INTERCARGO highlights progress and priorities in bulk carrier safety

(Posted on 07/07/26)

Bulk carrier safety continues to show steady long-term improvement, but the nature of risk facing seafarers is becoming more complex and multi-layered.

INTERCARGO’s Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2026 covers the ten-year period from 2016 to 2025. Over that period, the global bulk carrier fleet grew from around 10,400 vessels in 2013 to 13,669 by December 2025. Against that backdrop of significant expansion, 17 bulk carriers of 10,000 dwt or above were lost, representing 1.63 million dwt in total, with 71 seafarer lives lost. The rolling ten-year average of annual losses has fallen consistently throughout the period.

This progress reflects sustained improvements across the industry, including enhanced ship design, improved crew training, operational experience and strengthened regulatory compliance. However, the findings also underline that while traditional accidents are declining, persistent and emerging risks remain, requiring continued vigilance and collaboration across the sector.

While overall losses have declined, the causes of the most serious incidents remain consistent:

• Cargo liquefaction remains the leading cause of loss of life, accounting for 37 fatalities (over 50% of the total). The concentration is stark: vessels in the 50,000–59,999 dwt range account for just four of the 17 losses but 52.1% of all lives lost, reflecting the particular danger of nickel ore and similar high-risk cargoes on these routes.
• Groundings remain the primary cause of vessel losses, responsible for 41.1% of cases. Losses are concentrated in vessels aged 15–19 years, underlining the importance of navigational discipline and passage planning as ships age.
• Flooding incidents, though fewer in number, account for nearly half of all lives lost

These figures underline the importance of practical implementation of existing safety frameworks, particularly the IMSBC Code.

INTERCARGO and its members continue to work closely with stakeholders to strengthen:

• Cargo declaration and testing procedures
• Enforcement by flag and port States
• Training for ship and shore personnel
• The practical implementation of the IMSBC Code, including more prescriptive requirements on moisture testing, sampling procedures and shipper declarations of cargo properties
• Transparency and timeliness of casualty investigations, to ensure lessons are learned and shared more effectively

In parallel with operational safety, the report acknowledges the increasing complexity of the global operating environment.

Between 2024 and 2025, five bulk carrier casualties in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden were linked to missile, drone and uncrewed vessel attacks, resulting in fatalities and injuries. These incidents are recorded separately from the statistical analysis but reflect a wider challenge facing international shipping.

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