MSC-MEPC.3/Circ.1 Casualty-Related Matters Reports on Marine Casualties and Incidents. Revised harmonized reporting procedures - Reports required under SOLAS regulation I/21 and MARPOL 73/78, articles 8 and 12

Circular Letter
MSC-MEPC.3/Circ.1

CASUALTY-RELATED MATTERS¹REPORTS ON MARINE CASUALTIES AND INCIDENTS

Revised harmonized reporting procedures - Reports required under SOLAS regulation I/21 and MARPOL 73/78, articles 8 and 12

(21 July 2005)

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¹ In order to facilitate the identification and retrieval of information circulated by means of joint MSC-MEPC circulars, from now on such information will be disseminated through the following circular series:

1. Organization and methods of work, as MSC-MEPC.1/Circ…

2. General matters, as MSC-MEPC2/Circ…

3. Casualty-related matters, as MSC-MEPC.3/Circ…

4. Port State control-related matters, as MSC-MEPC4/Circ…

5. Survey and certification-related matters, as MSC-MEPC.5/Circ…

6. National contact points for safety and pollution prevention and response, as MSC-MEPC.6/Circ…

1. The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-second session (17 to 26 May 2000) and the Marine Environment Protection Committee, at its forty-fourth and forty-fifth sessions (6 to 8, 10 and 13 March 2000 and 2 to 6 October 2000 respectively) approved an MSC/MEPC circular (MSC/Circ.953 - MEPC/Circ.372) on Reports on marine casualties and incidents - Harmonized reporting procedures, amalgamating and harmonizing the procedures for reporting casualties to the Organization contained in existing MSC and MEPC circulars.

2. The Maritime Safety Committee, at its eightieth session (11 May to 3 June 2005) and the Marine Environment Protection Committee, at its fifty-third session (18 to 22 July 2005) approved amendments to MSC/Circ.953 - MEPC/Circ.372.

3. Under SOLAS regulation I/21 and MARPOL 73/78 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 Organization with pertinent information concerning the findings of such investigations.

4. The reporting formats contained in the annexes to this circular replace the reporting forms contained in MSC 59/33, annex 3 regarding Damage cards, MSC/Circ.224 regarding Intact stability casualty records, MSC/Circ.388 on Fire casualty records, MSC/Circ.433 on Reports on investigations into serious casualties, MSC/Circ.559 on Incidents involving dangerous goods or marine pollutants in packaged form, MSC/Circ.621 on Guidelines for the investigation of accidents where fatigue may have been a contributing factor and COM/Circ.70/Rev.1 Questionnaire on the maritime distress system. The reporting format on Incidental spillages of harmful substances of 50 tonnes or more has been added, as such reports are considered necessary when investigating a casualty or an incident (MARPOL 73/78, articles 8 and 12); however, this does not replace the one-line entry report required by the annual mandatory report under MARPOL 73/78, article 11 (MEPC/Circ.318, Part 1).

5. For the purpose of reporting information to the Organization, ship casualties are classified as "very serious casualties", "serious casualties", "less serious casualties" and "marine incidents". Administrations are requested to submit data for all "very serious casualties" and "serious casualties"*.

Where there are important lessons to be learned from "serious casualties", "less serious casualties" and "marine incidents", full investigation reports should be submitted along with the additional information indicated in annex 3.

Information should also be provided in accordance with annex 10, for all casualties involving life-saving appliances whether or not there are injuries or loss of life or whether used for drills or emergencies, not withstanding paragraph 6 below.

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* "Very serious casualties" are casualties to ships which involve total loss of the ship, loss of life, or severe pollution, the definition of which, as agreed by the Marine Environment Protection Committee at its thirty-seventh session (MEPC 37/22, paragraph 5.8), is as follows:

"Severe pollution" is a case of pollution which, as evaluated by the coastal State(s) affected or the flag State, as appropriate, produces a major deleterious effect upon the environment, or which would have produced such an effect without preventive action.

"Serious casualties" are casualties to ships which do not qualify as "very serious casualties" and which involve a fire, explosion, collision, grounding, contact, heavy weather damage, ice damage, hull cracking, or suspected hull defect, etc., resulting in:

- immobilization of main engines, extensive accommodation damage, severe structural damage, such as penetration of the hull under water, etc., rendering the ship unfit to proceed*, or

- pollution (regardless of quantity); and/or

- a breakdown necessitating towage or shore assistance.

