European Maritime Safety Agency

MARINE
CASUALTIES AND
INCIDENTS
PRELIMINARY ANNUAL OVERVIEW
OF MARINE CASUALTIES
AND INCIDENTS 2014-2019
March 2020
 Foreword
Based on reports received from the national accident
investigation bodies of the EU, 2019 was a positive year
for maritime safety, with a 9% reduction in the overall
number of accidents and a 40% reduction in the number
of fatalities, when compared with the average over the past
six years. There was also a 10% reduction in the number of
persons injured.
While the number of passenger vessels involved in marine
accidents remained stable in 2019, the number of ships in
all other categories of accidents fell. This was particularly
significant for cargo ships, which experienced a 17% drop
compared to 2018.
Over the period 2014-2019, almost half the casualties
to ships were navigational in nature, including contact,
collision and grounding or stranding.
About one third of all the marine casualties recorded were
occupational accidents, i.e. affecting only persons. Of these,
the main cause was stumbling and falling, which accounted
for 35% of all cases.
Overview of key figures for 2019
CASUALTIES
2904
SHIPS
LOST
17
POLLUTION
37
2
57% of the ships lost over the period were fishing vessels.
On a more positive note, pollution resulting from marine
casualties has also dropped significantly since 2015.
It fell by almost half from 2018 to 2019.
Accident investigation bodies of the EU have launched
approximately 800 investigations in the past six years,
of which 627 have been concluded. This has led to 1780
safety recommendations mainly targeting the area of Ship
Related Procedures.
Before the end of each year, EMSA prepares the "Annual
Overview of Marine Casualties and Incidents" publication,
which gives much more detailed information on the
statistics gathered from the accident investigation bodies
of the EU.
FATALITIES
49
PERSONS
INJURED
917
INVESTIGATIONS
LAUNCHED
80
 European Maritime Safety Agency

Severity of marine casualties and incidents

2000

1500

1000

500

0
2014

2014

2014

2014
2019

2019

2019

2019
2016

2018

2016

2018

2016

2018

2016

2018
2015

2015

2015

2015
2017

2017

2017

2017
Very serious Serious Less serious Marine
marine casualty marine casualty marine casualty Incident

Ship types involved

2000
Cargo ship
1800

1600
Passenger ship
1400

1200

1000 Fishing vessel

800

600
Service ship
400

200
Other ship
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

3
 Consequences to persons

Fatalities
140
125
114
120
98
100

80
57
60
45 49
40

20

0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Crew Passengers Other Total

Injuries
1400
1239
1200
993 1001 1029
1000
961
917
800

600

400

200

0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Crew Passengers Other Total

MN Bourbon Rhode departed Las Palmas on 18/09/2019 for Georgetown (Guyana) with 14 persons
on board. The vessel was in transit at 1200 nautical miles off Martinique island and 60 nautical miles
South-­South East from the eye of category 4 hurricane Lorenzo.
On 26/09/2019 at 08:01 UTC the vessel reported a situation of distress as it was taking on water in the
engine room. Three members of the crew were rescued on 28/09/2019 and they confirmed that the vessel
sank on 26/09/2019. Eleven crew members are still missing.

4
 European Maritime Safety Agency

Causes of accidents to ships

Collision Contact
16% 16%

Damage to ship
equipment
Capsizing/Listing 14%
1%
Fire/Explosion
6%
Loss of Control
30% Flooding/Foundering
3%

Hull Failure Grounding/Stranding

1% 13%

Causes of accidents to persons

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Body movement under

68 62 84 87 131 103
or with physical stress

Body movement without

237 289 281 216 221 267
any physical stress

Breakage, bursting, splitting,

110 102 76 80 80 69
fall, collapse of material agent

Deviation by overflow, overturn,

56 68 48 35 43 37
leak, flow, vaporisation, emission

Deviation due to electrical

21 23 21 10 14 7
problems, explosion, fire

Loss of control of machine, means

227 224 195 237 194 135
of transport, handling equipment

Slipping - Stumbling and

544 552 555 591 537 437
falling - Fall of persons

Other / Unspecified 115 156 189 201 165 182

5
 Loss of ships

Cargo ship Fishing vessel Passenger ship Service ship Other ship
20 20 20
20 20

15 15 15
15 15

10 10 10
10 10

5 5 5
5 5

0 0 0
0 0

16

19
20 8
20 4
20 5

20 7

20 6

19
20 8
20 4
20 5

20 7
1
1

1
1
20 6

19
2018
20 4

16

19
20 8
20 5

20 4
20 5
2017

20 6

19
20 8

1
1
1
1
1
20 4

20 7

20

20
20 5

20 7

20
1
1
1

1
1

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
20

20

20
20

Total losses of ships 2014-2019

18 90 13 18 19

Pollutions resulting from marine accidents

110

100

90

80

70 Total

60
Pollution (bunkers)
50

40 Pollution (cargo)

30
Air pollution
20

10

0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

6
 European Maritime Safety Agency

Investigations launched and safety recommendations

794
Investigations
launched

51% 42% 6% 1%
Very serious Serious Less serious Marine
marine casualties marine casualties marine casualties incident

627
Investigation
reports

Safety
recommendations
1780
19% Human Factors
46% of which relate to training and skills

47% Ship related procedures

29% of which relate to operations

15% Ship structure and equipment

42% of which relate to ship equipment/system

4% Shore and water equipment

28% of which relate to shore
and water navigation aids
15% Other Procedures
35% of which relate to compliance
(regulations/legislation)

7
 ABOUT THE EUROPEAN
MARITIME SAFETY AGENCY
The European Maritime Safety Agency is one of the
European Union’s decentralised agencies. Based in
Lisbon, the Agency’s mission is to ensure a high level
of maritime safety, maritime security, prevention of and
response to pollution from ships, as well as response
to marine pollution from oil and gas installations.
The overall purpose is to promote a safe, clean and
economically viable maritime sector in the EU.
ABOUT CASUALTY DATA
AND EMCIP
This publication contains statistics on marine casualties
and incidents that: involve ships flying a flag of one
of the EU Member States; occur within EU Member
States’ territorial sea and internal waters; or involve other
substantial interests of the EU Member States.
The figures presented provide a general overview of the
safety of maritime transport in the scope of European
interests.

More detailed information can be found at:

www.emsa.europa.eu/accident-investigation-publications.html
and at:
www.portal.emsa.europa.eu/emcip-public/#/public-occurrences

Cover image: On the night of January 1, 2019, MSC ZOE lost

approximately 342 containers in heavy weather on the journey from
Portugal to Bremerhaven.

© European Maritime Safety Agency, 2020

Photo credits: NL/DSB – LU/AET – PT/GAMA – Hapag Lloyd

emsa.europa.eu

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