Catalogue description Ministry of Transport: Marine Department: Registered Files: Marine Safety Branch (MS Series) and Marine Safety Agency (MSA series)

This series contains MS prefix files of the Marine Safety branch of the Ministry of Transport (until 1965) and Board of Trade (later Department of Trade and Industry). On 1 April 1994 the Marine Safety Branch of the Department of Transport became the Marine Safety Agency and files started being raised in the MSA prefix.

The Marine Safety branch files include papers on life-saving appliances; loss of, and explosions on, ships; hovercraft; registration of ships; international conventions; approval of design and materials; packing and storage of dangerous goods; bulk cargoes; nuclear propulsion of ships; wreck and salvage matters; collision regulations; pleasure craft and fishing vessel safety; pollution; emergency planning; safety equipment testing and authorisation; load lines and compatibility of UK legislation with international marine legislation.

The Marine Safety Agency was responsible for implementation of the Government Strategy for Marine Safety and prevention of pollution from ships. It existed until 1998 when it was amalgamated with the Coastguard Agency (TCA) to become the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Board of Trade, 1786-1970

Board of Trade, Marine Division, 1965-1970

Department of Trade and Industry, Marine Division, 1970-1974

Department of Trade, Marine Division, 1974-1983

Department of Transport, 1976-1997

Maritime and Coastguard Agency, 1998-

Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, Marine Department, 1953-1959

Ministry of Transport, Marine Department, 1946-1953

Ministry of Transport, Marine Group, 1959-1965

From 1981 Department of Transport