"Less serious casualties" are casualties to ships which do not qualify as "very serious casualties" or "serious casualties" and for the purpose of recording useful information also include "marine incidents" which themselves include "hazardous incidents" and "near misses".

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* The ship is in a condition, which does not correspond substantially with the applicable conventions, presenting a danger to the ship and the persons on board or an unreasonable threat of harm to the marine environment.

6. Administrations are urged to submit data as indicated below.

Information to be submitted per casualty class

Information to be sent in accordance with the type of casualty	Very serious casualties	Serious casualties	Less serious casualties	Marine incidents
Annex 1 of the attached reporting format	To be provided within 6 months after the casualty in all cases	To be provided within 6 months after the casualty in all cases	May be provided if there are important lessons to be learned	May be provided if there are important lessons to be learned
Annexes 2 and 3 of the attached reported format, as well as other relevant annexes	To be provided at the end of the investigation in all cases	To be provided at the end of the investigation in all cases	May be provided if there are important lessons to be learned	May be provided if there are important lessons to be learned
Full investigation report	To be provided at the end of the investigation in all cases	May be provided if there are important lessons to be learned	May be provided if there are important lessons to be learned	May be provided if there are important lessons to be learned

Very serious casualty

preliminary information as indicated in annex 1*

information as indicated in annexes 2 and 3, as well as other relevant annexes

a full investigation report in all cases

Serious casualty

preliminary information as indicated in annex 1*

information as indicated in annexes 2 and 3, as well as other relevant annexes

a full investigation report only in cases of important lessons to be learnt regarding IMO regulations

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* To be submitted within six months of the casualty date unless complete information is submitted within this time limit.

Less serious casualty and marine incident

information as indicated in annexes 1, 2 and 3, as well as other relevant annexes, only in cases of important lessons to be learnt regarding IMO regulations

a full investigation report only in cases of important lessons to be learnt regarding IMO regulations

Information to be submitted for casualties/incidents as indicated below

Information from casualties involving dangerous goods or marine pollutants in packaged form on board ships and in port areas

→ annex 4

Damage cards and intact stability records

→ annex 5

Fire casualty record

→ annex 6

Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)

→ annex 7

Fatigue as a contributory cause to maritime accidents - Fatigue factors data compilation sheet

→ annex 8

Incidental spillage of liquids of 50 tonnes or more

→ annex 9

Life-saving appliance casualty record

→ annex 10

7. Member Governments are invited to give effect to the Code for the Investigation of Marine Casualties and Incidents, as amended, (resolutions A.849(20) and A.884(21)) when conducting investigations into marine casualties and incidents.

8. Member Governments are requested to use the present circular when reporting on marine casualties and incidents, and to make ample use of the electronic data exchange and reporting facilities available through the IMO Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) (http://gisis.imo.org/Members), as described in Circular letter No.2639 – Manual for Administration on the use of reporting facilities.

9. The present circular supersedes MSC/Circ.953 – MEPC/Circ.372.

List of annexes

ANNEX 1: SHIP IDENTIFICATION AND PARTICULARS

Indicates the information to be submitted in all casualty reports.

ANNEX 2: DATA FOR VERY SERIOUS AND SERIOUS CASUALTIES

Indicates information to be supplied on "very serious" and "serious" casualties.

ANNEX 3: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION ON VERY SERIOUS AND SERIOUS CASUALTIES

Additional information required for "very serious casualties" and "serious" casualties.

ANNEX 4: INFORMATION FROM CASUALTIES INVOLVING DANGEROUS GOODS OR MARINE POLLUTANTS IN PACKAGED FORM ON BOARD SHIPS AND IN PORT AREAS

This form may be applicable for marine casualties as defined as well as marine incidents.

ANNEX 5: DAMAGE CARDS AND INTACT STABILITY CASUALTY RECORDS

This form may apply to "very serious" and "serious" casualties.

ANNEX 6: FIRE CASUALTY RECORD

This form may apply to "very serious" and "serious" casualties.

ANNEX 7: QUESTIONNAIRE RELATED TO THE GLOBAL MARITIME DISTRESS AND SAFETY SYSTEM

This form may apply to "very serious" and "serious" casualties.

ANNEX 8: FATIGUE AS A CONTRIBUTORY FACTOR TO MARITIME ACCIDENTS – FATIGUE FACTORS DATA COMPILATION SHEET

This form will apply where fatigue is deemed to be a contributory factor in the casualty.

