The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners, INTERCARGO, publishes the Bulk Carrier Casualty report which shows encouraging progress in bulk carrier safety, with vessel losses and fatalities continuing to decline over the last decade. However, serious security threats in 2024 demand urgent international action to protect seafarers and uphold freedom of navigation.
Its recent publication, identified the loss of 20 bulk carriers (≥10,000 dwt) between 2015 and 2024, resulting in 89 seafarer fatalities. Groundings remain the leading cause of vessel losses, responsible for 45% of cases, while cargo liquefaction continues to pose the greatest threat to life, accounting for 55 deaths, which is more than 60% of the total. Cargo shifting (distinct from liquefaction) caused the loss of two ships and 12 lives, highlighting an additional area of concern.
The report also showed that bulk carrier losses now average just two per year, with a notable decline in average fatalities per casualty over successive 10-year periods. These gains are attributed to improved ship design, better crew training, and stronger regulatory frameworks. Nevertheless, INTERCARGO emphasised that significant risks persist, particularly those related to improperly declared cargoes, navigational failures and delays in the submission of accident investigation reports by flag States.
The average reporting time to the IMO GISIS platform remains over two years, severely hindering the industry’s ability to learn and implement timely corrective actions. With more than 12,500 bulk carriers in service globally and demand for dry cargo trade continuing to grow, INTERCARGO reiterated its call for a collective industry commitment to achieving zero loss of life and zero loss of ships.
The Association will continue to work with its members, international bodies and wider stakeholders to advance this goal, while also advocating for immediate measures to ensure the security of seafarers in high-risk regions.
Read the report: INTERCARGO – Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2025