One key focus is the presentation of five selected accidents that have been referred to the BSU for a major investigation, each of which is still ongoing. These are exclusively maritime accidents involving commercial shipping.
The accidents and their consequences are presented here without prejudging the key findings of the investigation. The statistics section forms the second main focus of this annual report. Detailed overviews and graphs are used to examine and explain the accident patterns and their causes in greater detail.
The Federal Bureau of Maritime Accident Investigation is a higher authority under the Ministry of Transport. Its remit is to investigate accidents at sea and subsequently publish reports containing safety recommendations. The BSU investigates maritime accidents involving privately owned recreational craft only in exceptional cases. For this to happen, the incident must have taken place in German waters, and there must be a prospect of concrete findings that are likely to contribute to improving maritime safety or preventing future accidents.
Lasse Johannsen
Deputy Editor in Chief YACHT
