Chapter 2 - Definitions
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - International Codes - Casualty Investigation Code - Code of the International Standards and Recommended Practices for a Safety Investigation into a Marine Casualty or Marine Incident - Part 1 - General Provisions - Chapter 2 - Definitions

Chapter 2 - Definitions

 When the following terms are used in the mandatory standards and recommended practices for marine safety investigations they have the following meaning.

  2.1 An agent means any person, natural or legal, engaged on behalf of the owner, charterer or operator of a ship, or the owner of the cargo, in providing shipping services, including managing arrangements for the ship being the subject of a marine safety investigation.

  2.2 A causal factor means actions, omissions, events or conditions, without which:

  • .1 the marine casualty or marine incident would not have occurred; or

  • .2 adverse consequences associated with the marine casualty or marine incident would probably not have occurred or have been as serious;

  • .3 another action, omission, event or condition, associated with an outcome in .1 or .2, would probably not have occurred.

  2.3 A coastal State means a State in whose territory, including its territorial sea, a marine casualty or marine incident occurs.

  2.4 Exclusive economic zone means the exclusive economic zone as defined by article 55 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

  2.5 Flag State means a State whose flag a ship is entitled to fly.

  2.6 High seas means the high seas as defined in article 86 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

  2.7 Interested party means an organization, or individual, who, as determined by the marine safety investigating State(s), has significant interests, rights or legitimate expectations with respect to the outcome of a marine safety investigation.

  2.8 International Safety Management (ISM) Code means the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention as adopted by the Organization by resolution A.741(18), as amended.

  2.9 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:

  • .1 the death of, or serious injury to, a person;

  • .2 the loss of a person from a ship;

  • .3 the loss, presumed loss or abandonment of a ship;

  • .4 material damage to a ship;

  • .5 the stranding or disabling of a ship, or the involvement of a ship in a collision;

  • .6 material damage to marine infrastructure external to a ship, that could seriously endanger the safety of the ship, another ship or an individual; or

  • .7 severe damage to the environment, or the potential for severe damage to the environment, brought about by the damage of a ship or ships.

 However, a marine casualty does not include a deliberate act or omission, with the intention to cause harm to the safety of a ship, an individual or the environment.

  2.10 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.

 However, a marine incident does not include a deliberate act or omission, with the intention to cause harm to the safety of a ship, an individual or the environment.

  2.11 A marine safety investigation means an investigation or inquiry (however referred to by a State), into a marine casualty or marine incident, conducted with the objective of preventing marine casualties and marine incidents in the future. The investigation includes the collection of, and analysis of, evidence, the identification of causal factors and the making of safety recommendations as necessary.

  2.12 A marine safety investigation report means a report that contains:

  • .1 a summary outlining the basic facts of the marine casualty or marine incident and stating whether any deaths, injuries or pollution occurred as a result;

  • .2 the identity of the flag State, owners, operators, the company as identified in the safety management certificate, and the classification society (subject to any national laws concerning privacy);

  • .3 where relevant the details of the dimensions and engines of any ship involved, together with a description of the crew, work routine and other matters, such as time served on the ship;

  • .4 a narrative detailing the circumstances of the marine casualty or marine incident;

  • .5 analysis and comment on the causal factors including any mechanical, human and organizational factors;

  • .6 a discussion of the marine safety investigation’s findings, including the identification of safety issues, and the marine safety investigation’s conclusions; and

  • .7 where appropriate, recommendations with a view to preventing future marine casualties and marine incidents.

  2.13 Marine safety investigation Authority means an Authority in a State, responsible for conducting investigations in accordance with this Code.

  2.14 Marine safety investigating State(s) means the flag State or, where relevant, the State or States that take the responsibility for the conduct of the marine safety investigation as mutually agreed in accordance with this Code.

  2.15 A marine safety record means the following types of records collected for a marine safety investigation:

  • .1 all statements taken for the purpose of a marine safety investigation;

  • .2 all communications between persons pertaining to the operation of the ship;

  • .3 all medical or private information regarding persons involved in the marine casualty or marine incident;

  • .4 all records of the analysis of information or evidential material acquired in the course of a marine safety investigation;

  • .5 information from the voyage data recorder.

  2.16 A material damage in relation to a marine casualty means:

  • .1 damage that:

    • .1.1 significantly affects the structural integrity, performance or operational characteristics of marine infrastructure or a ship; and

    • .1.2 requires major repair or replacement of a major component or components; or

  • .2 destruction of the marine infrastructure or ship.

  2.17 A seafarer means any person who is employed or engaged or works in any capacity on board a ship.

  2.18 A serious injury means an injury which is sustained by a person, resulting in incapacitation where the person is unable to function normally for more than 72 hours, commencing within seven days from the date when the injury was suffered.

  2.19 A severe damage to the environment means damage to the environment which, as evaluated by the State(s) affected, or the flag State, as appropriate, produces a major deleterious effect upon the environment.

  2.20 Substantially interested State means a State:

  • .1 which is the flag State of a ship involved in a marine casualty or marine incident; or

  • .2 which is the coastal State involved in a marine casualty or marine incident; or

  • .3 whose environment was severely or significantly damaged by a marine casualty (including the environment of its waters and territories recognized under international law); or

  • .4 where the consequences of a marine casualty or marine incident caused, or threatened, serious harm to that State or to artificial islands, installations, or structures over which it is entitled to exercise jurisdiction; or

  • .5 where, as a result of a marine casualty, nationals of that State lost their lives or received serious injuries; or

  • .6 that has important information at its disposal that the marine safety investigating State(s) consider useful to the investigation; or

  • .7 that for some other reason establishes an interest that is considered significant by the marine safety investigating State(s).

  2.21 Territorial sea means territorial sea as defined by Section 2 of Part II of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

  2.22 A very serious marine casualty means a marine casualty involving the total loss of the ship or a death or severe damage to the environment.


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