Displaying items by tag: SAR community

10th May 2023

Global Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) Community Urged to Highlight Operational Excellence

Nominations for this year's International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) annual awards have opened, which looks to recognise volunteer and professional maritime search and rescue (SAR) personnel from around the world.

This year’s awards, which will be the eighth to take place, will also focus on those who have dedicated their lives to developing maritime SAR services, as well as those developing innovative technology and equipment, and those encouraging more women to enter a traditionally male-dominated sector.

“Every day, maritime SAR volunteers and professionals do everything they can do to help those in distress at sea, but we should not take their work for granted.

The IMRF Awards are our way of highlighting the incredible work done by men and women, 365 days a year, to keep us all safe at sea, as well as showcasing new equipment and technologies that are making SAR operations more effective,” says Caroline Jupe, Chief Executive Officer of the IMRF.

“The entire global maritime SAR community continues to innovate to tackle complex operational challenges, particularly as issues surrounding climate change and the climate transition will have a major impact on maritime industries and communities. The IMRF Awards are our way of giving back to those looking to safeguard our future,” she adds.

This year’s awards will have five categories that are open for nominations:

⦁ Individual: For Outstanding Individual Contribution to Maritime SAR Operations

⦁ Team: For Outstanding Team Contribution to Maritime SAR Operations#

⦁ Innovation & Technology: For Innovation and Technology in the field of Maritime SAR

⦁ Vladimir Maksimov Award for Lifetime Achievement: For Lifetime Achievement in the Maritime SAR Sector. This award is sponsored by Inmarsat, the world leader in global mobile satellite communications, providing safety communications at sea since its inception by the International Maritime Organization in 1979 (www.inmarsat.com).

⦁ #WomeninSAR Award: For an individual, who has made an outstanding contribution to improving equality of opportunity for women and girls in Maritime SAR. This award is sponsored by HamiltonJet, the developer of waterjet and control systems that deliver manoeuvrable, reliable and safe propulsion for SAR vessels (www.hamiltonjet.com).

The closing date for nominations is 31 July 2023 and the shortlist will be announced on 29 September 2023. The winners will be announced on 18 October 2023.

Nominations can be submitted online here:

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour