Marine Casualties and Incidents

Prompt notification of incidents forms an essential part of a coordinated response

Marine Casualties

A marine casualty means an event, or a sequence of events, that has resulted in any of the following which has occurred directly in connection with the operations of a ship:

  • death or serious injury
  • loss of a person from a ship
  • loss, presumed loss or abandonment of a ship
  • material damage to a ship
  • stranding or disabling of a ship
  • collision
  • material damage to marine infrastructure external to a ship that could seriously endanger the safety of the ship, another ship or an individual
  • severe damage to the environment, or the potential for severe damage to the environment brought about by the damage of a ship or ships.

Marine casualties do not include deliberate acts or omissions intended to cause harm to the safety of a ship, an individual or the environment.

Code of the International Standards and Recommended Practices for a Safety Investigation into a Marine Casualty or Marine Incident (Casualty Investigation Code)


Marine Incidents

A marine incident means an event, or sequence of events, other than a marine casualty, which has occurred directly in connection with the operations of a ship that endangered, or, if not corrected, would endanger the safety of the ship, its occupants or any other person or the environment.


Reporting

Any incident or casualty involving a Luxembourg-flagged vessel must be promptly notified in writing to the AET (Administration of Technical Investigations) and the Luxembourg Maritime Administration along with a completed electronic Luxembourg Maritime Casualty and Incident Report Form.

Owners are also requested to contact the Duty Officer at +1 703 963 6216.

The initial notification should provide the following information:

  • Ship Name
  • IMO Number
  • Casualty or incident details (type, location, date, time, vessel status, other ship(s) involved)
  • Any injury or loss of life
  • Any damage to property
  • Action(s) taken

Preservation of Evidence

Owners and Operators shall spare no efforts to preserve the complete records of the voyage upon which the incident occurred, as well as any other material which might reasonably be of assistance in any subsequent investigation to determine its cause and scope.

Evidence related to casualties and incidents includes charts, log books and any information recorded by electronic devices, including VDR.

Owners and Operators should implement measures to prevent overwriting or alteration of the above information and interference with any equipment that may be considered pertinent to the incident investigation.


Investigations

Under SOLAS regulation I/21 and MARPOL articles 8 and 12, each Administration undertakes to conduct an investigation into any casualty occurring to ships under its flag subject to those conventions and to supply the IMO with pertinent information concerning the findings of such investigations. Article 23 of the Load Lines Convention also requires the investigation of casualties. ​

The Code of International Standards and Recommended Practices for a Safety Investigation into a Marine Casualty or Marine Incident (Casualty Investigation Code) requires a marine safety investigation to be conducted into every “very serious marine casualty”, defined as a marine casualty involving the total loss of the ship or a death or severe damage to the environment.

The Code also recommends an investigation into other marine casualties and incidents, by the flag State of a ship involved, if it is considered likely that it would provide information that could be used to prevent future accidents.

Additional Information