Standards for search and rescue (SAR) training at sea: what matters and why
Search and rescue (SAR) at sea is one of the most demanding tasks in the maritime domain. It often unfolds under time pressure, in difficult weather, across jurisdictions, and with multiple actors involved. To function effectively, SAR depends not only on assets and goodwill, but on shared standards, common terminology, and consistent training. Over decades, the international maritime community has developed a set of globally recognised frameworks to support this.
At their core are legal standards, such as the International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention), the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR Convention), and supplementing resolutions of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Yet these legal standards require translation into operational effectiveness. The International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) create concrete standards for training and skill, complemented by more specialised guidance on mass rescue operations.
The IAMSAR Manual: building a common operational language
The IAMSAR Manual is the principal global reference for how SAR systems are organised and how operations are conducted. It was jointly developed by the IMO and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in recognition of a practical reality: many distress situations require close coordination between ships, aircraft, and shore-based authorities. Without common procedures and terminology, coordination can quickly break down.
IAMSAR exists because SAR is inherently multinational and multi-actor. Distress situations often involve vessels of one flag, in the SAR region of another state, supported by aircraft, coast guards, and nearby commercial ships. The manual provides common definitions, procedures, and terminology, allowing all actors to operate from the same playbook. IAMSAR was designed to translate legal obligations into operational guidance. International law requires shipmasters to render assistance and states to organise SAR services, but law alone does not explain how to plan a search, assign responsibilities, or manage an on-scene response. IAMSAR fills that gap.
The Manual is structured in three volumes, each aimed at a different audience. Volume I addresses SAR system organisation. It explains how states establish SAR regions, designate Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs), and cooperate across borders. This volume is particularly relevant for policymakers and senior maritime administrators, as it sets out how national and regional SAR systems should be structured.
Volume II focuses on mission coordination. It is primarily used by MRCC staff and covers alert phases (uncertainty, alert, and distress), planning of search patterns, coordination with other states, and the integration of non-state assets such as commercial vessels. It emphasises communication, clarity of roles, and decision-making under pressure.
Volume III is the most operationally oriented and is especially relevant for shipmasters and rescue units. It provides practical guidance on responding to distress alerts, conducting searches, recovering survivors from the water or from small craft, and coordinating on scene. It also addresses survivor care, including initial medical considerations and transfer to a place of safety.
The IAMSAR Manual is referenced directly as a standard by the SOLAS Convention (Ch. V, reg. 7, 21, 28, 29) and it has near-universal acceptance and use. MRCCs train to it, shipping companies reference it, and exercises are built around it. In practice, it functions as the global standard operating framework for SAR.
STCW: ensuring SAR competence on board ships
While IAMSAR explains how SAR should be organised and conducted, the STCW Convention ensures that seafarers are trained to play their part within that system. Adopted in 1978 and significantly strengthened through later amendments, STCW was developed to harmonise minimum training and certification standards worldwide. Its aim is to ensure that a master or officer trained under one flag can operate safely and competently anywhere in the world.
Under the STCW, different roles require different levels of SAR knowledge. Officers in charge of a navigational watch are required to understand distress signals and communications, including the use of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), and to know the procedures for responding to distress alerts and coordinating with MRCCs. They must also understand the shipmaster’s obligation to render assistance and the basics of search planning and execution.
Masters carry a higher level of responsibility. Their required competencies include decision-making in emergencies, coordination with shore authorities, management of the ship and crew during rescue operations, and the handling of people rescued at sea. This includes considerations of safety, stability, and crew welfare.
Other crew members (‘ratings’, in maritime terminology) are trained in more basic but still critical elements: recognising emergency situations, assisting with rescue and recovery, using survival craft, and supporting onboard emergency response. Together, these competencies ensure that SAR obligations are reflected in professional standards, not treated as exceptional or optional.
STCW does not prescribe detailed rescue tactics in the way IAMSAR does. Instead, it ensures that seafarers at every level have the baseline knowledge and skills needed to participate effectively in SAR when required.
Mass rescue operations: responding to high-impact scenarios
In recent years, the maritime environment has seen a growing number of mass rescue operations. These involve large numbers of people in distress and pose challenges far beyond routine SAR. They may arise from passenger ship incidents, but increasingly also from maritime migration, where small, overloaded boats carrying dozens or hundreds of people encounter danger far from shore.
Recognising that these scenarios require additional preparation, both the IMO and maritime associations have developed supplementary guidance. The IMO has issued guidance on rescue over the years, encouraging states and industry to plan for mass rescue events, conduct joint exercises, and clarify roles in advance. Recognising the relevance of mass rescue to commercial shipping, the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Maritime Rescue Federation have also produced handbooks. This guidance is designed specifically for commercial shipping and focuses on practical, shipboard considerations: preparing crews, managing stability, organising recovered persons, dealing with fatigue and stress, and planning for prolonged operations.
A training ecosystem
Taken together, IAMSAR, STCW, and mass rescue guidance form a coherent SAR training ecosystem. IAMSAR provides the common operational framework used by states and MRCCs. STCW ensures that seafarers are trained to engage with that framework competently. Mass rescue resources address the realities of large-scale, complex emergencies that are increasingly relevant to commercial shipping.
For shipmasters, officers, crews, and maritime authorities, these standards offer more than compliance. They provide a shared foundation that enables coordination, reduces uncertainty, and ultimately saves lives at sea.