IN THIS ISSUE
1. Making maritime memories
2. Pilot transfer safety
3. Safety assurance month
4. Firefighting guidelines
5. Pressure loss
6. Charity appointment
7. Technical education
8. Seafarers’ protection
9. Investment needed
10. Oscar dragon boat race
11. Bunkering in Rotterdam
12. Dry bulk performance
13. Track guidance
14. Improving injury rates
Notices & Miscellany
Readers’ responses to our articles are very welcome and, where suitable, will be reproduced. Write to: contactus@themaritimeadvocate.com
1. Making maritime memories
By Michael Grey
It is that time of year again, when the columnists on proper newspapers head off to their Tuscan villas, the experience currently made rather less fulfilling by the three-hour queue to submit their Euro-fingerprints. There is also the nagging nervousness that the substitute will be so brilliant that the Editor will decide your services are henceforth redundant. Not for this columnist, alas. Let us not be negative, the holiday memories will surely be delightful and you hopefully will not end up on the scrapheap.
Which brings us effortlessly to a rather delightful little story (stolen from this Ships’ Monthly) of the lucky passengers on a 30-year old Japanese cruise ship which is being sent for recycling. Past guests aboard this elegant old lady are being invited to buy bits of their old ship, which will afford them with a pleasant conversation piece in their Tokyo apartments. One presumes that the gesture specifies some tableware, or even a table and chairs, rather than a radar antennae or section of the crankshaft, but it surely will bring pleasant memories and make the cruise a little different from the norm. I sadly never took a ship to the breakers, although there was a near miss when, aboard one of our elderly Commonwealth liners in the London Docks, word came that the ship was to be taken to Scotland for scrapping (the word recycling had yet to be invented}. We were already planning which bits of the ship we might appropriate when, curses, a message arrived from the Dock Office, posting me to a vessel in Liverpool and a voyage to Australia.
The chap who replaced me had no better luck, as very early on the Sunday morning before the proposed demolition voyage, as the only officer on board, he was rudely awoken by a foreign gentleman in a very loud suit, who told him that he had bought the ship. He carried with him a large Gladstone bag full of padlocks which he began to furiously apply all around the vessel, to the OOW’s complete bewilderment. He finally managed to reach the duty superintendent, just before he set off for the golf course, who told him that the ship had indeed been sold and they had just forgotten to tell him. The ship eventually was to be fully laden with a scrap cargo and make her way to Taiwan. No tangible memories were available from that ship. Some 2000 cruise passengers had a voyage with a difference recently, when part of the available “excursions” included a drydocking in Damen Shiprepair’s Rotterdam graving dock. It was apparently a huge success; the guests being chuffed to bits as the waters gurgled away and their ship took the blocks.
In my day, drydocking meant the inconvenience of all the toilets being locked, but modern cruise ships are clearly far more self-contained. The average intelligent person is hugely interested in the mysteries of other people’s professions and love watching other people work, so the cruise organisers maybe ought to look at other ways of making their offering rather more different. Some years ago, one of the most popular attractions in the maritime museum in Chatham Dockyard was a working drydock, and when there was a coaster on the blocks the punters would be several deep around the security fence. It was also a good advertisement for modern shipping, although the welders and painters were exhorted to watch their language. Today there is a historic ship permanently in the dock, which might, to those not historically inclined, be less of an attraction. And if you are looking for memories afloat it was interesting to read that one of the older Norwegian coastal ferries has emerged from her refit as a sort of working museum, stuffed with artefacts, artwork, and the like, celebrating the history of this amazing service. That is a great idea and sure to be popular with those cruising and employing the ship as a ferry. If you have this stuff in some store ashore, why not use it?
It was several years ago that I voyaged from Helsinki to Stockholm on a huge, brand-new ferry. It was an amazing vessel with full-length atria, astonishing fittings and passenger attractions, while the bridge was like something out of the Starship Enterprise. As we made our way down the Oslofjord, the master conducted us from this space-age wheelhouse to a compartment at the back of the bridge, which had been fitted out as an elegant chartroom, from a ship of another, far earlier era. It might have seemed quixotic, but the serious purpose, we were told, was to remind the modern navigators, seated at their consoles, of the value of traditional seafaring skills. History, you see, does have a purpose.
