In a biannual tradition accompanying the SMM maritime conference, ABS celebrated the AMVER Awards by sponsoring a ceremony recognizing the contribution of German owners to the unique AMVER reporting system that supports search and rescue efforts for distress calls at sea.

Held at the Übersee-Club in Hamburg, the ceremony celebrated 308 vessels from 54 German-managed companies, who were awarded colored pennants for their role in maintaining maritime safety and in recognition of the owners’ commitment to assisting in search and rescue activities anywhere in the world.

“The AMVER system is a true mix of collaboration and safety, and ABS is proud and honored to work with the U.S. Coast Guard to celebrate the brave sailors and companies committed to protecting life at sea. The AMVER system is important to the continued safety of mariners and marine operations around the globe,” said Ezekiel Davis, ABS Vice President, Europe Business Development.

“Recognizing the tradition of seafarer helping seafarer has become a tradition unto itself. While this work goes mostly unnoticed, we are pleased to be able to gather at an event like SMM and recognize the bravery and dedication of German mariners. Their effort provides an additional layer of safety to those at sea, and the United States Coast Guard is thankful for their selflessness and proud to continue recognizing our partners for a job well done,” said Benjamin Strong, Director, AMVER Maritime Relations, United States Coast Guard.