. As outlined on page 1, IMRF members are organisations of all kinds who either provide SAR services already, or who wish to do so, or who have a supporting role. We also welcome individual supporters. The IMRF’s strategy is set by our Members and overseen by a Board of Trustees. Essential to our governance is our Quadrennial General Meeting: see page 4. The IMRF has a small Secretariat, with offices in the UK and at our Asia-Pacific Regional Centre (APRC) in China. One of the Secretariat’s main functions is the facilitation of bi-lateral and multi-lateral contacts between Member organisations, to enable the sharing of resources and experience that is at the core of what www.international-maritime-rescue.org
we do. These contacts lead to specific projects such as our European Members’ crew exchange programme or ongoing development work in North & West Africa (see page 5), or to conferences, training events and the sharing of expertise and equipment. See too IMRF Trustee Jorge Diena’s article on page 7. With the help of subject-matter experts drawn from our Members, we also conduct various SAR development projects. There is our Safety on Water Education and Awareness Project, for example, and our Rescue Boat Guidelines and Mass Rescue Operations projects too. For more information about any or all of this exciting work, please visit the IMRF website: www.internationalmaritime-rescue.org. The website also allows Members access to a wealth of important SAR information, in the ‘IMRF Library’. Here, for example, you can find all the SAR-related guidance that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) makes freely available. Members also benefit from a 20% discount on IMO publications by using our online bookshop.
ISAR 2014 th
The 4 International Search and Rescue Conference, ISAR 2014, was conducted by Global SAR Resources Sdn Bhd in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 17-18 June. The theme for this year’s conference was ‘Transforming Search and Rescue Performance’. More than 120 delegates from 12 countries participated. At the invitation of the hosts, Lu Dingliang, Board Member of the IMRF Asia-Pacific Regional Centre, delivered a presentation on promoting exchange and communication in maritime SAR within the Asia Pacific Region. IMRF Trustee Brooke Archbold was also present, chairing the conference’s valedictory session. Five plenary sessions were held, on SAR policies, procedures and practices; international collaboration in SAR; technological advances; logistical aspects; and human interventions. There was also a session dedicated to various national perspectives.
Not a Member? Interested? We’ll be delighted to answer your questions.
The conference discussed SAR planning and operations as well as the future outlook. Land, aviation, maritime and even submarine SAR were looked at and their challenges analysed. It was agreed that the key to transforming SAR performance is the availability of a competent, committed and qualified human resource who can implement policies and procedures in a spirit of international collaboration.
phone +44 (0)1569 767405 email info@imrf.org.uk
ISAR 2015 will be held at Chennai, in India.
As the recognised consultative body on maritime SAR, the IMRF works closely with the IMO, making the case for global SAR development: see page 5. We also contribute to workshops and conferences around the world (see this page). And all this is just a brief sample of what we do: visit the website for more detail!
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If your organisation is not a Full IMRF Member and you would like to be, or if you are uncertain of your IMRF membership status, please contact us at info@imrf.org.uk. So – why is it so important for IMRF Members to be represented at the QGM? The IMRF – bringing the SAR world together...
The World Maritime Rescue Congress 2015 For 90 years the IMRF (formerly the International Lifeboat Federation) has provided events, meetings and forums that bring SAR organisations together, to exchange knowledge, to share experience, and to discuss how we can do more to prevent loss of life in the world’s waters. Every four years the IMRF runs the World Maritime Rescue Congress, the global forum and exhibition opportunity for everyone involved in maritime search and rescue, whether as practitioners or supporters. In 2015 the Congress will be held at the Atlantic Hotel Sail City, in Bremerhaven, Germany, where we will be hosted by our great friends and IMRF Members, the Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbrüchiger – the German Maritime SAR Service, who th will be celebrating their 150 anniversary in 2015. The main themes of the conference will be those of international SAR: organisation and management; coordination and planning; and operations. There will, we promise, be something special for everyone. st
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The dates are 1 –4 June 2015. Mark them in your diary now! Registration is open, and the call for papers will be going out shortly. For much more information visit:
www.international-maritimerescue.org/index.php/homewmrc www.international-maritime-rescue.org
The IMRF – having your say...
