When a marine casualty occurs, whether a collision, grounding, fire, or personal injury, the quality of the subsequent investigation determines whether the maritime industry truly learns from the event or simply records it as another statistic. Marine accident investigation is a specialized discipline that combines technical knowledge, procedural rigor, and analytical skill to uncover not just what happened, but why it happened, tracing the chain of events back to the underlying organizational and systemic factors that allowed the casualty to occur. This specialized training course examines the methodologies used in marine casualty investigation, the techniques required to conduct thorough root cause analysis, and the reporting practices that convert investigation findings into meaningful safety improvement. This course is delivered by The British Academy for Training and Development through the Marine Accident Investigation and Root Cause Analysis Training Course, a program designed to give participants a rigorous, practical command of investigation procedures used across the maritime industry, from initial notification through to final reporting. Throughout the program, trainees build the analytical skills needed to identify contributing factors accurately, avoid common investigative pitfalls, and produce findings that drive real change in vessel and fleet safety performance.

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the purpose, scope, and regulatory framework of marine casualty investigation.
• Distinguish between different classifications of marine casualties and incidents.
• Apply structured methodologies for conducting marine accident investigations.
• Preserve evidence and secure the scene following a marine casualty.
• Conduct effective interviews with crew members and witnesses.
• Apply root cause analysis techniques to identify systemic contributing factors.
• Differentiate between immediate causes, contributing factors, and root causes.
• Prepare accurate and comprehensive casualty investigation reports.
• Translate investigation findings into practical safety improvement measures.

Target Group

This course is designed for a wide range of professionals working in the maritime and shipping sector, including:

• Marine accident investigators and casualty investigation officers.
• Flag state and port state control officials.
• Ship captains, senior officers, and marine superintendents.
• Designated Persons Ashore (DPA) and safety management coordinators.
• P&I club correspondents and marine insurance claims professionals.
• Health, safety, and environment (HSE) managers in shipping companies.
• Maritime regulatory and administrative officials.
• Anyone seeking to build expertise in marine accident investigation and analysis.

Foundations of Marine Accident Investigation

• Purpose and objectives of marine casualty investigation.
• Regulatory framework governing marine accident investigation, including IMO requirements.
• Classification of marine casualties: very serious, serious, and less serious incidents.
• Responsibilities of flag states in conducting investigations.
• Distinction between safety investigations and liability-focused inquiries.

Investigation Planning and Scene Management

• Initial notification and response procedures following a casualty.
• Securing and preserving the incident scene.
• Roles and responsibilities of the investigation team.
• Coordinating with regulatory authorities and other stakeholders.
• Managing investigations across multiple jurisdictions.

Evidence Collection and Documentation

• Methods for collecting physical and documentary evidence.
• Reviewing voyage data recorders and electronic navigation records.
• Photographing and documenting damage and casualty scenes.
• Maintaining a clear chain of custody for collected evidence.
• Organizing evidence to support the investigation timeline.

Interviewing Techniques for Investigators

• Preparing for effective witness and crew interviews.
• Techniques for obtaining accurate and reliable testimony.
• Managing inconsistencies and conflicting accounts.
• Addressing sensitivities related to trauma and liability concerns.
• Documenting interview findings systematically.

Root Cause Analysis Methods

• Distinguishing between immediate causes and root causes.
• Applying structured root cause analysis techniques.
• Using causal factor charting and fishbone diagrams.
• Identifying organizational and systemic contributing factors.
• Avoiding bias and premature conclusions during analysis.

Human and Organizational Factors in Marine Casualties

• Role of human error in marine accidents.
• Impact of fatigue, workload, and communication failures.
• Organizational factors contributing to unsafe conditions.
• Assessing the influence of safety culture on casualty outcomes.
• Identifying systemic weaknesses within safety management systems.

Reporting Marine Casualty Findings

• Structuring a clear and objective investigation report.
• Presenting root cause findings with supporting evidence.
• Meeting reporting obligations to flag states and the IMO.
• Communicating findings to shipping companies and stakeholders.
• Balancing transparency with confidentiality requirements.

Driving Safety Improvement from Investigation Findings

• Translating investigation findings into corrective action plans.
• Integrating lessons learned into safety management systems.
• Sharing findings across the industry to prevent recurrence.
• Monitoring the effectiveness of implemented safety measures.
• Building a culture that supports continuous safety improvement.