Duties in practice
- Maintain the safety equipment, brief the passengers and crew, and run the required drills.
- Prevent pollution and comply with MARPOL and the local environmental rules.
- Report accidents and near-misses to the MAIB and cooperate with any investigation.
- Act professionally toward the crew, the passengers, the authorities and other vessels.
Beyond keeping the vessel legal, the professional skipper maintains the safety equipment and briefs those aboard, prevents pollution, reports accidents honestly, and behaves professionally in every dealing. These are not optional courtesies but the practical content of the endorsement: a commercial skipper who neglects the safety brief, discharges oil, or fails to report a reportable accident has failed in their professional duty, with legal as well as reputational consequences.
WARNING — Reportable accidents must be reported Certain accidents and dangerous occurrences must be reported to the MAIB. Knowing and meeting the reporting duty, and keeping honest records, is part of professional practice, not an optional extra.
TIP — Brief the passengers every time A safety briefing for passengers — lifejackets, what to do in an emergency, moving safely about the boat — is a routine professional responsibility that prevents accidents and shows a competent operation.