The IMRF’s last four years – and the next… The IMRF works in four-year periods, basing our operations and projects on strategies agreed at Quadrennial General Meetings (QGM) of our member organisations. Our Board of Trustees is also elected at the QGM. The Board are our directors. They agree the IMRF’s strategic direction in accordance with our ‘objects’ (see ‘Better Together, page 3) and they oversee the Federation’s activities during each quadrennium. The next QGM will, as usual, be held in conjunction with the World Maritime Rescue Congress, this time in Bremerhaven. Its sessions are planned for 3-4 June 2015. The first batch of QGM papers will be sent to our Members shortly – keep a good lookout for them! Some big changes are on the agenda, and it is essential that IMRF Members consider these changes and have their say. We hope, of course, that ALL our Members will be able to join us at the QGM: we want, and need, to hear from you. However, under the terms of our constitution, only Full Members have a vote. It is particularly important that all Full Members are represented at the meeting – hopefully in person, but you can also appoint a proxy to vote for you. Please see the QGM papers for further details – and tell the IMRF Secretariat who your authorised representative will be as soon as you can.
First, as already mentioned, our Board of seven Trustees are elected there. These are the people who will oversee the general direction of your Federation for the next four years. The QGM is where our Full Members elect them – but it is also the opportunity for all our Members to let the new Board know what you think and what you want the IMRF to do next. Second, the IMRF is registered in the UK, and legal changes there mean that we need to make some changes to our constitution. While these will not affect what we do, our Trustees have taken the opportunity to amend the constitution so that it will give their successors a little more room for manoeuvre. And, as we need approval of any changes to our core document, our ‘Articles of Association’, by 75% of our Full Members, we need you to be represented in Bremerhaven and to cast your vote! Most importantly of all, though, we have been doing a little ‘blue sky thinking’. The IMRF has achieved a great deal in the last four years – but it has even more to do in the next four. We have projects lining up and we know the people we need to get them done, with the necessary experience and expertise. But, sad though it may be, very little can be done absolutely for free. We have grown to the point where we need to have a fundamental look at what we’re going to do and how we’re going to fund it – and the QGM is where that will be discussed. Be there and have your say! page 4
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The IMRF – representing maritime SAR internationally...
The IMRF at the IMO As the non-Governmental organisation in consultative status on search and rescue matters at the International Maritime Organization, the IMRF attends a number of IMO meetings each year, representing our members at the United Nations level. We also work with the IMO Secretariat on various projects – see the article at right, for example. IMRF representatives attended the first meeting of the new Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) at the IMO in London in early July. A summary report is available in the Members’ Library on our website. Among the important outcomes are the continuation of the review of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) – where the IMRF is seeking to ensure that the needs of all who may get into trouble at sea are taken into account, not just the needs of those on big ships – and work on the Polar Code, which will supplement the SOLAS Convention as regards the increasing shipping activity in high latitudes. IMO’s online Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) was also discussed. This includes information on SAR services; but it relies on member States to keep it up-to-date. The IMRF supports the IMO’s call for SAR authorities to ensure that their entries on GISIS are kept updated and accurate. Revised guidance on the recovery of people in distress at sea, particularly by non-SAR specialists such as merchant ship crews, was approved by NCSR, as were amendments to the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual. The IMRF’s proposals for further improvements to the IAMSAR Manual were agreed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) / IMO Joint Working Group on SAR, when it met in London in September. Many of these amendments result from the IMRF’s mass rescue operations project. The IMRF’s proposal that the Manual be made easier to use was also accepted by the Group. Some of these changes will take effect in the Manual’s 2016 edition, others in its next scheduled edition in 2019. The IMRF thus continues to play a leading role at the international level on behalf of our members – and on behalf of all in trouble on the world’s waters. www.international-maritime-rescue.org
The IMRF – providing IT support...