Michael Grey is former editor of Lloyd’s List.
2. Pilot transfer safety
The Nautical Institute has launched a global competition asking maritime students and cadets to demonstrate their understanding of pilot transfer safety. The competition has the support of the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA).
IMPA’s 2026 Safety Campaign recorded an overall non-compliance rate of 13% across 4,051 entries submitted by participating members in 34 countries. Pilot ladder arrangements remained the leading source of non-compliant observations.
Open to maritime students and cadets undergoing initial maritime training worldwide, entrants must choose three requirements from IMPA’s Required Pilot Transfer Arrangements poster and explain the safety reasoning behind them. Entries may be submitted as an article of up to 800 words, a poster in Word or PDF format, or a video lasting no more than four minutes.
The winner will receive £500 in Amazon vouchers, or an alternative prize of similar value where Amazon vouchers are unavailable. Two runners-up will each receive £250 in vouchers. Entries must be submitted by 17.00 UK time on Monday 31 August 2026, with the winners due to be announced on Thursday 1 October 2026.
Captain John Lloyd , Chief Executive of The Nautical Institute, said: “Pilot ladder requirements are there for a reason. Future officers need to know more than what the poster says. They need to understand what can go wrong when an arrangement is incorrectly rigged and be prepared to challenge it. We hope this competition encourages students and cadets to think about that responsibility from the start of their careers.”
Full competition details, entry requirements and supporting resources are available at 2026 ‘Pilot Transfer’ Student Competition.
3. Safety assurance month
Meanwhile, the Nautical Institute has also called on the international maritime community to ensure seafarer safety and welfare remain a shared priority as vessels continue to operate in areas affected by heightened tension and fast-changing security conditions.
Seafarers are essential to the continuity of global trade and the delivery of vital goods. They are civilians carrying out their professional duties, often far from home, and their safety must remain central to the decisions made by all those connected with maritime operations.
The Nautical Institute says a significant number of its members are currently serving on vessels operating in areas of heightened tension, including the Middle East and other regions affected by instability. The Institute remains in contact with some of those members and is hearing first-hand how conditions at sea are changing.
Captain John Lloyd explains “Seafarers are working in conditions that differ significantly from the traditional trading environment. Crews are facing constant risk because circumstances can change quickly, but the operational demands placed on them remain unchanged.
“Uncertainty has unfortunately become part of their daily routine, affecting not only their safety, but also their wellbeing and mental health. These are professional mariners carrying out essential work, and they must not be treated as invisible participants in wider geopolitical events.”
The Nautical Institute explains that at times of increased regional tension, it is critical that industry, authorities and supporting organisations work together to reduce risk, maintain safe passage and ensure crews are properly supported at sea and ashore.
Clear communication, access to welfare support and practical measures to safeguard ships and their crews are more important than ever.
Captain Lloyd adds: “Our focus remains on the wellbeing of seafarers and their families. We continue to support our members during these challenging conditions and urge a collective commitment across the maritime community to keeping those at sea safe.
“Seafarers make global trade possible. Their safety, dignity and welfare must remain a priority for owners, managers, charterers, authorities and all those whose decisions affect the conditions in which they work.”
4. Firefighting guidelines
Classification society ClassNK has released the ‘Guidelines for Additional Fire-fighting Measures for Container Carriers (Edition 2.0).’ The guidelines provide criteria for evaluating additional fire-fighting measures implemented on container carriers beyond the mandatory requirements of international conventions and regulations. Edition 2.0 reflects operational experience gained from ships in service and the latest international developments. By complying with the guidelines, shipowners and operators can enhance fire safety in a practical and effective manner, while the corresponding notations enable the implementation of such measures to be demonstrated to external stakeholders.
In recent years, cargo characteristics and stowage methods on container ships have become more diverse, highlighting the need for enhanced fire safety measures beyond existing mandatory requirements. To support the evaluation of additional fire-fighting measures and to facilitate their external recognition, ClassNK published the guidelines in April 2023. Based on feedback from shipowners and shipbuilders, discussions at the International Maritime Organisation, and ship operational conditions, the guidelines have now been revised and issued as Edition 2.0.
