Coast Guard investigating Polaris incident

[CILCIANRQTS]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2023/02/07/antarctica-cruise-casualties-investigation/11202479002/

[Heidi13]

To put it in perspective - the lead agency in any marine accident/incident is the Flag State, which in this case is Norway.

 

The US, as an interested party, can request and assist the investigation under the direction of Norway. The interim and final reports will be published by Norway. This is similar to the Sky incident where both the UK and US were interested parties and assisted.

[chengkp75]

On 2/9/2023 at 1:42 PM, Heidi13 said:

The US, as an interested party, can request and assist the investigation under the direction of Norway.

As noted in the article, the incidents involve several flag states.  As "interested parties" the USCG and NTSB can witness the investigation, and discuss it with the lead investigators, but cannot do any investigation on their own, unless requested to by the flag state.  They can issue recommendation reports as subsidiary to the flag state final report.  This happens with virtually all cruise ship incidents that involve US citizens, unless the incident happens in US waters, where the flag state will still be lead investigator, but the US can conduct an investigation as "port state".

 

Based on anyone's reports, the USCG and NTSB can only make recommendations for remedial measures, or requests to the IMO for changes in conventions (compliance not mandatory).  The flag state can make requirements (mandatory) for ships flying their flag, and can also make requests to the IMO.

Edited February 11, 2023 by chengkp75