Regional websites bringing regional SAR cooperation to life The IMRF meets regularly with regional SAR groups working hard at developing cross-border relationships to improve maritime SAR response across the regions they are responsible for. To assist the African regional groups we are working directly with (see ‘SAR Progress in North & West Africa’, LIFE LINE, August 2014) we have provided dedicated regional SAR websites hosted through the main IMRF site. See www.international-maritimerescue.org/index.php/wamsarr-home. In providing a web presence for the regional groups we aim to help build support within the countries of the organisations involved. Funding for SAR in many countries comes from consolidated funds, so is contestable. Demonstrating to the decision makers the value of SAR services and regional cooperation and commitment to make heading out to sea safer will help secure budget internally. Providing a professional window for these groups will also help in finding external support for regional initiatives such as SAR training. The IMRF has hosted the North and West Africa maritime SAR region page for over 12 months. Now we have launched a site for the West African Maritime Search & Rescue Region, working together with the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Technical Cooperation section to bring SAR services in this region closer together. The site provides easy links to the key maritime SAR organisations in the West Africa region as well as updates on regional SAR development, initiatives and meetings, and links to the organisations’ own websites – all accessible through the regional link on the IMRF home page. Within this site there is also a sub-site for organisations in the region that don’t currently have their own web-page. All web-development work is done in-house by the IMRF’s IT Manager Wendy Webster. In this case we have received great support from Emmanuel Mezoh Dolakeh of Liberia who coordinated the collation of the necessary information from across the region. The IMRF is delighted to be able to provide this support and hopes that, through initiatives such as this, we can continue to help build SAR relationships between countries, and improve SAR coordination and response to prevent loss of life in the region. page 5
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The IMRF – considering new challenges...
Member Focus: ‘Search and rescue 2.0’ The LIFE LINE Member Focus column enables IMRF Members to share news about their organisations, their experiences, equipment, training – and future planning. Contributions for the column are very welcome: please send them to news@imrf.org.uk. In this edition Roemer Boogaard, Chief Executive of Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij (KNRM), the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution, considers a ‘SAR upgrade’, a new approach to the search problem, and suggests a challenge for the IMRF as we approach our next quadrennium. Traditionally any maritime search (with a view to achieve a rescue) has been largely dependent on human senses: the eye and the ear. In the dark, they might have been augmented by searchlights. The shipping industry and the more professional water sports enthusiasts are equipped with radio beacons that can be used to locate them in an emergency; and because more and more vessels have AIS technology they can almost always be found. Today’s trend is that more and more water sports enthusiasts are present in coastal waters, including kitesurfers, wave-surfers, long-distance swimmers and recreational fishermen with motorboats, to name but a few. After all, strong winds and big waves add to the challenge of carrying out your favourite activity and protective gear keeps you warm. Kite-surfing has now become a year-round sport! Nowadays, lifeboats are fitted out with state-of-the-art equipment, but, in a search, rescuers still have to make use of the traditional “mark one eyeball” to spot anyone in the water. The lifeboats’ high tech equipment forms a striking contrast with this method of detection. Not even night vision or infra-red equipment can provide a solution to finding people in the water given that the victims tend to wear well-insulated black neoprene wet suits. Visibility is a problem. Smoke signals or flares are an option but are not very effective and they are certainly not always safe. www.international-maritime-rescue.org
The primary objectives of 'SAR 2.0', therefore, are the raising of the alarm, efficiently and effectively, and providing a track & trace function in order to prepare anyone practicing water sports for safeguarding their personal safety. It is more than high time for a reliable and affordable digital distress and rescue signal that will provide information on the victim’s current position. However, the market for this type of device is far too fragmented; there is no global standard, no mass production and therefore (so far) no cheap and easily obtainable devices are available.
