NEW OFFICIAL SASEMAR TARIFFS
Order TRM/844/2026, dated 27 July this year, which came into force on 1 September, replaces and repeals the previous Order FOM/1634/2013, which had regulated SASEMAR (Maritime Rescue) fees for almost 13 years.
Although it is best not to need SASEMAR’s services, it is worth bearing in mind its new tariffs, which will apply, for example, to towing services, the evacuation of seafarers, the clean-up of marine pollution, etc.
As before, operations constituting the provision of the public service of saving human life at sea (SAR services) remain free of charge and are not subject to these tariffs.
The main change introduced by this new Ministerial Order is that it revises and updates all SASEMAR’s fees to bring them into line with current actual costs, taking into account:
• Increases in labour costs.
• Rises in fuel prices.
• Cumulative inflation.
• Actual costs derived from SASEMAR’s cost model.
• The introduction of new anti-pollution equipment and materials.
Furthermore, this new Order also brings the regulations into line with the current regulatory framework, replacing references to regulations that have been wholly or partially repealed with those currently in force.
For example, it replaces references to the former Act 6/1997 with Act 40/2015 on the Legal Regime of the Public Sector, and references to Act 60/1962 on maritime assistance, salvage, towing, finds and recoveries with Act 14/2014 on Navigation.
Below is a comparative table of the former and new tariffs:
| Unit | 2013 | 2026 | Change % |
| Helicopter | €12,500/hour | €16,572/hour | +32.6% |
| Aircraft | €5,876/hour | €6,930/hour | +17.9% |
| 80-m multipurpose vessel | €2,026/hour | €3,300/hour | +62.9% |
| 56-m multipurpose vessel | €879/hour | €1,800/hour | +104.8% |
| Other tugs | €749/hour | €1,650/hour | +120.3% |
| Guardamar launch | €749/hour | €1,120/hour | +49.5% |
| 15-m and 21-m Salvamar launch | €350/hour | €400/hour | +14.3% |
| Spanish Red Cross units | €100/€200 per assistance operation | €150/€250 per assistance operation | +25% / +50% |
Maximum limits for towing operations
| Service | 2013 | 2026 |
| Towing of vessels under 20 m | €350/hour | €400/hour |
| Towing of vessels from 20 to 30 m | €749/hour | €1,120/hour |
Adjustment coefficients
(The tariff is reduced according to the indicated coefficient.)
The 2026 Order retains the existing basic adjustment coefficients:
| Circumstance | Coefficient |
| Medical evacuation by helicopter | 0.5 |
| Fishing vessels and certain EU/EEA vessels | 0.7 |
| All other cases | 1 |
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