Newer designs of vessels used in offshore renewable energy (ORE) will be covered by the legislation governing the Government’s marine accident investigation unit (MAIU).
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan published the Investigation of Marine Accidents Bill on Friday, which includes a new independent unit to replace the existing Marine Casualty Investigation Board.
The new unit will remain within the Department of Transport.
”The focus of the Bill is to provide the MAIU with the framework to carry out marine safety investigations into marine accidents involving vessels in Irish waters and Irish-flagged vessels anywhere in the world,”Ryan said.
The Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024 also provides for “regulation-making power to cater for the newer types of vessels used in the offshore service sector and their transportation of industrial workers who will, for example, deploy infrastructure and service offshore renewable energy facilities”.
“This Bill is about enhancing our maritime safety regime, particularly in terms of marine accident investigation, but also future-proofing for increased demands and complexities arising from the development of the offshore renewable energy sector,” Ryan said.
In 2021, an independent review to assess Ireland’s marine casualty investigation organisational structures recommended that marine casualty investigation in Ireland should transition from the current part-time set-up (as regards the use of a panel of investigators) to a full-time approach.
“This in line with best practice internationally and would mirror existing practice in aviation and railway accident investigations in the State,”the Department of Transport says.
The Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024 provides for regulation making power to cater for “the newer types of vessels being used in the offshore service sector and the carriage of industrial personnel on those vessels”,it said.
