Behind almost every marine casualty sits a person who was tired, a procedure that was skipped under pressure, or a decision made with incomplete information, and behind that person usually sits an organisation that made those conditions more likely. Investigators who stop at "the officer made an error" close the file without ever reaching the organisational weaknesses that will produce the next casualty. Genuine marine accident investigation goes further: it treats the human factor as a starting point for analysis rather than a convenient place to stop, tracing events back from the scene and the evidence to the systemic gaps that allowed a collision, grounding, fire, or injury to happen in the first place.

This course is delivered by Arab British Fellowship Training Academy through the Human Factors and Root Cause Analysis in Marine Casualty Investigation 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:

• Assess the influence of human error, fatigue, and communication failures on marine casualties.
• Identify organizational and systemic factors contributing to unsafe conditions.
• Understand the purpose, scope, and regulatory framework of marine casualty investigation.
• 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.
• 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.

Behind Every Casualty: Human and Organizational Factors

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

What Counts as a Marine Casualty and Who Investigates

• 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.
• Distinction between safety investigations and liability-focused inquiries.

The First Hours: 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 across multiple jurisdictions.

Collecting and Preserving Evidence

• 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.

Interviewing Crew and Witnesses

• 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.

Root Cause Analysis Methods

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

Reporting Findings to Flag States and the IMO

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

Turning Findings into Fleet-Wide Safety Improvement

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