Isle of Man: Key changes to marine casualty reporting

The Isle of Man Ship Registry has issued Manx Shipping Notice 003 (Rev. 2) on December 20, 2024, to provide guidance on the reporting and investigation of marine casualties, accidents, and incidents. This notice is crucial for operators to ensure compliance with both the IMO Casualty Investigation Code and the Isle of Man’s Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 2001, which apply the Casualty Code within the Isle of Man. The regulations were created before the IMO Casualty Code and contain some differences that operators should be aware of.

Key Updates and Changes:

Updated Accident Reporting Form (ARF-1)
The most significant change is the introduction of a revised Accident Reporting Form (ARF-1). Starting January 1, 2025, all reports must be submitted using this new version of the form, which is available on the Ship Registry's website. Any old paper copies of the previous ARF-1 form should be destroyed, as they will no longer be accepted. From this date, only electronic submissions will be accepted via the email address marine.survey@gov.im. This change aligns with the registry’s efforts to streamline the reporting process and improve data management.
Mandatory Electronic Reporting
A significant shift is that paper submissions will no longer be accepted from January 1, 2025. All reports, including those related to marine casualties, marine accidents, and marine incidents, must be completed and submitted electronically using the updated ARF-1 form. This ensures faster processing and better data tracking for the Ship Registry, allowing for more effective monitoring of maritime safety.
Reporting Timelines
The regulations establish specific reporting timelines:
- Marine Casualties: These must be reported to the Ship Registry as soon as possible, and basic details should be communicated through email immediately after the occurrence. The full ARF-1 report must follow once the situation is over.
- Marine Accidents: These should be reported as soon as practical, and if the situation worsens and turns into a casualty, the Ship Registry should be updated accordingly. The completed ARF-1 must be submitted within 24 hours of the vessel’s next port arrival.
- Marine Incidents: These do not require immediate reporting but must be submitted before the vessel departs from the next port.
Investigation of Casualties
All very serious marine casualties (VSMCs) will always be investigated. The Isle of Man has an agreement with the Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) to investigate such incidents on behalf of the Ship Registry. For less severe occurrences, the Ship Registry will assess whether an investigation is needed. The goal of these investigations is to identify the causes and circumstances of the event, with a focus on improving safety, not on assigning blame or liability.
Legal Duty to Preserve Records
Operators and shipmasters are reminded that they have a legal duty to preserve any relevant records and documents following a marine occurrence that could lead to an investigation. This includes vessel logbooks, maintenance records, charts (both digital and paper), and VDR data. These records are crucial for investigators to determine the facts surrounding an incident.
Publication of Casualty Data
The Ship Registry does not publish individual ARF-1 reports but may release anonymized data and trends from its central database to highlight broader safety issues within the maritime industry. These summaries are typically shared through an annual casualty report, available on the Ship Registry’s website.

Classification of Marine Occurrences:

The notice also reiterates the classification system for marine occurrences:

Marine Casualties include very serious marine casualties, such as a total ship loss, deaths, or significant environmental damage, and other serious incidents like ship collisions, stranding, or severe damage to the environment.
Marine Accidents are less severe but still involve incidents with high potential for harm, like fires, falls overboard, or equipment failures. These are classified separately for safety learnings.
Marine Incidents are the least severe, typically near-misses or events that could have endangered safety but did not escalate into a casualty or accident.

Actionable Information:

To comply with these updates, operators should:

Use the new ARF-1 form for reporting from January 1, 2025.
Ensure all reports are submitted electronically to marine.survey@gov.im.
Review reporting deadlines for casualties, accidents, and incidents to ensure timely submission.
Preserve relevant documentation in case of an investigation, and make sure crew members are aware of their roles in the process.