Search and Rescue

SAR Co-operation Plans

PLANS FOR CO-OPERATION BETWEEN SEARCH AND RESCUE SERVICES AND PASSENGER SHIPS

The text of regulation SOLAS V/7.3

"Passenger ships to which Chapter 1 applies, shall have onboard, a plan for co-operation with appropriate Search and Rescue (SAR) service in the event of an emergency. The Plan shall be developed in co-operation between the ship, the company, as defined in regulation IX/1, and the Search and Rescue services. The Plan shall include provisions for periodic exercises to be undertaken to test its effectiveness."

Description of a Plan for Co-operation

1. Company Information, 24/7 contacts
2. Ship information
3. SAR information
4. SAR facilities
5. Media relations
6. Periodic exercices

Canadian Rescue Centres do not maintain the status of SAR Data Providers.

A SAR Data Provider should be capable of providing the SAR Plan for each ship to any Rescue Service 24/7 & 365 days a year. They can be Ships Agents, Company Representatives, and Company HQ staff designated for such actions, but the ship itself cannot be the SAR Data Provider. Designated staff should be able to send detailed, updated SAR Plans by e-mail or fax and other electronic means, as soon as requested by the Rescue Services.

The International Contact to Register all SOLAS Passenger Ship SAR Co-operation Plans resides with HMCG MRSC Falmouth in the United Kingdom tel: +44 1326 317575 website link

Worldwide Rescue Services can be found by using: Sarcontacts or the Admiralty List of Radio Signals Volume #5.

The Canadian Rescue Centres

JRCC Halifax
1-902-427-8200

MRSC St Johns
1-709-772-5151

MRSC Quebec
1-418-648-3599

JRCC Trenton
1-613-965-3870

JRCC Victoria
1-250-413-8933

For additional information contact: HQ SAR Ottawa – Kristen Bond - 613-990-3119