Revisions include:
• Added the installation of fire hydrants for rapid fire-fighting operations on lashing bridges.
• Added the measures related to video monitoring systems for early fire detection in weather deck cargo areas.
• Revised equipment specifications and required quantities to be reasonable, taking into account ship operational condition and cost-effectiveness. For example, reduced the required number of cameras from eight to two, clarifying the intended use of portable infrared thermographic cameras for firefighting operations and fire patrols.
The guidelines are available to download via ‘Guidelines’ of My Page on ClassNK’s website after registration.
https://www.classnk.or.jp/account/en/Rules_Guidance/ssl/login.aspx?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=guidelines
5. Pressure loss
Germany’s CM Technologies (CMT) has introduced a compact Pressure Drop Test Instrument (PDTI) designed to identify cylinder pressure leaks before they result in increased fuel consumption, costly repairs and ship downtime.
During a diesel engine’s compression process, a pressure loss can provide an early indication of deteriorating piston rings (“blow by”), cylinder liner wear or damage or leakage at air inlet and exhaust valves.
Although the initial symptoms may appear relatively minor, pressure loss can actually point to developing wear within the combustion chamber, said CMT managing director David Fuhlbrügge.
“Any loss of cylinder pressure also represents a loss of energy that would otherwise act on the piston during combustion. As a result, an engine will require more fuel to compensate for the reduced pressure and maintain the required power output,” he said.
The company said pressure drop testing should form part of routine engine condition monitoring, but the availability of a simple, purpose-specific test is limited.
“Checking whether a cylinder is losing pressure should be a standard test, but there are relatively few dedicated instruments available,” said Fuhlbrügge. “Some crews have developed their own rudimentary tests, which may work, but do not provide a uniform solution across a fleet. Customers approached us because they wanted a simple, standardised instrument capable of more consistent results.”
The PDTI works by introducing pressurised air into the combustion chamber through the engine indicator valve. Once the required pressure has been established, the system is locked and allowed to stand for a defined period. The pressure loss over a fixed time is measured.
By repeating the procedure across the engine and comparing the rate of pressure decay between individual cylinders, engineers can identify cylinders that lose pressure more rapidly than others.
These outliers may indicate leakage associated with worn or damaged piston rings, cylinder liner condition, or leaking valves.
“Acceptable pressure loss depends on the engine and its specified operating limits. However, comparing results across cylinders provides engineers with a practical means of identifying deviations and determining where further inspection may be required,” Fuhlbrügge said.
“If pressure is escaping from the combustion chamber, energy is being lost. That can contribute to higher fuel consumption because additional fuel may be required to compensate for the loss. Pressure drop testing can also indicate common problems such as piston-ring deterioration or problems with the exhaust-valve.”
The PDTI itself is manufactured using additive manufacturing, with stainless-steel powder formed layer by layer using a specialised 3D-printing process. This method allows complex internal pathways to be incorporated while maintaining the integrity of the instrument’s external structure.
“Pressure leakage is easy to overlook, but it can be an early indication that the engine is beginning to deteriorate. A simple comparison of pressure decay between cylinders will help saving fuel and give engineers useful information before it becomes a costly problem,” he said.
6. Charity appointment
IACS Secretary General Robert Ashdown has been appointed Chair of Trustees of Stella Maris UK, the official maritime charity of the Catholic Church. Ashdown, who previously served for nine years as a Stella Maris trustee, succeeds Capt. Esteban Pacha, who is stepping down after eight years as Chair of Trustees.
Ashdown’s maritime sector experience and long engagement with Stella Maris ensure continuity at board level at a time when seafarers and fishers continue to face serious pressures, including isolation, family separation, abandonment, exploitation, conflict, injury and welfare concerns. While most seafarers are resilient and well supported, Stella Maris continues to provide vital assistance to those facing crisis or vulnerability.
He has been Secretary General of the International Association of Classification Societies since May 2015. Before joining IACS, Robert served as Secretary General of the Cruise Lines International Association in Brussels, and he has also worked for the UK Chamber of Shipping as Head of its Technical Division and was Head of the British Rig Owners Association, representing owners with marine offshore units operating in the North Sea. He is also a long-standing Governor of the World Maritime University.
