Transportation Safety Board of Canada
www.bst-tsb.gc.ca
MARINE STATISTICS - 2004
TSB Statistical Summary Marine Occurrences 2004
FOREWORD
This document provides users of Canadian maritime safety data with an annual summary of selected statistics on marine occurrences. It covers commercial vessels, which include all vessels registered or licensed to operate commercially. Pleasure craft occurrences are not normally included unless they also involve a commercial vessel.
Users of these statistics are advised that, in a live database, the occurrence data are constantly being updated. Consequently, the statistics can change slightly over time. Further, as many occurrences are not formally investigated, information recorded on some occurrences may not have been verified. Therefore, caution should be used when using these statistics. The 2004 statistics presented here reflect the TSB database updated as of 30 March 2005.
To enhance awareness and increase the safety value of the material presented in the TSB Statistical Summary, Marine Occurrences 2004, readers are encouraged to copy or reprint the data presented, in whole or in part, for further distribution (with acknowledgements of the source).
The TSB is an independent agency operating under its own Act of Parliament. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety.
Comments on this document can be forwarded to the following address:
Transportation Safety Board of Canada
Communications Division
Place du Centre
200 Promenade du Portage
4th Floor
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 1K8
Telephone: (819) 994-3741
Facsimile: (819) 997-2239
E-mail: communications@bst-tsb.gc.ca
© Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada 2005
Cat. No. TU1-1/2004
ISBN 0-662-68998-4
MARINE OCCURRENCES IN 2004
ACCIDENTS
Overview of Accidents and Casualties (Tables 1 and 8)
In 2004, 491 marine accidents were reported to the TSB, down from the 2003 total of 547 and the 1999-2003 average of 536. Over the past 10 years, 90% of marine accidents have been shipping accidents, while the remainder were accidents aboard ship (see Appendix B - Definitions).
Shipping accidents reached a 29-year low of 441 in 2004, an 8% decrease from the 2003 total of 481 and a 7% decrease from the 1999-2003 average of 475. Statistical analysis using linear regression indicates that there has been a significant downward trend1 in the number of shipping accidents since 1995 (p<.01) (Figure 1). In 2004, there were 50 accidents aboard ship, down from 66 in 2003 and the 1999-2003 average of 61. The majority of accidents aboard ship occurred on fishing (52%) and cargo/bulk carrier/OBO2 (28%) vessels.
Marine-related fatalities totalled 28 in 2004 (Figure 2), up from 17 in 2003 but equal to the 1999-2003 average. This increase consisted mainly of a rise in shipping accident fatalities, which totalled 22 in 2004, up from a 29-year low of 9 in 2003 and the five-year average of 15. In all, 13 of these 22 fatalities resulted from fishing vessel accidents, 3 of which resulted in multiple fatalities. Injuries in 2004 numbered 81, down slightly from the 1999-2003 annual average of 84. Of these 81 injuries, 48 were serious and all but 4 were the result of accidents aboard ship.
Shipping Accidents
Type of Accidents (Table 1): As illustrated in Figure 3, the most frequent types of shipping accidents in 2004 were groundings (24%) and strikings (18%). Collisions, founderings/sinkings, fires/explosions and groundings showed a decrease from the five-year average, while capsizings and ice damage showed a considerable increase.
Type of Vessels (Table 1): In 2004, there were 26 913 fishing vessels in Canada, representing 73% of all registered vessels excluding pleasure crafts (source: Transport Canada). Since 1995, approximately 50% of the vessels involved in shipping accidents have been fishing vessels. In 2004, there were 227 fishing vessels involved in shipping accidents (Figure 4), which represents a 13% decrease from the 2003 total of 260 and a 10% decrease from the 1999-2003 average of 252. After fishing vessels, tugs/barges (14%) and bulk carriers/OBO vessels (11%) were involved most often in shipping accidents. In 2004, there were 7 tankers involved in accidents, which represents a 53% decrease compared to 2003, and a 45% decrease from the five-year average of 13.
Geographical Region (Tables 2a and 2b): In 2004, over two-thirds of shipping accidents occurred in three of the seven geographical regions (Figure 5): the Western region (28%), the Maritimes region (23%) and the Newfoundland region (17%). Fishing vessel accidents dominated the accident record in these coastal waters. Compared to the 1999-2003 average, fishing vessels involved in shipping accidents showed a decrease in both the Western and Maritimes regions, reaching a 29-year low of 65 in the Western region. This decrease in the Western region may be due in part to a decline in the commercial fishing fleet in the Pacific region.3 The number of fishing vessels involved in shipping accidents in the Newfoundland region (64) is comparable to the 1999-2003 average (62).
The Laurentian and Central regions accounted for 14% and 13% of shipping accidents respectively; within narrower waterways, accidents most often involved larger commercial vessels such as cargo/bulk carrier/OBO vessels and tankers. The remaining 5% of shipping accidents took place in foreign waters or in the Arctic region.
Vessel Flag (Tables 1, 3 and 4): In 2004, 89% of vessels involved in shipping accidents reported to the TSB were Canadian-flag vessels. In all, 53% of these were fishing vessels, 35% were commercial non-fishing vessels and the remaining 11% were non-commercial/pleasure craft or service vessels (Figure 6).
Over the past 10 years, Canadian-flag fishing vessels were involved mostly in groundings (30%), floodings (22%) or fires/explosions (13%). For the same period, Canadian-flag commercial non-fishing vessels were mostly involved in strikings (31%), groundings (22%) or fires/explosions (11%). Marine activity for Canadian commercial non-fishing vessels increased by 8% from the 1999-2003 average, resulting in a 3% decrease in the accident rate from 3.1 to 3.0 accidents per 1000 movements.
In 2004, 53 foreign-flag vessels were involved in shipping accidents in Canadian waters, 87% of which were commercial non-fishing vessels involved mainly in strikings (54%) or groundings (11%). Although marine activity for foreign commercial non-fishing vessels remained relatively unchanged compared to the 1999-2003 average, accidents decreased, yielding a 25% reduction in the accident rate from 1.9 to 1.4 accidents per 1000 movements.
Vessels Lost (Tables 1 and 6): In 2004, 21 vessels were reported lost, down from 38 in 2003 and the 1999-2003 average of 41. Of the vessels lost in 2004, 1 was a commercial non-fishing vessel and 18 were fishing vessels. Approximately half of vessels lost in 2004 were 15 tons or less in gross tonnage (grt),4 and 14% were 30 years old or more. During the past 10 years, small fishing vessels (less than 15 grt) have accounted for the largest proportion of vessels lost in Canada.
INCIDENTS
Overview of Incidents (Tables 1, 2a and 2b)
Pursuant to mandatory reporting requirements, 247 marine incidents were reported to the TSB in 2004, up from the 2003 total of 223 and the 1999-2003 average of 212. The majority of reportable incidents consisted of engine/rudder/propeller failures and close-quarters situations. The Western and Laurentian regions had the majority of close-quarters situations (49% and 33% respectively) and engine/rudder/propeller incidents (42% and 29% respectively).
Vessels most often involved in close-quarters situations over the past five years were non-commercial (26%) and fishing (19%) vessels. In the majority of these incidents, the other vessels involved were cargo/bulk carrier/OBO vessels, ferries, tugs and passenger vessels.
In 2004, West Coast incidents represented 40% of all marine incidents, slightly lower than the 1999-2003 proportion of 44%. The proportion of marine incidents that took place in other regions was as follows: Laurentian 27%, the Maritimes 11%, Central 10% and Newfoundland 8%. The remaining 4% of reported incidents took place in foreign waters or in the Arctic region.
