(1) The Director may, as a result of one or more investigations, whether completed or not, make recommendations to prevent accidents in the future.
(2) The recommendations under subregulation (1) must be addressed to a person who or a body which, in the opinion of the Director, is most fit to implement the recommendations.
(3) The Director shall make the recommendations publicly available if he or she considers that to do so is in the interest of public safety or preventing pollution.
(4) A person to whom or a body to which a recommendation is addressed to under subregulation (2) shall, without delay —
(a) consider the recommendation;
(b) send to the Director —
(i) details of the measures, if any, he or she has taken or proposes to be taken to implement the recommendation and, in a case where he or she proposes to implement measures, the timetable for securing that implementation, or
(ii) an explanation that provides the reasons for not having the recommendation as the subject of measures to be taken to implement it, and —
(A) details or timetable under subparagraph (i); or
(B) an explanation under this subparagraph must be provided to the Director within 28 days of receiving the recommendation; and
(c) give notice to the inspector if at any time any information provided to the inspector under paragraph (b)(i) concerning the measures he or she proposes to take or the timetable for securing their implementation is rendered inaccurate by a change of the circumstances.
(5) Subject to subregulations (6) and (7), the Director shall, annually or at another time that he or she thinks fit, publish information in respect of the matters, including an explanation under subregulation (4)(b) or (c) that is communicated to him or her.
(6) The Director shall not publish information under subregulation (5) unless he or she first notifies any person referred to in the information and he or she considers any representations relating to the information that may be made to him or her in accordance with subregulation (7) by or on behalf of a person so notified, and amend the information in a manner that he or she thinks fit.
(7) A representation made under subregulation (6) must be in writing and must be served on the Director within 28 days of receiving of the notice under subregulation (6) or within a further period extended under subregulation (8).
(8) The Director may further extend the period specified under subregulation (7) where he or she considers it appropriate to do so.
(9) The Director shall ensure that safety recommendations are taken into account by the addressee and, where appropriate, follow up.
(10) The Director shall make safety recommendations, where appropriate, on the basis of an abstract data analysis and of the overall results of safety investigations carried out.
(11) A safety recommendation does not determine liability or apportion blame for a marine casualty.