Yrkesfisker
Accident investigations
Three government bodies share duties for accident investigations at sea: The Police, The Accident Investigation Board Norway and the Norwegian Maritime Authority.
The Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN)
The Accident Investigation Board Norway is a public committee of inquiry. The Marine department of the AIBN is charged with investigating accidents at sea to determine its circumstances and causes, with the aim of improving the safety of life at sea and the avoidance of accidents in the future. The purpose of AIBN investigations is to clarify the sequence of events and factors which are assumed to be of importance for the prevention of transport accidents. The AIBN shall not apportion blame or liability.
The Police
On suspicion of accidents caused by criminal offences, the police district with jurisdiction over the accident area will investigate. The North Sea Unit located in Rogaland Police District is charged with overseeing maritime investigations, and will assist local police districts as needed.
The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA)
The Norwegian Maritime Authority has jurisdiction over ships registered in Norway and foreign ships arriving Norwegian ports.
The NMA carries out inspections after an accident has taken place. The inspection may result in recommendations for repair of deficiencies. In connection with shipping accidents and serious work accidents, a violation fee will be considered according to chapter 9 of the Maritime Safety Act. If there are important lessons to be learned from the incident, a Safety Alert may be issued.
The Norwegian Maritime Authority also receives reports on maritime accidents. This information, along with evidence collected during inspections, are systemized and structured in our accident database, which is utilized by a wide range of users both internally and externally.