Welcome to the website of the MAIB

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) examines and investigates all types of marine accidents to or on board UK ships worldwide, and other ships in UK territorial waters.

MAIB Noticeboard
Maersk Kendal

MAIB Investigation Report

Maersk Kendal published 16 March 2010

Key issues:

  • Large UK registered container vessel ran aground while taking avoidance action in a busy shipping route
  • Failure of bridge team work including lack of comprehensive passage planning, poor position monitoring and ineffective interaction, underpinned by complacency
  • Report identifies the need for navigating officers to attend bridge team management training courses
  • Proposed amendments to STCW requirements relating to bridge resource management to be adopted in June 2010

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Wellservicer Published 20 January 2010

Key issues:

  • Ship's rigger fatally injured while working on a modification to the vessel's diving bell recovery system
  • Numerous safety management tools failed to recognise that the work was being conducted under a suspended load
  • Following a thorough investigation, the operating company has implemented comprehensive actions to prevent a recurrence of such an accident. Consequently, no further recommendations are made as a result of MAIB's investigation
  • MAIB flyer to the offshore support industry produced as a result of this accident

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Current investigations
This section contains a list of the investigations currently underway in the branch:

Current investigations

Publications and information
For detailed MAIB reports including downloadable and printable documents go to:

MAIB Publications

MAIB Safety Digests

Investigation Reports by Year

Investigation Reports by Vessel Category

Investigation Reports by Incident

Reports Listed Alphabetically

MAIB Accident Flyers

MAIB Annual Reports


Any requests for information received by MAIB are answered in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

Freedom of Information Act


How to report an accident
By law accidents, including major injuries, must be reported to the MAIB by the quickest possible means. This is so they can be investigated immediately before vital evidence decays, is removed or is lost.

For further information go to the:


Report an accident section