Ashdown said: “I am honoured to return to Stella Maris as Chair of Trustees. Having previously served on the Board, I know the charity, its mission and the dedication of its chaplains, volunteers and staff.
“Safe shipping is as much about people as vessels. Stella Maris plays a vital role in supporting the seafarers and fishers who keep the maritime world moving, particularly when they are far from home or facing crisis.
“My priority as Chair will be to ensure that Stella Maris remains well positioned to meet the increasing challenges facing seafarers and fishers, working closely with our CEO Tim and his team, the Board and the wider Stella Maris family both in the UK and abroad to ensure the charity continues to provide essential and timely support to those in need.”
Captain Pacha will continue to support Stella Maris as an Ambassador, championing the charity’s mission, raising awareness, building partnerships and helping extend support to seafarers, fishers and their families around the world.
7. Technical education
The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has welcomed the UK Prime Minister’s announcement of a major overhaul of technical education, designed to ensure that vocational learning is valued equally alongside traditional academic routes.
The reforms will introduce new technical education pathways for 14-year-olds, combining academic subjects with practical skills, employer engagement and work experience linked to local employment opportunities.
Steve Parker, Director General of BIFA, said: “For many years, our industry has been saying there should not be a hierarchy of career choices. Logistics, freight forwarding and the wider supply chain offer rewarding, well-paid careers that are essential to the UK’s economy, yet too many young people simply aren’t aware these opportunities exist.
“The Government’s commitment to value ‘the hard hat as much as the graduation cap’ is a positive step towards changing perceptions of technical and vocational careers. It aligns closely with what BIFA and its members have been working to achieve through our engagement with schools and young people.”
The freight forwarding and logistics sector supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the UK and underpins international trade. As businesses continue to face skills shortages, improving awareness of careers in the sector is vital.
BIFA has long recognised the importance of engaging with students before they make decisions about further education and careers. Through its schools outreach activities and partnerships with education providers, the association is helping students develop the knowledge and skills employers need while strengthening links between industry and education.
A key example is BIFA’s collaboration with South Hampshire College Group (SHCG), established to help develop courses that better prepare students for careers in logistics, freight forwarding and supply chain management. The partnership builds on BIFA’s 2021 campaign encouraging members to work with schools and colleges to promote careers in the sector.
The collaboration creates structured engagement between the college and freight forwarding businesses in the Solent region, enabling employers to help shape course content and engage directly with students through talks, careers events and industry insight sessions. Students gain first-hand insight into careers spanning customs, compliance, supply chain management, digital systems, sustainability and customer service.
Parker added: “By working closely with education providers such as South Hampshire College Group, we’re helping students gain a better understanding of logistics while giving employers the opportunity to influence the skills and knowledge future recruits will bring to the workplace. BIFA has started to roll out this model with The City of Bristol College and Suffolk New College, which are in areas with significant logistics activity.
“The Government’s proposals to strengthen links between schools and employers create an excellent opportunity for our sector to play an even greater role in inspiring the next generation. BIFA and its members stand ready to support that ambition.”
8. Seafarers’ protection
Trade association INTERCARGO has observed a recent increase in attacks on merchant vessels, alongside a noticeable shift towards the direct targeting of commercial shipping which it says is deeply concerning to members and to the wider industry. Seafarers keep global trade moving and are civilians doing their jobs. They should never be treated as military targets, the association says.
Merchant vessels not involved in hostilities have long been recognised as deserving protection, and attacks on them put the lives of ordinary working people at risk for reasons that have nothing to do with their jobs. INTERCARGO is calling on all governments, international institutions and parties to armed conflict to take concrete steps to end attacks on civilian merchant shipping and to protect those who crew them.
“Our members continue to move the food, fertiliser and goods that people and economies depend on. Every seafarer deserves to do that job safely and to return home.
“The seas must remain a space for trade and cooperation, not conflict. INTERCARGO stands with the wider shipping community in urging restraint, respect for international law, and renewed protection for those who keep world trade moving.”
9. Investment needed
BAR Technologies – inventor of WindWings , the wind propulsion system- says uncertainty over future fuels and regulation must not delay investment in proven technologies already reducing fuel consumption at sea.
