AMVER (Automated Mutual-assistance Vessel Rescue)
AMVER Awards – More than 50 years of Saving Lives at Sea
October 18, 2011
Chargé d' Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, Mr. Andrew Schofer (center) holding AMVER logo with company representatives
Chargé d' Affaires Andrew Schofer delivering remarks during the ceremony
The Cyprus Shipping Chamber (CSC), the Cyprus Marine Environment Protection Association (CYMEPA), and the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia cosponsored a ceremony in Limassol on October 18, 2011 to recognize shipping companies participating in the U.S. Coast Guard's voluntary AMVER program. AMVER, which stands for Automated Mutual-assistance Vessel Rescue, is a mutual assistance program for craft in distress on the high seas.
Companies participating in AMVER make their ships available as rescue assets in the event of an emergency. AMVER is open to vessels of all flags and nations. Prior to sailing, participating ships send a sail plan, indicating their port of departure, port of destination, course and speed to the AMVER computer center. This data is processed, using a system of dead reckoning, and AMVER is able to project the position of each ship at any point during its voyage. In an emergency, any rescue coordination center can request this data to determine the relative position of AMVER ships near a mariner, vessel, or aircraft in distress. AMVER's success depends on the seamless cooperation between ships, companies, SAR authorities, communication service providers, and governments.
From its inception in 1958, AMVER has provided more than 50 years of search and rescue services around the world. Today, over 22,000 ships from over one hundred nations participate in AMVER. The AMVER Center computer receives over 14,000 AMVER messages a day. Since 2000, over 2,800 lives have been saved by AMVER-participating ships. During 2010 alone, AMVER ships helped rescue 265 people in 330 reported cases.
Mr. Andrew Schofer, Chargé d' Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, who presented the awards on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard, recognized participating mariners, and the companies behind them, for making themselves available to assist anyone in distress on the high seas. He said, "The mariners who carry out AMVER missions deserve our thanks and admiration. The companies that urge their ships' participation deserve our thanks. Let these AMVER participants set the example for the rest of the shipping community so that no call for help goes unanswered." [Full transcript]
The companies based in Cyprus which manage with Cyprus-flagged vessels participating in the AMVER system recognized during this ceremony were (in alphabetical order):
- Athena Marine
- Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (Cyprus)
- Columbia Shipmanagement
- Cyprus Maritime Co
- Dobson Fleet Management
- Donnelly Tanker Management
- FML Ship Management
- Interorient Marine Services
- Intership Navigation
- Maestro Ship Management
- Marlow Navigation
- MSC Shipmanagement
- Reederei "NORD" Klaus E. Oldendorff
- Sinano Ship Management
- SMT Ship Management
- Unicom Management Services (Cyprus)
- VicNav
For more information on this unique worldwide search and rescue system, please visit: http://www.amver.com/