Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Act 2025

Functions of Chief Investigator

10. (1) The Chief Investigator shall—

(a) carry on and manage, and control generally, the administration and business of the MAIU,

(b) be the investigator-in-charge in respect of marine safety investigations or, where he or she considers it appropriate to do so, appoint another investigator as investigator-in-charge in relation to a particular marine safety investigation,

(c) provide the Minister with information (including financial information) relating to the performance by the Chief Investigator and the MAIU of their respective functions,

(d) manage the application of the policy published by the Minister pursuant to section 11 (1), and

(e) manage the compliance of the MAIU with the independence requirements of Article 8 of the Directive and this Act.

(2) The Chief Investigator shall, having regard to section 7 (5), make recommendations to the Minister, with respect to the level of staffing of the MAIU as the Chief Investigator considers necessary for the performance of the functions of the MAIU.

(3) The Chief Investigator shall not receive instruction from any officer of the Minister whose decision-making relates to any of the following:

(a) seaworthiness of ships;

(b) certification of compliance of ships or seafarers with maritime safety regulations;

(c) inspection of ships or ship operations to determine compliance with maritime safety regulations;

(d) manning of ships;

(e) safe navigation on water;

(f) construction, maintenance and repair of ships;

(g) vessel traffic and routing;

(h) port State control;

(i) flag state implementation;

(j) operation of seaports and harbours.

(4) The Chief Investigator may delegate the performance of any of his or her functions under subsection (1) to another investigator.