Lifeboat institutions have not been in the habit of joining forces by sharing technological developments or by jointly developing and building new types of lifeboat. Each of us tends to develop our own standards. Similarly, asking all those different types of water sports enthusiasts to come up with their own track & trace alerting standard probably is not very realistic. By developing a single standard all SAR units worldwide would be able to simplify their searches and every single water sports enthusiast equipped with a SAR device, whether in coastal waters or open waters, would be assured of rescue being at hand in an emergency. The fundamental technology is a simple one; we’re familiar with it and it has been tested. The standardisation, policy direction and particularly mass production, needed in order to achieve an acceptable retail price, however, are lacking. Is this where the IMRF might play a part? Will we, as members of the IMRF, take up this gauntlet and accept this challenge together? Join in the debate! Get in touch at news@imrf.org.uk. page 6
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SAR Matters This column provides a forum for LIFE LINE readers worldwide to contribute to debate on any relevant SAR issue. Have a look at previous discussions in our Newsletter Archive, online at www.internationalmaritime-rescue.org: every LIFE LINE since 2010 is available there for free download. You can join in the debate by emailing news@imrf.org.uk. It’s good to talk! In this edition IMRF Trustee Jorge Diena considers how the IMRF might best help small, developing SAR organisations.
The Struggle to Survive It is very easy for me to talk about small volunteer rescue institutions, as I am a member of one. After 3 years acting as a Trustee, I can see how difficult it is for the bigger organizations to understand and appreciate the hard life some of the smaller members have to endure. And it’s not because the big ones are mean or that the small ones are always begging for something. It’s because of different histories, cultures, origins and national idiosyncrasies, including the value society places on volunteer work. The combination of these circumstances will determine how each small organization will react when confronted with situations that are unthinkable for many bigger ones. Let’s look at some very simple examples and how the IMRF can help.
authorities. It happens in both hemispheres, and in developed and underdeveloped countries. It is very difficult for the volunteer institution to raise money if the authorities do not allow them to raise their profile – and we all know that if you are not seen, you are forgotten! Training The worst nightmare any Institution faces is an accident to one of its own people. As well as the personal tragedy, this can damage the institution’s reputation, making it harder to attract new members and donations. The best way to avoid accidents is through training, and the best trainers normally come from organizations that can pay for them or which already have members with lots of experience. That is normally not the case in small or new institutions. How can the IMRF help? That’s easy! With examples, of how others have found a way to make things happen; with advice, visiting those who need some guidance and showing international support; with trainers, who can show how to make safer missions; with crew exchange programs, demonstrating different ways of doing things; by sharing favorable prices for equipment; by donating used equipment, and so on. It is the exchange of experience, expertise, problems and solutions that can make the difference for a small or developing organization between success and failure.
Donated goods In some countries there is no tax exemption for donated goods, and the volunteers of many organizations around the world have to put their own money on the table to receive them. As you can imagine, the tax money you have to pay for a small number of donated lifejackets is one thing, but the amount you have to pay for a donated rescue cruiser is very different. The way to avoid this is to convince high-ranking officers, judges, customs employees and many others that the lifesaving work the organization does is very important and that the donated goods are going to be used only for that purpose. It can take some time, sometimes years – but it will happen. The worst-case scenario then is if the donor does not wait but decides (sometimes without telling the intended receiving party) to put the goods to other use. This damages the receiving institution’s image with the officials. It will be harder to ask for a new exemption for the next donation.
A broken container becomes a headquarters and classroom in Brazil; and a crew training session in Venezuela: white dots of sunlight shine through holes in the roof
Fortunately, there are many examples around the world of IMRF members helping each other. We find boats, lifejackets, VHF handheld radios, trainers, advisers and crews crossing the globe to make things happen. I must confess that it sometimes amazes me to see how people’s dedicated work and good will can change reality.
Authorities
Let’s never forget that the person in distress in the water needs to be rescued as fast and safely as possible, and whether you save him using a fancy rescue cruiser coming from a brand new station or with a second-hand inflatable coming from a beach, the important thing is to save him.
