Germany’s Federal Bureau for Maritime Casualty Investigation has published its BSU Annual Report for 2024, providing insights on marine casualties. The total number of notifications has dropped year-on-year: 625 in 2024 compared to 698 in 2023. This equals a reduction of about 10%. Unfortunately, this is not yet cause for celebration, as the number of marine casualties according to the IMO Code, i.e. accidents that had serious consequences, has remained stable at a high level (131 compared to 134).
There was a significant reduction in the other two categories. Incidents (i.e. minor cases) saw a reduction of 32 notifications (12%). In the case of other accidents/incidents for which the BSU is not responsible, there were as many as 38 fewer notifications (13%). A comparison of this figure with those from previous years indicates that the numbers have stabilised at more predictable levels.
According to the BSU Annual Report 2024, there were changes here compared to the previous year. LSMCs have dropped from 109 to 94 cases, SMCs have increased from 22 to 35 cases and VSMCs have dropped from three to two cases. However, the total number of accidents has changed only marginally.
Compared to previous years, the figures for 2024 demonstrate that it was another relatively busy year for accidents, with marine casualties remaining consistently high. It comes as no surprise that there are fluctuations in the categories, especially between SMC and LSMC. The SMCs mainly concern grounded vessels that have to be refloated. It is pleasing to note that the number of very serious marine casualties remains low.
As in previous years, the most frequently identified technical cause was damage to the main engine. Such damage, or to the rudder, is often classified as a serious marine casualty for regulatory reasons. While these incidents typically go unnoticed by the public and have no direct consequences, they still pose significant risks.
A common scenario involves a main engine failure leading to a vessel running aground, followed by towing operations and subsequent repairs.
Accidents attributed to human error were again primarily due to simple navigational mistakes and errors in judgment. The latter typically involves miscalculations, or momentary lapses in decision-making. Incidents resulting from inadequate occupational safety measures also remained common, often causing injuries, and in one case, resulting in a fatality. Such fatalities continue to occur on a regular basis.
Download the report: BSU Annual Report 2024