After a process of almost 3 years, the Dutch Safety Board has signed a contract with DNV Maritime. DNV is contracted to deliver expertise and assistance in investigations of shipping accidents in the Dutch waters or accidents involving Dutch flagged ships anywhere in the world
The Dutch Safety Board performs independent, comprehensive investigations into the causes or probable causes of individual – or categories of – ‘incidents’. An incident is not only defined as the term ‘incidents’ to include not only disasters and accidents but also ‘incidents that could have turned out badly’. The Dutch Safety Board is an autonomous administrative body set up under a Kingdom Act. The Board is authorised to investigate incidents in any conceivable field but in practice is currently active in the following sectors: aviation, shipping, rail transport, road transport, defence, healthcare (human and animal welfare), industry and networks, pipelines, construction and services, water, and crisis management and aid provision.
The sector sea going ships is now added to the current sectors.
The purpose of the Dutch Safety Board’s work is to ‘prevent incidents or to limit their after-effects’. Accordingly, the Board’s investigation aims not only to uncover the actual causes of incidents but also – and in particular – to bring to light the underlying causes of the incident, so that any shortcomings in the applied system can be revealed. If the investigation reveals any systematic safety-related shortcomings then the Board can formulate recommendations so that these shortcomings can be put right. Any recommendations are usually addressed to the authorities but others may be intended for individuals, organisations or companies.
The Board would like to emphasise that it is no part of its remit to try to establish the blame, responsibility or liability attaching to any party. Information gathered during the course of an investigation – including statements provided by the Board, information that the Board has compiled, results of technical research and analyses and drafted documents (including the published report) – cannot be used as evidence in criminal, disciplinary or civil law proceedings. However, it is still possible that a (criminal) inquiry to apportion blame could be instituted, although any such inquiry would be quite separate from the Board’s own investigation.
For further information contact our Maritime Service Centre
Datum: 10 March 2010