There are Institutions around the world that have to fight to be recognized as a valuable asset by the national marine
That is our duty, and that is the reason we all need a bigger and stronger IMRF.
www.international-maritime-rescue.org
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October 2014
Are rescuers necessary…? OK: not a serious question! Of course rescuers are necessary – but what tools might they be using in the not-too-distant future? That’s the question IMRF’s new Associate Member, Zycraft has posed to the SAR community. (See ‘SAR Matters’ in our August edition too.) James Soon, President of Zycraft, asks “Is it necessary to always have people on rescue vessels when unmanned craft can accomplish the task without putting the lives of rescuers at risk? Technology has advanced to a point where the option of using unmanned vessels for SAR is real.” Science fiction, readers may think… Not so when there is already such a vessel on the water – and why not on the water when unmanned aerial vehicles have been buzzing around for years? Zycraft has built and is trialling a 17m Independent Unmanned Surface Vessel (IUSV). One of the multimission modular payloads the company has designed is for search and rescue. The SAR IUSV will be equipped with special radar and electro-optic day and night camera systems to conduct wide area searches systematically along pre-planned tracks. The recorded search data can also be reviewed ashore to ensure a casualty is not missed. Many manned vessels already rely on some of this technology when searching so the step to unmanned search would not be so significant. But how would an unmanned vessel recover people in the water? After a casualty is spotted, the SAR payload is capable of remote recovery of an unconscious casualty into the IUSV using a robotic arm that is controlled from the shore base by a human operator. Once placed in the stretcher, biomedical sensors will monitor the casualty’s condition so that further medical support or evacuation can be planned accordingly. The robotic arm is also designed to tag bodies in the water for future recovery so that space aboard the IUSV is reserved for survivors, leaving body recovery as a last act once survivors are accounted for. The craft can recover up to eight casualties lying in a special litter rack, with an additional 15 persons seated in other areas.
“We know the technology is there. The IUSV part is proven. Getting SAR authorities to exploit the new technologies is the work ahead. “Unmanned vessels can provide a unique longendurance search and rescue capability even under adverse weather conditions where human endurance and effectiveness would have been seriously curtailed. Countries that have long coastlines and a very active maritime community, be it in fishing, boating, commerce or transportation, will find the 24/7 responsiveness of a SAR IUSV a real benefit. “Whoever thought that we would all end up carrying around with us a small rectangle of plastic, glass and metal that allows us to speak face-to-face with people on the other side of the world? “The concept of unmanned SAR craft could be a step too far for some just now, and many will say ‘What about the people factor…?’ But what about the people factor if, in high-risk conditions, unmanned craft can be tasked instead of endangering a human crew? Or what about prolonged searches, when a change of an operator at a desk in a control room replaces the need to bring the craft into harbour to change a fatigued crew?” And what about the survivor picked up by a remotelycontrolled craft when a crewed craft could not have ventured out, or stayed out long enough, to rescue him? These are interesting questions. Let us know what you think: email news@imrf.org.uk. For more about Zycraft visit www.zycraft.com.
