Henk Spanjer is currently Chair of the International Association for Safety and Survival Training (IASST), having served as a Board Member for many years. Originally from Terschelling – an island in the Northern part of the Netherlands – Henk graduated as a nautical officer and engineer in 1985 and then spent four years at sea. In 1993, he began work at the Maritime Institute Willem Barentsz (MIWB) on Terschelling Island, lecturing in maritime radio communication (GMDSS) and running several maritime safety training courses. In 1997, Henk joined KNRM lifeboat station Paal 8, as a volunteer crew member, becoming a relief lifeboat coxswain in 2004. From 2011 – 2022, he was the station’s lead-coxswain, responsible for keeping the lifeboat station operational and trained 24/7 year-round. Henk was part of the lifeboat crew who won the IMRF Team Award for an Outstanding Contribution to Maritime SAR in 2018 for their part in two particularly challenging rescue operations, both in very difficult weather conditions.

Over the years, Henk has trained many cadets and other maritime professionals in GMDSS and safety and survival. He has also participated in several maritime safety-related EU educational projects and, as part of the IASST, is part of a wider effort to improve maritime safety and survival training, through sharing knowledge and expertise between the members, and by organizing seminars and conferences. 

In recognition of his work in improving maritime safety training and his contribution to maritime SAR as a volunteer KNRM lifeboat crew member, Henk was presented with the 2022 IMRF Vladimir Maksimov Award for Lifetime Achievement in Maritime SAR.