A new study by EY Greece has warned that shipping’s transition to net zero will be uneven and capital intensive, constrained by factors including alternative fuel availability, infrastructure, shipyard capacity, access to finance and fragmented commercial incentives.
Responding to the report, BAR Technologies said that while the industry is right to plan for long-term fuel pathways, too much of the decarbonisation debate remains focused on what may become available in the future rather than what can be deployed now.
The EY study identifies energy efficiency and operational measures as among the most practical near-term actions available to shipping. BAR Technologies argues that wind propulsion, already delivering measurable fuel and emissions savings on commercial vessels, must be recognised as a proven part of that immediate response.
Wind propulsion has also passed an important market milestone. According to the International Windship Association, more than 100 large commercial cargo ships, representing over five million tonnes of deadweight capacity, are now equipped to harness wind power. That is almost five times the number recorded in May 2022, clear evidence that the technology is moving into the commercial mainstream.
John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies, said: “Shipping needs to stop treating decarbonisation as something that only begins when future fuels arrive or every detail of the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework is settled. The industry cannot allow the absence of perfect policy certainty to become an excuse for inaction. Proven technologies are available now, and owners can act today.”
Under many chartering arrangements, the owner funds the technology while the charterer receives much of the benefit through lower fuel consumption. Until charterparty structures allow the costs, risks and savings to be shared more effectively, owners can be left carrying the investment and long-term performance risk, the organisation says.
Access to finance is another significant constraint. Without competitive green lending or blended finance, owners may have to fund emissions-reduction technology at conventional commercial borrowing rates. This can lengthen the payback period, particularly in the tramp, bulk and tanker markets, where routes, earnings and charter durations are less predictable.
The EY study concludes that the pace of shipping’s transition will depend on coordination, commercial bankability, access to finance and action across the maritime value chain.
Cooper added: “But the real way to unlock action now is to make green investment affordable. Shipowners need access to financing that makes proven emissions-reduction technologies commercially viable today, not at some point in the future. If we can lower the cost of capital and create funding structures that recognise both the fuel savings and the environmental value these technologies deliver, far more owners will be able to invest.
“Wind propulsion has already passed the technology test. Affordable finance, alongside charterparty structures that share the benefits fairly, is what will unlock deployment at scale.
10. OSCAR dragon boat race
Recruitment consultants Spinnaker are organising the next boat race on the Thames in September in order to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital childrens’ charity. Teams from the shipping industry are set to compete in a boat race which has already raised millions to support the pioneering work done by the hospital.
The next OSCAR Dragon Boat Race will take place on the 10th September 2026 at the Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre in London, United Kingdom. Teams need at least 10 people willing to row and one drummer, plus bags of enthusiasm and team spirit. No training or previous rowing experience is required. Teams need to pay £650 to register a team and pledge to raise £6,500 in sponsorship
The funds raised through the OSCAR Campaign support blood, bone marrow and cellular research at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. The new treatments they and their partners in other research centres develop, save the lives of children today that only a few years ago could not be saved.
See oscar@spinnaker-global.com for more details.
11. Bunkering in Rotterdam
Bunker sales in the port of Rotterdam decreased by 25% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier. The sharpest decline was in fossil fuel oil (-28.3%). Volumes of Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO, -46%), High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HSFO, -24%) and Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (ULSFO, -31%) fell particularly steeply. On the other hand, sales of alternative fuels rose by 28%. In particular, demand for bio-LNG grew strongly. In the second quarter, the first bunkering of bio-ethanol took place in the port of Rotterdam – an important step, which demonstrates the potential of alternative fuels to aid in the reduction of CO2 emissions in shipping.
Although Rotterdam is still one of the most significant bunker ports in the world, in recent months there has been a visible shift of bunker volumes to other ports. As in the first quarter, in the second quarter of 2026 the bunkered volumes were significantly lower than in the same period last year.