When he presented the idea at last year’s IMRF AsiaPacific regional meeting there was some scepticism regarding robotic recovery. James recognises these concerns. “We don’t have all the answers yet as SAR is a new area of development for our company,” he says. www.international-maritime-rescue.org
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LIFE LINE In September the BBC reported the latest in a terrible series of incidents in the Mediterranean Sea. Some 500 people are believed to have been lost when traffickers deliberately sank their boat, 300 miles southeast of Malta, following an argument about switching to a smaller vessel. The migrants had each paid $2000 to be taken to Italy. While the barbarity of this case may be unusual, the number of lives being lost continues to climb. The International Organization for Migration estimates that some 3000 people have died in the Mediterranean so far this year, a fourfold increase on 2013. Most of them were trying to escape violence, oppression and hardship in places as far off as Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan and, recently, Syria. These figures amount to a disaster. If all these lives had been lost on a sinking cruise ship, the global news media would be screaming for action. Well: the IMRF wants action just the same. The difficulty, of course, lies in knowing what action to take. Our SAR colleagues in the area are doing their best in awful circumstances, assisted by merchant ships passing through the area – but, although hundreds of lives are being saved, the underlying problem cannot be solved at sea. The IMRF joins the calls for action to address the root causes of this disaster – which lie ashore, in the factors that drive people to attempt to migrate and among the traffickers who so ruthlessly exploit them. We also work, with others, and especially the IMO, to improve maritime SAR capability in the region. This is usually at State level, but we have recently been made aware of a new organisation, the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS); a group of humanitarians, security and www.international-maritime-rescue.org
October 2014
Disaster in the Mediterranean maritime professionals and medical staff based in Malta. MOAS was founded by Christopher and Regina Catrambone, who were inspired by Pope Francis’s call for entrepreneurs to help after an idyllic holiday was interrupted by the sight of a winter jacket floating in the water. The couple realised that the jacket probably belonged to a migrant lost at sea. “We looked at each other,” says Regina, “And we said: ‘Let’s do something’.” Everyone in the IMRF will recognise that response. MOAS has been set up to act as an aid station to support vessels in need of assistance, coordinating its efforts with SAR authorities around the Mediterranean. The intention is to mitigate loss of life at sea, not to act as a migrant ferry or to rescue migrants exclusively. Resources will be used to assist Rescue Coordination Centres, locate and treat those who are suffering and save lives where required.
To enable this, MOAS has a 40 metre (130ft) expedition vessel, Phoenix, which is deployed on the major migrant boat routes. The crew monitor the area using Remote Piloted Aircraft and sonar, thermal and night imaging. When a boat in distress is located, the relevant Rescue Coordination Centre is informed.
the Mediterranean is both a major humanitarian issue and a major SAR challenge, with difficult political implications. ‘Vessels of opportunity’ are often the first on-scene in maritime emergencies, so the concept of having a dedicated resource such as MOAS fulfilling this role, working in collaboration with the authorities, could be part of the solution. “There will difficulties with what MOAS is working to achieve – but if it was easy someone would have already done it. In many countries organisations are set up, privately in many cases, because people have identified a need and are willing to do something about it. Giving SAR coordinators more options to call on when people are in distress on the water can only be good.” MOAS has already saved lives. 227 Syrians and Palestinians, including 57 children, were rescued after the fishing boat they were in ran into trouble south of Lampedusa. Phoenix was approved by the Italian authorities to step in. MOAS has also coordinated the rescue of 96 Sub-Saharan African men from a rubber dinghy.
“This is an interesting initiative,” says Bruce Reid, Chief Executive of the IMRF. “The movement of migrants in page 9
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The IMRF – sharing resources...
(Used) Lifejackets Save Lives A total of 250 lifejackets donated by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service in the UK have been sent worldwide through an initiative coordinated by the IMRF.
Giles White, Crew Commander at the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service explained: “The lifejackets were due to be disposed of my organisation. With my background of 20 years with the RNLI, I knew that they would still be of use to somebody. I was put in touch with the IMRF and they were delighted to accept them. I am looking to other Fire and Rescue Services across the UK to see if there is any more SAR equipment that could be used in a similar way”.
Distribution was supported by the Airbus Helicopters Corporate Foundation and the lifejackets were stored by IMRF Members the RNLI Lifeguards, before being dispatched to search and rescue services in Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, Brazil, Costa Rica, Russia, Estonia, Malta, Cabo Verde, Senegal, and The Gambia.
