The International Maritime Rescue Federation

The International Maritime Rescue Federation(IMRF) (formerly The International Lifeboat Federation) brings the world's maritime search and rescue organisations together in one truly global and internationally well-accredited charitable body. IMRF's member organisations, from over 65 different countries,  openly share their life saving-ideas, technologies and experiences and freely cooperate with one another to achieve their common humanitarian aim: "Preventing loss of life in the world's waters".

Maritime emergency search and rescue services are provided free of charge to those in need. Without a direct revenue stream from their work, maritime search and rescue organisations depend heavily on external funding to maintain these vital life saving services: either on scarce government funding, or, in many cases, on the charitable generosity of the public at large. By cooperating, through IMRF, with their fellow rescue organisations around the world, they can cost effectively share the common burden of developing rescue capability to meet ever growing challenges, while learning from the ideas and experiences of others.  


More importantly, the International Maritime Rescue Federation uses its unique global position and channels the collective expertise and available resources of its members  in support those who are struggling, in dire  circumstances, to establish basic rescue capacity around the world, thus   preventing the loss of thousands of lives each year in some of the world's poorest regions.  

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International Maritime Prize

In 1999, delegations representing the governments of the world's maritime nations at the International Maritime Organization decided to award the "International Matitime Prize" to the ILF (now IMRF). This was the first time ever that this prestigious prize was awarded to an organization.  It was awarded in recognition of the achievement of ILF and its members in saving lives on the world's waters.

The International Maritime Prize