IMO Presents Crew Of Tanker & Tugboat With Exceptional Bravery At Sea 2024 Award

The International Maritime Organization presented the prestigious 2024 Exceptional Bravery at Sea Award to the Captain and crew of the oil tanker Marlin Luanda and the Captain and crew of the tugboat Pemex Maya.

The recipients were honoured during the annual IMO awards ceremony in London on December 2, 2024, for their extraordinary bravery in saving lives during dangerous situations.

Captain Avhilash Rawat and the crew of the Marlin Luanda were recognised for their exceptional courage and leadership when an uncrewed aerial device struck the tanker on January 26, 2024.

The attack, which started a fire on the ship carrying 84,147 tons of Naphtha, created a critical situation. Despite facing a blazing fire and a threat of more attacks, Captain Rawat coordinated firefighting efforts, ensuring the crew’s safety while maintaining the vessel’s navigability.

After four and a half hours of intense firefighting with the support from the merchant tanker Achilles and military assistance from the French frigate FS Alsace, the U.S frigate USS Carney, and the Indian Warship INS Visakhapatnam, the fire was eventually extinguished.

Captain Rawat thanked his crew for their unwavering dedication and courage.

In another incident, Captain Jorge Fernando Galaviz Fuentes and the crew of the tugboat Pemex Maya were recognized for their heroic efforts during Hurricane Otis, a category five storm that hit Mexico’s Pacific coast on October 25, 2023.

Captain Fuentes and his team risked their own safety to rescue six shipwrecked persons from four different vessels. The crew managed to rescue the survivors using daring manoeuvres, even in the darkness of night with waves exceeding 5 meters.

The survivors were later transferred to medical care with non-suffering life-threatening injuries.

During the ceremony, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez commended the bravery of the recipients, saying, “It is truly an honour to recognise the valiant efforts of these heroic individuals, who acted in the face of extreme danger to save lives. Their courage is an inspiration to all.”

Additionally, Captain Ian Finley received the prestigious International Maritime Prize for his exemplary contributions to maritime safety.

Certificates of commendation were also awarded to Captain Jerôme Noël Mougoula Saguiliba and Lieutenant Crépin Manfoumbi Mengara for their roles in the rescue operations after the sinking of the passenger ferry Esther Miracle off the coast of Gabon in March 2023.

Despite dangerous conditions and hazardous debris, their efforts in saving 123 passengers and crew showed the courage and dedication required in maritime rescue operations.

Reference: IMO

Source: Maritime Shipping News