The lifejackets are arriving in their new homes. Captain Gabriel Ndow, Senior Marine Surveyor from the Gambia Maritime Administration (GMA) writes:
The lifejackets started their journey from a shipping container in Devon; were temporarily stored by the RNLI in Poole in Dorset; and have just been st distributed by 1 Penguin Shipping to their new owners. “Every year organisations replace and upgrade equipment,” says IMRF CEO, Bruce Reid. “Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service had the foresight and good sense to recognise that their cast-offs would be of great benefit – particularly in areas where SAR resources are scarce. “This was a fantastic team exercise with four organisations working together with a common goal – getting the lifejackets to organisations with the greatest need.” “We are pleased to support the selfless efforts of SAR organisations worldwide to save people in danger at sea,” says Georges Richelme, Executive Officer of the Airbus Helicopters Corporate Foundation. “Helicopters provide vital airlift to those in danger. Improving personal safety and mission efficiency is at the heart of Airbus Helicopters’ values”. www.international-maritime-rescue.org
“GMA is deeply appreciative of this gesture from IMRF and wishes to convey its sincere gratitude to the Federation. Rest assured that some of the stakeholders in the maritime community of The Gambia, particularly fisher folk and SAR personnel, will stand to benefit from these donated lifejackets.” *** The IMRF are proud supporters of the ‘Wear It’ campaign: increasing survival times can mean SAR success, as SWEAP, our safety on the water education and awareness project shows Bruce Reid (left), accepts the Fire Service lifejackets from Giles White – and one of them starts its new SAR life in Cabo Verde (below)
The Airbus Helicopters Corporate Foundation was created in 2012 and has a focus on emergency response; aid for developing countries; aid for those living in extremely difficult conditions; and youth development. Further information may be found at www.fondationairbushelicopters.com. *** This is a simple but classic example of how the IMRF works – sharing resources in this case, or sharing ideas, innovations, experience and expertise. This is just one of the ways we aim to help complete the global SAR plan, working as a membership organisation with supporters who share our goals and ideals. page 10
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1440, but could not approach the distressed ship to conduct a rescue operation due to fishing nets set in the area. At that time, Ana was less than 200 metres from the shore.
Typhoon Matmo rescue As most people who follow LIFE LINE will be aware, our Asia-Pacific Regional Centre (APRC) in Shanghai works out of the Donghai Rescue Bureau and is staffed by our Executive Officers, Gu Yiming and Qiu Jing. Yiming and Jing are on secondment to IMRF from the Donghai Rescue Bureau and Donghai Flying Service and come to us with extensive knowledge in SAR. In this edition of our newsletter we feature a recent rescue undertaken by the Donghai services, recognising the great work being done not just in supporting us internationally but also operationally, out on the water. On 23 July 2014, as Typhoon Matmo was raging, the Tuvalu-registered bulk carrier Ana grounded in Luo Yuan Bay, Fuzhou. The 17 people on board were in distress. Donghai Rescue Bureau and Donghai No.2 Flying Rescue Team made a successful joint rescue, saving the whole crew. 1320 hours, 23 July: Donghai Rescue Bureau received the call that the 160-metre bulk carrier had lost power and was dragging her anchors. The sea conditions at the time were very serious with Force 89 winds and 3-4 metre waves. Ana requested immediate assistance. Donghai Rescue Bureau immediately dispatched the China Rescue & Salvage (CRS) vessel Donghaijiu 113 to carry out the rescue mission. Donghaijiu 113 reached the scene at www.international-maritime-rescue.org
The bulk carrier grounded and rolled over at 0355 hours on 24 July. Her crew managed to get on to the rocks alongside, where they waited for help. Donghai Rescue Flying Rescue Team sent their S-76C rescue helicopter B7328 to hoist 8 people on to Donghaijiu 113 and carry 5 more back to the Changle Airport. At 0905, on its second sortie, B-7328 successfully rescued the last four members of Ana’s crew. Two were transferred to Donghaijiu 113 and the other two, who were injured, were flown back to Fuzhou.
