Safest shipping year marred by Arctic accidents, low sulphur fuel use
THERE were 85 large ships lost worldwide in 2015, making last year the safest year in shipping in 10 years, reports Lloyd's Loading List.
But low sulphur fuel use now poses a safety threat, resulting in engine failures with increasing insurance claims, according to Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) annual Safety and Shipping Review.
Arctic casualties are also rising with 70 reported shipping accidents in Arctic Circle waters during 2015 - up almost 30 per cent year on year, the highest in a decade.
The incoming Polar Code is welcomed, but safety questions remain about best practices and clean-up, said the report.
Overall, losses have declined 45 per cent since 2006, driven by increasingly strict regulations.
Car carrier stability remained a key problem with the grounding of the 2000-built 51,770 gross ton pure car carrier Hoegh Osaka in January.
It developed a list after departing Southampton for Bremerhaven. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found that actual cargo weight and stowage were different from the final tally supplied to the ship.
There were 2,687 reported shipping incidents (casualties including total losses) globally during 2015, down four per cent.
Activity is spread across all days of the week, although Thursday sees the most incidents and Saturday the fewest.
The east Mediterranean and Black Sea (484) remains the top incident hotspot. Three vessels were the most incident-prone - a ro-ro in the Great Lakes region, a hydrofoil in the east Mediterranean and Black Sea and a ferry in the British Isles - with 19 incidents over the past decade.
While progress has been made in passenger ship safety, non-international voyages remain areas of concern, said the report.
Some parts of Asian domestic trade are years behind international standards, as evidenced by a number of recent ferry losses in south east Asia as profit pressures mean maintaining scheduled maintenance can be challenging.
THERE were 85 large ships lost worldwide in 2015, making last year the safest year in shipping in 10 years, reports Lloyd's Loading List.
But low sulphur fuel use now poses a safety threat, resulting in engine failures with increasing insurance claims, according to Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) annual Safety and Shipping Review.
Arctic casualties are also rising with 70 reported shipping accidents in Arctic Circle waters during 2015 - up almost 30 per cent year on year, the highest in a decade.
The incoming Polar Code is welcomed, but safety questions remain about best practices and clean-up, said the report.
Overall, losses have declined 45 per cent since 2006, driven by increasingly strict regulations.
Car carrier stability remained a key problem with the grounding of the 2000-built 51,770 gross ton pure car carrier Hoegh Osaka in January.
It developed a list after departing Southampton for Bremerhaven. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found that actual cargo weight and stowage were different from the final tally supplied to the ship.
There were 2,687 reported shipping incidents (casualties including total losses) globally during 2015, down four per cent.
Activity is spread across all days of the week, although Thursday sees the most incidents and Saturday the fewest.
The east Mediterranean and Black Sea (484) remains the top incident hotspot. Three vessels were the most incident-prone - a ro-ro in the Great Lakes region, a hydrofoil in the east Mediterranean and Black Sea and a ferry in the British Isles - with 19 incidents over the past decade.
While progress has been made in passenger ship safety, non-international voyages remain areas of concern, said the report.
Some parts of Asian domestic trade are years behind international standards, as evidenced by a number of recent ferry losses in south east Asia as profit pressures mean maintaining scheduled maintenance can be challenging.