A major reason for this is the implementation of the European RED III Directive in the Netherlands. Fuel suppliers must now meet additional sustainability obligations, which is driving up the cost of conventional bunker fuels compared to competing ports in the region. In addition, bunker volumes have shifted to ports outside of the ARA region (Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp-Bruges) as a result of operational changes to regulations and policy. Fluctuations in bunker prices, uncertainty within the energy market and developments in global trade routes have had an influence on the choice of bunker locations and purchasing volumes.
12. Dry bulk performance
Dry bulk carriers entered with INTERCARGO continue to demonstrate stronger performance than the global fleet average on safety and compliance, according to the Association’s 17th edition Benchmarking Report. The report highlights meaningful differences across the sector, with significant variations in inspection outcomes, operational risk and regulatory performance.
INTERCARGO-member ships recorded a Detention Rate of 1.5% in 2025, against 2.5% for the global bulk carrier fleet, and a Deficiencies per Inspection ratio of 1.62, against 2.07 globally. Both measures rose only marginally for INTERCARGO-entered ships this year, at a notably slower rate than the wider fleet, while the global fleet recorded a more pronounced deterioration, further widening the performance gap.
Alan Nugent, Nautical Affairs Manager at INTERCARGO said: “Benchmarking is a fundamental component of effective safety management enabling organisations to assess their performance against industry peers and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
“The 17th Edition of Benchmarking Bulk Carriers serves as a valuable tool for the dry bulk sector, providing insight into performance across key metrics, including Port State Control performance, and crew injury and lost-time incidents.
The Benchmarking Report draws on a range of public and commercial data sources to evaluate performance across key indicators, including Port State Control, casualty reporting and crew injury rates. Together with INTERCARGO’s wider safety initiatives, such as its annual Casualty Report and the recently launched Ship-To-Ship (STS) Transfer Guidelines, the Association seeks to strengthen safety, compliance and performance across the global dry bulk sector.
More information and access to the Benchmarking Report is available from INTERCARGO.
13. Track guidance
The use of Track Guidance Assistant for Inland Navigation (TGAIN) systems is growing across Europe’s inland waterways. The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) has published guidance to support the safe implementation and operation of TGAIN systems.
While TGAIN technology has the potential to improve steering accuracy, reduce operator workload and enhance fuel efficiency, legislation governing its use will only be active from 1 January 2028, despite reports of near misses and incidents attributed to use of the technology.
OCIMF’s guidance provides practical recommendations for owners, technical operators, equipment manufacturers and crews. It covers system design, installation, training, operating procedures, human factors and cybersecurity. It is intended to support the safe and consistent implementation of TGAIN as adoption continues to grow.
OCIMF’s Publication and Advocacy Director, Darron L. Biddle said: “Track Guidance Assistant for Inland Navigation systems are becoming more common on inland waterways, and they offer real opportunities to support safe navigation. However, deployment of new technology alone is not enough. The system should be introduced with clear procedures, appropriate training and a thorough understanding of its capabilities and limitations.”
“This guidance has been developed to help owners and operators implement TGAIN systems safely and consistently. It brings together practical recommendations that recognise the importance of human factors, ensuring technology supports the boatmaster while maintaining safe navigation,” he added.
TGAIN systems automatically steer a vessel along a predefined track using positioning, heading and rate of turn information, while allowing the boatmaster to focus more closely on the surrounding operating environment. However, the publication makes clear that these systems remain navigation aids only.
Reflecting OCIMF’s long-standing focus on human factors, the guidance reinforces that technology should support people rather than replace them. While TGAIN systems can reduce workload, safe navigation continues to depend on the boatmaster’s judgement, situational awareness and readiness to take manual control whenever required.
As technology and regulation develop, OCIMF will review and update the guidance to reflect operational experience and emerging best practice.
14. Improving injury rates
Improving injury rates are masking the continued threat of fatal accidents across the offshore marine contracting industry, according to the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) after its latest Annual Safety Statistics Report revealed fatalities more than doubled despite overall safety performance improving.
The report, based on one of the largest safety datasets in the industry’s history, covers more than 1.02 billion working hours submitted by 167 contractor members. While traditional safety indicators continued to improve during 2025, fatalities rose from three to seven (four of them offshore) prompting IMCA to warn that injury frequency rates alone no longer provide a complete picture of risk.
