Bild: Logo Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur
Bundesstelle für Seeunfalluntersuchung (BSU)
Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 78
20359 Hamburg

Phone: +49 40 31 90 - 83 11
24/7-Rufbereitschaft: +49 170 58 65 67 5
Mail: posteingang@bsu-bund.de

Maritime Casualty investigations

Learn the right lessons from casualties

Protect lives, avoid environmental pollution and increase the safety of navigation - these are the goals of the maritime casualty investigation. All of that following the principle: Every accident at sea is one too many. The casualty investigators find out about the circumstances, causes and promoting factors of a maritime casualty and develop recommendations from the insights gained to prevent ship accidents and personal damages. To deduce the right lessons from an accident is the most important purpose of maritime casualty investigation, and expressly not to place the blame, liabilty or any claims.

The most important principles of maritime casualty investigation are:

  • The only goal is to prevent future accidents by providing recommendations and Lessons Learned.
  • The investigation is independent and non-partisan.
  • The investigation is conducted seperately from other investigative procedures (police, prosecution, insurance, revocation of competency).
  • Reports and insights of the maritime casualty investigators should not be used in legal procedures.
  • Insights are to be kept confidential, there is no general right to access the file.

Maritime casualties and other incidents

Maritime casualty investigation covers not only accidents at sea but also "other incidents" happening with maritime transportation (e.g. near-accidents). The legislator differentiates between marine casualties, serious and very serious marine casualties. A very serious marine casualty is the total loss of a ship, the death of a person or profound environmental damage. Very serious marine casualties always have to be investigated; for other marine casualties the decision depends on the gravity of the casualty, the ship type and the cargo as well as the question whether or not the findings of the investigation will prevent maritime casualties in the future.

(back to top)

AKACIA c BSU.jpg

Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU)

In Germany the Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU) located in Hamburg is responsible for the investigation of maritime casualties. The BSU records all accidents at sea and investigates all kinds of marine casualties:

  • of sea-going ships flying the German Flag worldwide and
  • of sea-going ships flying a foreign flag within the German territorial waters as well as in certain cases also within the German Exclusive Economic Area (EEA) .

The BSU is a higher federal authority subordinated to the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport and is subject to its supervision. However, it is not bound by directives as to whether and how the marine casualty should be investigated and what is contained in its investigation report and other publications. The BSU can gather any required information, interrogate witnesses and experts, request files and certificates and consult practical experts for its investigation.

(back to top)

Reports, recommendations, Lessons Learned

The BSU publishes the results of its investigations in investigation reports, which, if possible, should contain safety recommendations. Prior to the conclusion of a report, all parties get the chance to respond. The BSU should publish its investigation report at the latest 12 months after the maritime casualty; if this is not possible, an interim investigation report is issued for serious and very serious marine casualties. However, if the findings of the investigation are not of particular importance for maritime safety, only a summary report is issued. Once an investigation has been completed, the BSU will examine whether general safety notes can be derived from the findings. With its Lessons Learned, the BSU addresses a larger target audience to call attention to safety issues and existing risks.

(back to top)

Obligation to notify in case of a maritime casualty

Shipmasters of sea-going vessels flying the German Flag (including ships of traditional build and recreational craft) are obliged to "report to the Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU) any event concerning the ship that is relevant to maritime safety". This includes, among other things, death or severe injury of a person, loss or damage to a ship, environmental damage or an incident that causes the danger of a ship or a human or could cause serious damage (section 7 paragraph 2 of the Safety of Navigation Ordinance). Other notification obligations include to the Berufsgenossenschaft Verkehrswirtschaft Post-Logistik Telekommunikation, classification societies, sea pilots as well as federal water police authorities.

Maritime casualties should be reported using the questionnaire of the BSU.

(back to top)

Legal bases

The legal bases for the investigation of maritime casualties are:

(back to top)

More information