 Empowered by the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, it is a government organisation headed by the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, currently Andrew Moll, who served in the Royal Navy prior to joining the MAIB.The MAIB is the marine equivalent of the much older Air Accidents Investigation Branch and the more recent Rail Accident Investigation Branch all of which report directly to the Secretary of State for Transport.Investigations are thorough but are strictly limited to establishing cause, promoting awareness of risks and preventing recurrence.