Tanker and Tugboat Crews to receive Top IMO Bravery Award

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has announced two nominations of the 2024 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.

The prestigious award will honor two sets of nominees: the Captain and crew of the oil tanker Marlin Luanda, for containing a fire after the ship was struck by an anti-ship missile; and the Captain and crew of the tugboat Pemex Maya, for their rescue of six shipwrecked persons from four different vessels, during a hurricane.

Two individuals will also receive certificates of commendation for their acts of bravery and 15 letters of commendation will be sent to their recipients.

Captain Avhilash Rawat and the crew of the oil tanker Marlin Luanda, nominated by the Marshall Islands, for their extraordinary courage, determination and endurance demonstrated while coordinating firefighting and damage control efforts to combat the fire that broke out after an anti-ship ballistic missile struck their vessel.

The Marlin Luanda, on the evening of January 26, carrying 84,147 tons of Naphtha, was en route from Suez to Incheon when it was struck by an anti-ship ballistic missile.

The explosion ignited a cargo tank, creating a significant fire hazard with flames exceeding 5 meters.

Despite the damage, captain Avhilash Rawat swiftly organized firefighting efforts, ensuring the crew’s safety and maintaining the ship’s navigability amidst the chaos.

Captain Jorge Fernando Galaviz Fuentes and the crew of the tugboat Pemex Maya, nominated by Mexico, for their outstanding courage, seamanship skills and resolve displayed in the rescue of six shipwrecked persons from four different vessels, in extreme weather and heavy seas caused by a hurricane.

On 25 October 2023, hurricane Otis struck Mexico’s Pacific coast as an unprecedented category 5 storm.

It rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a major hurricane in just a few hours, hitting Acapulco with winds exceeding 300 km/h and waves over 5 meters high.

As the hurricane approached, the crew of the tugboat Pemex Maya, led by captain Galaviz, prepared for the storm by securing their vessel in the Bay of Santa Lucia. The extreme conditions prompted the crew to navigate away from the coast and assist others in distress.

Nominations were initially reviewed by an assessment panel, whose recommendations were considered by a panel of judges, who ultimately selected the recipients of honours.

A total of 41 nominations were received from 15 Member States and three non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO.

The IMO Council endorsed the decision of the panel of judges to bestow the award on captain Avhilash Rawat and the crew of the oil tanker Marlin Luanda.

The panel was of the view that the exceptional bravery, leadership and determination of captain Rawat and his crew, along with the crucial support from the assisting naval forces, were pivotal in ensuring the safety of the crew, saving the ship and preventing a potential environmental disaster.

The Council further endorsed the decision of the panel to also bestow the award on captain Jorge Fernando Galaviz Fuentes and the crew of the tugboat Pemex Maya for their courageous and timely actions which ensured the survival of six shipwrecked persons, while exposing themselves to great personal risk.

The annual awards ceremony will be held at IMO Headquarters in London on December 2, 2024 during the 109th session of the maritime security committee.