MC 072025 – Barbados Member of MAIIF
Notice to: Shipowners, Operators, Officers, and Recognised Organisations.
Notice to: Shipowners, Operators, Officers, Flag State Inspectors and Recognised Organisations.
1. Purpose
1.1 This Circular serves to inform all Recognised Organisations (ROs), shipowners, managers, and other maritime stakeholders that Barbados has been a member of the Marine Accident Investigators’ International Forum (MAIIF) since 2022 and that the BMSR represents Barbados at MAIIF meetings and technical sessions.
2. Background
2.1 The Marine Accident Investigators’ International Forum (MAIIF) was established in 1992 as a non-profit body of national marine safety investigation authorities. MAIIF’s purpose is to enhance maritime safety through cooperation, the exchange of investigative expertise, and the dissemination of lessons learned from marine casualties and incidents.
2.2 MAIIF is recognised internationally as a professional forum for marine casualty investigators and operates in support of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) framework for the investigation of marine casualties and incidents. It promotes implementation of the Code of the International Standards and Recommended Practices for a Safety Investigation into a Marine Casualty or Marine Incident (Casualty Investigation Code), adopted by IMO Resolution MSC.255(84), and corresponding provisions under SOLAS 1974, Regulation I/21.
3. Barbados Participation
3.1 Pursuant to the Barbados Merchant Shipping Act, 2024, and consistent with Section 1189, which provides for the investigation of marine casualties, Barbados has designated the Barbados Maritime Ship Registry (BMSR) to represent the State at the MAIIF.
3.2 Through this membership, Barbados joins other national marine safety investigation authorities working collaboratively to promote uniform interpretation of the IMO Casualty Investigation Code, mutual assistance in investigations, and improved exchange of technical information relating to marine safety and human-element performance.
3.3 This affiliation reinforces Barbados’s commitment to maintaining high standards of maritime safety and transparency consistent with its obligations as a flag State under Article 94 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
4. Implications for Barbados-Flagged Vessels
4.1 While MAIIF membership does not impose new operational requirements on Barbados-flagged vessels, it ensures that accident investigations conducted under Barbados jurisdiction adhere to internationally recognised best practices and benefit from access to global investigative expertise.
Shipowners, operators, and ROs are reminded that the reporting of casualties and incidents remains a statutory obligation under the Barbados Merchant Shipping Act, 2024, and related regulations. All reports of marine casualties, serious incidents, and occurrences involving Barbados-flagged ships shall continue to be submitted to BMSR in accordance with Bulletin 018.
5. Enquiries
All enquiries and reports relating to marine casualty investigations or Barbados’s participation in MAIIF shall be directed to:
accidents@barbadosmaritime.com
Investigation Department
Barbados Maritime Ship Registry