Ireland's Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has confirmed the publication of the Investigation of Marine Accidents Bill, which will help pave the way for a new Marine Accident Investigation Unit (MAIU).
The bill provides for the establishment of the MAIU within the Department of Transport. It will replace the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) as the permanent body responsible for marine accident investigation.
The focus of the Bill is to provide the MAIU with the framework to carry out marine safety investigations into marine accidents involving vessels in Irish waters and Irish-flagged vessels anywhere in the world. The Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024 also provides for regulation-making power to cater for the newer types of vessels used in the offshore service sector and their transportation of industrial workers who will, for example, deploy infrastructure and service offshore renewable energy facilities.
The MCIB is the independent body established under the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) Act 2000 to investigate marine casualties and publish reports of such investigations.
In 2021, an independent review to assess Ireland’s marine casualty investigation organisational structures was undertaken. The review’s report recommends that marine casualty investigation in Ireland should transition from the current part-time set-up (as regards the use of a panel of investigators) to a full-time approach. This in line with best practice internationally and would mirror existing practice in aviation and railway accident investigations in the state.