Although the industry’s Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) fell from 0.30 to 0.27 and the Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR) reduced from 1.10 to 0.98, IMCA says those encouraging figures cannot be viewed in isolation when workers continue to lose their lives.
Mark Holmes, Safety and Security Manager at IMCA, said: “Every fatality represents a person, a family and a workforce affected by loss. While the continued improvement in injury rates is encouraging and reflects the hard work of our Members, these figures demonstrate that serious harm risks remain present despite improving injury statistics.
“Safety performance should no longer be judged primarily by injury frequency rates, but by how effectively companies identify and control the hazards most likely to result in death or life-changing injury.”
The report argues that the offshore marine contracting industry must now place greater emphasis on preventing serious injuries and fatalities by identifying high-consequence hazards before they result in tragedy, rather than relying solely on traditional performance measures.
Alongside seven fatalities, contractor members reported 268 lost-time injuries and 996 total recordable injuries during 2025. The Fatal Accident Rate (FAR) increased from 0.30 to 0.69. Reported fatal incidents included an electrocution, a fall from height and a mooring incident involving a parted rope, while details of four additional fatalities were not provided.
One of the report’s clearest messages concerns the industry’s continuing exposure to “line of fire” incidents, which remained the leading cause of lost time injuries despite reducing from approximately 52% of cases in 2024 to around 41% in 2025.
Rather than treating line of fire as a single category, IMCA is encouraging companies to focus on the specific situations where workers are exposed to harmful energy, including lifting and rigging operations, mooring activities, suspended loads, moving equipment, dropped objects, stored energy, and hand and finger exposures.
Understanding exactly where controls fail, rather than simply classifying incidents, will be key to preventing future serious injuries.
The report also highlights a significant fall in safety observation reporting. The Safety Observation Frequency Rate (SOFR) fell by around 20%, from 482.1 to 387.1 observations per 200,000 hours worked.
IMCA says the reasons remain unclear and could include changes in reporting behaviour, participating companies or reporting systems. However, the organisation believes companies should focus less on the volume of observation cards submitted and more on whether observations generate meaningful learning, practical improvements and stronger safety conversations.
Drawing on both the statistics and its Safety Flash reports, IMCA identifies several recurring areas requiring continued attention, including line-of-fire hazards, lifting and rigging operations, dropped objects, mooring and snap-back zones, working at height, electrical safety and routine day-to-day tasks.
Many of the industry’s most serious incidents continue to occur during familiar activities rather than exceptional operations, reinforcing the importance of effective planning, supervision and risk management every day.
The findings will now directly shape IMCA’s future safety programme, with priorities including strengthening serious injury and fatality prevention, improving understanding of line-of-fire risks, investigating the decline in safety observations, encouraging wider industry participation in safety reporting, and strengthening the link between Safety Flashes, guidance and practical action.
For IMCA, collecting statistics is only worthwhile if they change behaviour. The purpose of the report is not simply to record incidents, but to help companies identify serious risks earlier, strengthen critical controls and share learning across the offshore marine contracting industry.
Mark Holmes concluded: “Some of the findings are genuinely encouraging and reflect the industry’s commitment to improving everyday safety. Others are deeply concerning and remind us that serious harm prevention must remain at the centre of everything we do.
“Every contractor, supervisor and worker has a responsibility to recognise serious risks before they become tragedies. The goal remains the same: everyone working in our industry should go home safe and well.”
Notices and Miscellany
Capital Link forum
7th Annual Capital Link Hong Kong Maritime Forum will take place on Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at the Renaissance Hong Kong Harbour View Hotel. For more information, please contact: Eleni Bej at ebej@capitallink.com or call 212.661.7566.
AIMEX
Mining is transforming at unprecedented speed and AIMEX 2027 is where the industry comes together to define what’s next.
From automation and AI to critical minerals, electrification and sustainable operations, it is the ultimate hub for the global mining community driving real change across the sector.
Between the 28-30 September, AIMEX 2027 will unite leading operators, innovators, engineers, technology providers, investors and decision-makers for unmatched connection, innovation and opportunity. For more information contact Desiré Wilton, Business Development Manager
desire.wilton@primecreative.com.au
M: +61 435 659 548
Bridge resource management
The Nautical Institute has launched Bridge Resource Management Volume 2: Voyage planning, a new technical guide designed to help bridge teams plan, execute and monitor voyages safely in an increasingly complex operating environment.
