Intercargo’s annual Bulk Carrier Casualty Report examines the safety performance of bulk carriers over a rolling 10-year period in order to identify risks and improve safety for seafarers and vessel operations.
The new edition of Intercargo’s Bulk Carrier Casualty Report (2025) reveals that between 2015 and 2024, 20 bulk carriers of more than 10,000 deadweight tonnes (dwt), (excluding the loss of three bulk carriers in the Red Sea), were reported lost, with the tragic loss of 89 seafarers’ lives in the Red Sea.
Safety performance of bulk carriers
Analysis of data from 2015 to 2024 demonstrates a consistent decline in the rolling 10-year average of vessel casualties. There have been marked improvements in the number of bulk carrier total losses since 2017. This downward trend in bulk carrier losses indicates sustained improvement in maritime safety performance.
These statistics and trends can also be set against a backdrop of a significant growth in the global bulk carrier fleet 2015–2024. Industry figures show that the global bulk carrier fleet has seen significant growth in the years since 2013. About 10,400 bulk carriers were operating in 2013. That figure had grown to 12,544, according to the MIS data, by December 2024.
Statistics analysis
Initial analysis of the statistics in the 2025 Report reveals some potential safety gaps, such as:
- Cargo liquefaction remains the greatest contributor to loss of life, accounting for 55 lives or 61.8% of the total loss of life in the period.
- Groundings remain the greatest cause of ship losses, with nine losses or 45.0% of the total number of bulk carrier casualties.
- Cargo shift (not liquefaction) sank two bulk carriers and cost 12 lives – a concerning 13.5% of the total number of lives lost.
- 20 bulk carriers over 10,000 dwt have been identified as lost, an average of 2.0 per year.
- 89 crew members lost their lives as consequence, or on average nine fatalities per year.
- The average age of the bulk carriers lost was 18.3 years.
- Vessels amounting to 1.79 million dwt in total have been lost, an average 179,115 dwt per year.
Significant findings
- 50,000–59,999 dwt: vessels in this range accounted for the most loss of life, with 55 seafarers losing their lives, accounting for 61.8% of the total of 89 lives during the period.
- 10,000–34,999 dwt and 80,000+ dwt: five ships were lost, accounting for 25.0% of the total 20 casualties reported. These casualties cost 22 lives, or 24.7% of the total in the 80,000+ dwt range and 12 lives, or 13.5% in the 10,000–34,999 dwt range.
- In 2020 the losses of one Capesize and one VLOC vessel (Wakashio and Stellar Banner) focused attention on large bulk carrier safety.
- The lowest number of three casualties occurred in the 35,000–49,999 dwt and 60,000–79,999 dwt ranges, representing 15.0% of the total of 20 ship losses. There was no life lost as a consequence of those ship losses.
- The average life loss per ship casualty was 4.45 during the ten-year period between 2015 and 2024, and 4.24 between 2014 and 2023, 4.00 between 2013 and 2022, 3.41 between 2012 and 2021. This compares to 3.56 during 2011 and 2020.
Raising concern over Red Sea security
The Red Sea is a critical chokepoint for global trade, particularly for bulk commodities like grain, coal, and iron ore. Disruptions can have ripple effects on global supply chains. There were three bulk carrier total loss casualties, namely Rubymar, True Confidence and Tutor, in the Red Sea as a direct consequence of missile, drone and drone boat attacks during the period, causing the loss of four seafarers’ lives.
INTERCARGO strongly condemns all attacks on bulk carriers in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (GOA) regions which directly contravene the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation while expressing deep concern over the tragic loss of life and injuries suffered by the crews of merchant ships in over 100 attacks in the regions in 2024.
The loss of life and injuries to civilian seafarers is completely unacceptable. Merchant vessels crewed by civilian seafarers in the service of global trade should have the right to innocent passage through the region without the threat of attack. The significant safety concerns led to difficulties in recruiting seagoing personnel, impacting bulk carriers operating in these regions.
Following the ceasefire declaration of 19 January 2025, INTERCARGO expresses hope for the restoration of maritime security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden regions, ensuring safe passage for civilian vessels both regionally and globally.
