About Matthew Schanck
A leading and proven expert in the field of maritime migration, maritime search & rescue and emergency response
Solutions oriented, experienced, and professional
Dedicated to excellence, innovative problem solver, and strategic thinker
Respected leader with a track record of delivering results in global maritime crises
About Matthew
Captain Matthew Schanck is a proven strategic leader in the maritime sector and a qualified, experienced Captain, consultant and trainer specialising in maritime search and rescue (SAR) and maritime migration. He has served for over 16 years as a Commander and instructor on coastal, offshore and ocean-going SAR vessels and hovercraft in the UK and across Europe, operating in a variety of maritime SAR and maritime migration contexts. For the past eight years, he has worked internationally as a maritime search and rescue and maritime migration consultant, supporting government and non-government organisations to develop and strengthen operational capabilities, policy and governance.
His work covers maritime migration and irregular migration by sea, maritime SAR, crew and commander competence, SAR and maritime migration governance, operational scoping and implementation, risk and legal compliance, and maritime capability frameworks and processes. As one of Europe’s leading experts in maritime SAR and maritime migration, he has overseen and led multi-million-pound projects, managing operations from tactical execution through to strategic oversight with international NGOs, government agencies and multi-state stakeholders in complex maritime environments, including maritime migration contexts in the Mediterranean, Western Indian Ocean, Atlantic and English Channel.
Maritime migration is a particular area of his expertise. Matthew has extensive experience examining the operational, legal, policy and humanitarian challenges created by large-scale and irregular migration by sea, particularly where the responsibilities of states, maritime search and rescue, border security and maritime law enforcement intersect. His work has included advising on the planning and conduct of maritime migration law enforcement operations and SAR, the development of operational policies and procedures, interoperability between agencies, vessel and capability requirements, mass rescue considerations, disembarkation and places of safety, and the practical application of international maritime obligations and law in politically and operationally complex environments. His experience provides him with a detailed understanding of the challenges faced by governments and operational agencies where maritime migration requires the simultaneous delivery of effective border and law enforcement activity while maintaining compliance with international obligations to render assistance to persons in distress at sea.
He has worked across the strategic, operational and tactical levels of maritime migration and SAR, including with organisations operating directly within major maritime migration routes, and has contributed to the development of approaches intended to improve coordination between SAR authorities, coastguards, maritime law enforcement agencies, NGOs and other national and international stakeholders.
He is an internationally recognised maritime search and rescue and maritime migration subject matter expert and has been called upon to provide expert evidence and analysis in several high-profile international legal cases. These have involved migrant SAR and maritime migration operations, large-scale loss of life, mass casualty rescues, SAR implementation at operational, tactical and strategic levels, interoperability between SAR and maritime law enforcement, and the interpretation and practical application of international SAR law and regulation.
Matthew regularly appears in international media, providing expert commentary and analysis on significant maritime SAR incidents, maritime migration and associated policy issues. His media work has included the European migrant crisis, the Solong and Stena Immaculate allision and fire, the foundering of the superyacht Bayesian in the Mediterranean, the loss of the Titan submersible in the North Atlantic, the sinking of the Egyptian dive vessel Sea Story in the Red Sea, and the SAR operation following the loss of American Airlines Flight 5342. He is recognised by the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) as an authorised Coastguard Operations Subject Matter Expert. Matthew has been awarded Fellowships from both the Institute of Search and Technical Rescue and the Maritime Search and Rescue Council for his contributions to SAR. He currently serves as Chairman of the not-for-profit Maritime Search and Rescue Council, where he provides strategic direction and management for global SAR, maritime migration and wider maritime emergency projects, working with government, coastguard, military, maritime and non-government stakeholders internationally.
He holds an MSc in Emergency Management and Resilience from Coventry University, UK, where his thesis, “Maritime Mass Rescue Operations: A Search and Rescue Surface Asset Suitability Framework for 21st Century Challenges”, examined the suitability of surface SAR assets for contemporary mass rescue operations. He is currently authoring the book “Maritime Search and Rescue: A Commander’s Guide”, due for publication by Witherby Publishing Group in 2027. His professional and research interests include maritime migration policy and operations, maritime SAR policy and capability, the relationship and potential conflicts between maritime law enforcement, border security and maritime SAR obligations, the integration of AI technology and autonomous vessels into SAR, mass rescue operations, and SAR competency levels within the commercial maritime sector under STCW regulations.
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