Donghaijiu 113 with a CRS rescue boat at the IMRF’s World Maritime Rescue Congress in Shanghai in 2011; and (below) a member of Ana’s crew is winched to safety; and rescuers and rescued aboard Donghaijiu 113
Vessel Triage Project ‘Triage’ means the process of separating casualties in order of urgency. The term is usually used in a medical context, especially in circumstances in which there are many people needing attention. At the beginning of an incident triage enables rapid prioritisation, and the process is repeated as the incident develops, with increasing levels of sophistication. The aim is to get the response level right throughout. Now an exciting project is under way to apply the principles of triage to shipping casualties. Everyone in SAR knows the difficulty there can be in assessing exactly how bad a situation is. A vessel is on fire, say; but what help is needed? Will she be abandoned; will the crew deal with the problem unaided; or is the solution somewhere in between? The Vessel Triage Project will develop tools that will help everyone involved to assess the situation they face objectively, and respond appropriately. This is a multinational project led by the Finnish Border Guard and funded by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Participation is free, and open to all. The project leaders are keen to involve public authorities – including SAR services, of course – research institutes and universities, and the merchant shipping industry. IMRF Member organisations would be most welcome to join in. The project got under way in September and is scheduled to run until May 2015. More information may be found at www.raja.fi/ vesseltriage, or you can contact project manager Jori Nordström at vesseltriage@raja.fi. page 11
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Welcome
And farewell!
The IMRF extends a warm welcome to the following new Members, all of whom have joined us recently.
As we forewarned in the last issue of LIFE LINE, Ann Laing retired from the IMRF Secretariat in September, after more than 35 years of dedicated service to global SAR.
As Full Members: o Philippines Coastguard o Hong Kong Fire Services o First Aid & Marine Rescue Centre (Egypt) o National Merchant Directorate (Guinea) As Affiliate Members: o Rashtriya Life Saving Society (India) o Institute of Fire & Safety Management (India) o Italiano Soccorso As Associate Members: o London Offshore Consultants o Taizhou City Jinhaiyun Vessel Facility Co o Shanghai Sun Glory Marine o McMurdo Group o Transas o Royal Caribbean International We have also added more individual supporters to our ranks: welcome! There’s more information about IMRF membership on page 3 and on our website. Interested? Please get in touch: info@imrf.org.uk.
In April 1987, after seeing her two boys (and nine foster children!) into school, Ann answered an advert for a part-time job with the Maritime Rescue Institute in Stonehaven, Scotland. Within a day the MRI boss, Hamish McDonald (now an IMRF Trustee, and a ”fantastic mentor”, says Ann), had convinced her to go full-time – and a full-time SAR person she has been ever since. Ann undertook various administration and management roles at MRI. She joined the lifeboat crew too and, in 2007, became launch manager. She also set up MRI’s education and accident prevention programmes. She became CEO in 2009. Ann represented MRI at meetings of the International Lifeboat Federation (as the IMRF was then known) from 1988, and has always taken a great interest in helping develop SAR around the world. In January 2009 she was asked to begin supporting the
Ann (left) in her element: with colleagues at the Maritime Rescue Institute
IMRF on a “part-time” basis, taking on the membership communication role. She set up and managed a team of volunteers for this purpose, preparations that stood the IMRF in good stead when CEO Gerry Keeling fell seriously ill at the end of that year. (See LIFE LINE, October 2011.) Ann has always been passionate in her support of small and developing SAR organisations especially. Asked to select high points from her career she talks of the large fleet of rescue boats coming into Gothenburg together for the first IMRF Congress in 2007; and all the contacts with SAR friends around the world; and then she speaks of “the guy in the water”. That’s what it’s all about, she says: both SAR and the IMRF. Ann: we’ll miss you hugely – but we’re sure we won’t lose touch. See you in Bremerhaven in June 2015!
And finally... We hope that you have found this issue of LIFE LINE informative and interesting. We know that there is much more going on among IMRF’s membership that could be reported here, to the benefit of all – but we rely on you, the reader, to tell us about it! LIFE LINE and the IMRF website need you to provide their contents – your news, your projects, your events, your ideas, your lessons learned. We also need your pictures, please: good quality pictures (more than 250 kB, if possible) of your SAR units – boats, ships, aircraft, RCCs etc. These will be used in LIFE LINE and on the website – but are also needed for presentations and to accompany press articles about the IMRF and its worldwide work. Please send articles and pictures (or links to them, with formal permission for them to be used for IMRF purposes) to news@imrf.org.uk Let’s spread the word, for the benefit of all at risk on the world’s waters.
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