INTERCARGO, the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners, reports encouraging progress in bulk carrier safety, with vessel losses and fatalities continuing to decline over the last decade. However, serious security threats in
INTERCARGO, the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners, reports 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.
The Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2025 identifies 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.
Although only one operational casualty was recorded in 2024, the year was marked by three separate attacks on bulk carriers in the Red Sea—Rubymar, True Confidence and Tutor—involving missiles, drones and uncrewed surface vessels. These incidents, which resulted in four seafarer deaths, are documented separately from the statistical analysis but underscore a dangerous deterioration in maritime security.
The report also shows that bulk carrier losses now average just two per year, with a notable decline
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