BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FOR the second time in the history of the Department of Maritime Affairs, personnel of this entity have undertaken investigations to determine marine accidents in the coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis.
This investigation comes in the wake of the Wednesday, April 29 incident at the low ramp of the St. Kitts Deep Water Port, when a Dominican-registered shipping vessel tilted on its side after taking in water while being loaded with its cargo of sand bound for Nevis.
The first investigation was an incident involving the Caribe Queen on December 10, 2007.
Speaking with SKNVibes, Director of Maritime Affairs McClean Hobson declared that a team under his command had begun investigations into the incident.
“It is somewhat ironic, because I just returned from a training course in Suriname that dealt with investigating marine accidents. While we can’t speak to the cause right now, we have a responsibility to determine the cause and make sure it does not happen again,” Hobson said at the time of the incident.
Just days before the mishap, Hobson told this media house that his department “continues to build capacity for the investigation of marine accidents and incidents”. He also stated that the Federation now has seven investigators in this area of the maritime profession.
“The first marine accident investigation course for the Caribbean was delivered by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) at the Ocean Terrance Inn St. Kitts in 2007. Six persons in St. Kitts and Nevis were the beneficiary of this course. Just two years after this initial course, I returned from Suriname having successfully completed the second marine accidents investigation and incidents course delivered by IMO for the Caribbean. This brings the total to seven marine accident investigators in St. Kitts and Nevis who have completed this course,” he said.
Describing the nature of the course, the Maritime Affairs Director said, “The course was very intensive and covered all relevant subject areas in almost every type of marine accident and incidents.”
He said that he was pleased to know that St. Kitts and Nevis has a cadre of marine investigators who could carry out a marine investigation in compliance with international standards.
“On January 1, 2010, the new marine casualty code for IMO will take effect. When this does St. Kitts and Nevis will be obligated to investigate and report all marine accidents taking place in the coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis and any accidents involving St. Kitts and Nevis Flag vessel sailing the globe,” he informed.
Hobson declared that his personal goal as Director, “although we are playing catch up”, is to reach the level in this area where they could respond to marine accidents in much the same way as the traffic police respond to motor vehicle accidents.
“The investigation that we carry out is only a safety investigation seeking to find the cause and how we can prevent it in the future accidents. We are not involved in criminal investigation or seeking to blame mariners for accidents, as our mandate is to promote safety at sea,” Hobson explained.