The publication, launched at Trinity House, London, earlier this month, is the second and final volume in The Nautical Institute’s Bridge Resource Management series. It complements BRM Volume 1: The human element by focusing on the technical and practical aspects of voyage planning, while keeping teamwork, communication and decision-making central to safe bridge operations.
Inland navigation
OCIMF and the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) have published the second edition, updated July 2026, of the International Safety Guide for Inland Navigation Tank-barges and Terminals (ISGINTT), making the industry reference guide available simultaneously in English, French, German, Dutch and Portuguese.
ISGINTT provides recommendations for the safe handling and transport of crude oils, petroleum products, chemicals and liquefied gases as well as guidance on the interface between inland tank-barges and other vessels or terminals. It is compatible with related international maritime guidance for seagoing vessels, such as the International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals (ISGOTT). While it is not intended to replace or amend existing legal requirements, it provides additional best-practice recommendations to support safe operations. For details see the OCIMF website.
Road freight
Davies Turner has further strengthened its European road freight network with the launch of a new UK-to-Hanover trailer groupage service, expanding its coverage across Northern Germany and providing customers with increased capacity, flexibility and connectivity.
The new service complements Davies Turner’s established daily trailer groupage departures from its Coleshill and Dartford hubs to Mönchengladbach, increasing the company’s German schedule to 12 export trailer groupage departures each week. The intention is to increase this further.
Please notify the Editor of your appointments, promotions, new office openings and other important happenings: contactus@themaritimeadvocate.com
And finally,
With thanks to Paul Dixon
Out the mouths of men…..
“I’M GOING FISHING”
Means: “I’m going to drink myself dangerously stupid, and stand by a stream with a stick in my hand, while the fish swim by in complete safety.”
“IT’S A GUY THING”
Means: “There is no rational thought pattern connected with it, and you have no chance at all of making it logical.”
“CAN I HELP WITH DINNER?”
Means: “Why isn’t dinner already on the table?”
“UH HUH,” “SURE, HONEY,” OR “YES, DEAR…”
Means: Absolutely nothing. It’s a conditioned response.
“IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO EXPLAIN”
Means: “I have no idea how it works.”
“I WAS LISTENING TO YOU. IT’S JUST THAT I HAVE THINGS ON MY MIND.”
Means: “I was wondering if that redhead over there is wearing a bra.”
“TAKE A BREAK HONEY, YOU ARE WORKING TOO HARD.”
Means: “I can’t hear the game over the vacuum cleaner.”
“THAT’S INTERESTING, DEAR.”
Means: “Are you still talking?”
“YOU KNOW HOW BAD MY MEMORY IS.”
Means: “I remember the theme song to ‘F Troop’, the address of the first girl I ever kissed, and the vehicle identification numbers of every car I’ve ever owned, but I forgot your birthday.”
“I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT YOU, AND GOT YOU THESE ROSES.”
Means: “The girl selling them on the corner was a real babe.”
“OH, DON’T FUSS, I JUST CUT MYSELF, IT’S NO BIG DEAL.”
Means: “I have actually severed a limb, but will bleed to death before I admit that I am hurt.”
“HEY, I’VE GOT MY REASONS FOR WHAT I’M DOING.”
Means: “And I sure hope I think of some pretty good reasons soon.”
“I CAN’T FIND IT.”
Means: “It didn’t fall into my outstretched hands, so I’m completely clueless.”
“WHAT DID I DO THIS TIME?”
Means: “What did you catch me at?”
“I HEARD YOU.”
Means: “I haven’t the foggiest clue what you just said, and am hoping desperately that I can fake it well enough so that you don’t spend the next 3 days yelling at me.”
“YOU KNOW I COULD NEVER LOVE ANYONE ELSE”
Means: “I am used to the way you yell at me, and realize it could be worse.”
“YOU LOOK TERRIFIC.”
Means: “”Please don’t try on one more outfit, I’m starving.”
“I’M NOT LOST. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE.”
Means: “No one will ever see us alive again.”