ANNEX 9: INCIDENTAL SPILLAGES OF HARMFUL SUBSTANCES OF 50 TONNES OR MORE

This form relates to incidents involving harmful substances. The report is considered necessary when investigating a casualty or an incident (MARPOL 73/78, articles 8 and 12), however this does not replace the one-line entry report required by the annual mandatory report under MARPOL 73/78, article 11 (MEPC/Circ.318, Part 1).

ANNEX 10: LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCE CASUALTY RECORD

This form is for all casualties involving life-saving appliances, adding any other information which would provide lessons to be learned concerning the use of this equipment.

Annex 1.

IMO MARINE CASUALTY AND INCIDENT REPORT.
SHIP IDENTIFICATION AND PARTICULARS

Administrations are urged to supply the ship identification information listed in this annex for all marine casualty reports submitted to the Organization.

SHIP PARTICULARS

1. IMO Number:

2. Name of Ship:

3. Flag State:

4. Type of Ship:

.1 Liquefied Gas Tanker []

.2 Chemical Tanker []

.3 Oil Tanker []

.4 Other Liquids (non-flammable) Tanker []

.5 Bulk Dry (general, ore) Carrier []

.6 Bulk Dry / Oil Carrier []

.7 Self-Discharging Bulk Dry Carrier []

.8 Other Bulk Dry (cement, woodchips, urea and

other specialized) Carrier []

.9 General Cargo Ship []

.10 Passenger / General Cargo Ship []

.11 Container Ship []

.12 Refrigerated Cargo Ship []

.13 Ro-Ro Cargo Ship []

.14 Passenger / Ro-Ro Cargo Ship []

.15 Passenger Ship []

.16 High Speed Craft []

.17 Other Dry Cargo (livestock, barge, heavy cargo, etc.)

Carrier []

.18 Fish Catching Vessel []

.19 Fish Factory Ship / Fish Carrier []

.20 Offshore Supply Ship []

.21 Other Offshore Ship []

.22 Research Ship []

.23 Towing / Pushing Tug []

.24 Dredger []

.25 Other Activities Ship []

.26 Non-Propelled Ships []

.27 Other Ships Structures []

5. Type of service:

( ) International

( ) Short international

( ) Coastal sea trade

( ) Inland waters

( ) Other, please state:

( ) Not reported

6. Were any voyage related restriction limits placed on the ship?

Explain:

7. Gross Tonnage:

8. Length overall:

9. Classification Society:

10. Registered Shipowner:

11. Ship Manager/Operator:

12. Previous names:

13. Previous Flag:

14. Previous Class Society:

15. Date of contract/keel laid/delivery:

16. Date of major conversion:

17. Deadweight:

18. Hull material:

.1 steel []

.2 light alloy []

.3 ferrocement []

.4 wood []

.5 GRP []

.6 composite materials []

19. Hull construction:

.1 single hull []

.2 double hull []

.3 double bottom []

.4 double sides []

.5 mid deck []

.6 other []

20. Propulsion Type (type, fuel, etc.): Steam[] Diesel[] Other[]

.1 Bunkers:

Heavy Fuel Oil(HFO)[] Medium Fuel Oil(MFO)[] Marine Diesel Oil(MDO)[]

21. Nature of cargo (e.g. oil, dry bulk and goods under the IMDG Code):

22. Building yard:

23. Hull number:

24. Date of total loss/constructive total loss/scrapping:

25. Number of Crew on ship’s certificate: ____________________________

26. Number of Passengers on ship’s certificate: ______________________

27. Number of persons onboard at the time of the casualty / accident:

.1 Crew: ________________

.2 Passengers: __________

.3 Others _______________

PRELIMINARY CASUALTY DATA

1. Date and time (local onboard):

2. Position/location:

3. Initial event¹:

[] collision

[] stranding/ grounding

[] contact

[] fire or explosion

[] hull failure/ failure of watertight doors/ports, etc.

[] machinery damage

[] damages to ship or equipment

[] capsizing/ listing

[] missing: assumed lost

[] accidents with life-saving appliances

[] other

4. Consequences:

[] total loss of the ship

[] ship rendered unfit to proceed*

[] ship remains fit to proceed**

[] pollution

[] loss of life

[] serious injuries

5. Summary of events

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¹ For an explanation of the terms below see annex 2.

** The ship is in a condition, which corresponds substantially with the applicable conventions, presenting neither a danger to the ship and the persons on board nor an unreasonable threat of harm to the marine environment.

Annex 2.

IMO MARINE CASUALTY AND INCIDENT REPORT.
DATA FOR VERY SERIOUS AND SERIOUS CASUALTIES

CASUALTY DATA