Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Act 2025

Powers of investigators – directions

25. (1) An investigator may give to any person in, or in the vicinity of, a ship or the wreckage of a ship, involved in a marine accident, or any site or object the investigator considers, on reasonable grounds, might be relevant to a marine safety investigation or preliminary assessment, such directions to prevent or regulate the access by the person to the ship, wreckage, site or object, for such period as the investigator considers necessary to enable the marine safety investigation to be conducted or preliminary assessment to be carried out.

(2) A direction under subsection (1) may be given orally or in writing, or generally to all persons by a written notice affixed on or in such a way in the vicinity of the ship, wreckage of a ship, site or object so as to be clearly visible to the public or persons to whom it is addressed, or by any other means the investigator considers necessary to inform the public generally.

(3) A person who fails to comply with a direction under subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a class A fine.