1. What do I need to report?

Ans: All Bahamian ships (and all ships within Bahamian waters) need to report marine casualties and marine incidents. Marine Notice 04 provides definitions and further detail.

Reporting requirements for births and deaths, notifiable diseases, breaches of security, rescue at sea and crimes applies only to Bahamian ships.

2. Do I need to submit an initial notification?

Ans: Only marine casualties require an initial notification. Email [email protected] with the following:

• Vessel’s name and IMO number

• Date and time of the casualty

• Description of the casualty and details of any other vessels involved

• Vessel’s location and, if at sea, next port of call

• Where applicable, that coastal State authorities have been notified

3. How quickly do I need to report?

Ans: Casualties that result in a death or loss of a vessel should be reported immediately. An initial notification of a marine casualty should be sent as soon as possible. Other events should be reported as soon as practicable using the Reporting Portal.

4. How do I report if my internet connection is disrupted?

Ans: The Reporting Portal works without an internet connection. If the report is submitted whilst offline, the reported information is stored in your computer’s cache and synchronises with the BMA server once connection to the internet is restored.

5. Guidance for working offline

Ans: The Reporting Portal is a webform that uses your internet browser’s cache to work in offline mode – therefore, to use it in offline mode, do not delete the browsers caches or cookies.

If you are reporting whilst offline DO NOT close the browser – the report will be automatically sent to the BMA once connection is restored. You will receive an acknowledgment email once the report is received by the BMA.

6. Can I send my report for review before sending it to the BMA?

Ans: Yes, you can send it for review by clicking the ‘send for internal review’ button and entering the email address of the reviewer. The reviewer can edit the report and either send it back for final review or submit it to BMA. As well as editing text, the reviewer can also add or remove attachments.

7. How do I add multiple files as an attachment?

Ans:

1. Click the first file then press the Ctrl key. Whilst holding Ctrl, click each of the other files you want to attach. You can also just drag and drop each file (up to 40MB).

8. My files are too large to attach, what do I do?

Ans: Tick the box “Click here to receive the link for files larger than 40 MB” the BMA will send you a link to submit large files via OneDrive.

9. A number of different things have happened at the same time – what do I report?

Ans: The following definitions and terminology should be used as a guide to select the most appropriate primary event:

• Collision: Striking or being struck by another ship, regardless of whether under way, anchored or moored.

• Grounding: Being aground, or hitting/touching the shore, seabed or features (reefs, wrecks etc.).

• Contact (allision): Striking any fixed, floating or flying object other than those included in Collison or Grounding. For example: breakwaters, buoys, bridges or ice.

• Fire / explosion: Fire includes pyrolysis or smouldering events. Explosion includes explosive failure of pressure vessels containing non-flammable gas.

• Heavy weather damage: damage to ship’s structure, cargo or injuries sustained due to heavy weather.

• Loss of hull integrity: hull failure or failure of watertight doors or openings, not caused by collision, grounding, contact, fire/explosion or heavy weather.

• Critical equipment failure/damage: Breakdown that requires shore assistance, loss of steering near shore, lifting equipment failure etc. (not caused by collision, grounding, contact etc.). Note that there is no requirement to report equipment defects unless they are related to a marine casualty or marine incident.

• Capsize / Listing: as a result of cargo shift or other stability issue, including angles of loll (not caused by collision, grounding, contact etc.).

• Flooding / foundering: contained or progressive flooding or foundering of a ship (not caused by collision, grounding, contact etc.).

• Injury to person(s): injury sustained by any person connected with the operation of the ship, not caused by another primary event.

• Pollution: pollution from (or observed by) the ship, not caused by another primary event.