The National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Coast Guard have concluded a new agreement setting out each agency’s role in the investigation of major marine shipping accidents. With the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed yesterday by NTSB Chairman Marion C. Blakey and Admiral Thomas Collins, Commandant of the Coast Guard, the two agencies have resolved a long-standing uncertainty over how to determine which will lead the investigation of a major marine accident. The new agreement gives NTSB the right to elect to lead investigations of accidents that threatened high loss of life or substantial property damage. Major accidents are broadly defined as involving: the loss of six or more lives…