Remember that the evidence relating to the incident is likely to be found on board the ship and that this evidence will be needed by the Club to defend claims which are received from injured persons, the owners of damaged cargo or property, or from a terminal operator.
Ships’ masters have an important role – the collection of evidence which will help the Club to evaluate the damage and to establish liability. The golden rule is that evidence should be collected, recorded and preserved.
Memories fade. It is therefore imperative to write notes on how the incident occurred as soon as possible after the event. This guide will help you to determine what information is needed. ‘The Mariner’s Role in Collecting Evidence’, published by the Nautical Institute, also contains detailed lists of the information which is required to defend particular claims. This publication is recommended to all ships’ masters.
