Transportation Safety Board
Symbol of the Government of Canada

 MARINE STATISTICS - 2005

Table of Contents | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

TSB Statistical Summary Marine Occurrences 2005

Appendix B - Definitions

The following definitions apply to marine occurrences that are required to be reported pursuant to the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and the associated Regulations.

Marine Occurrence

  1. any accident or incident associated with the operation of a ship4 and
  2. any situation or condition that the Board has reasonable grounds to believe could, if left unattended, induce an accident or incident described in paragraph (a).

The Act applies:

  1. in Canada; and
  2. in any other place, including waters described in (c), if
    1. Canada is requested to investigate the marine occurrence by an appropriate authority,
    2. the marine occurrence involves a ship registered or licensed in Canada, or
    3. a competent witness to, or person having information concerning a matter that may have contributed to, the marine occurrence arrives or is found at any place in Canada.
  3. This Act also applies in respect of marine occurrences related to an activity concerning the exploration or exploitation of the continental shelf.

Reportable Marine Accident

An accident resulting directly from the operation of a ship other than a pleasure craft,5 where:

  1. a person sustains a serious injury or is killed as a result of:
    1. being on board the ship or falling overboard from the ship, or
    2. coming into contact with any part of the ship or its contents, or
  2. the ship:
    1. sinks, founders or capsizes,
    2. is involved in a collision (which includes collisions, strikings and contacts),
    3. sustains a fire or an explosion,
    4. goes aground,
    5. sustains damage that affects its seaworthiness or renders it unfit for its purpose, or
    6. is missing or abandoned.

For statistical purposes, accidents defined in paragraph (a) are classified as "Accidents Aboard Ship" and accidents defined in paragraph (b) are classified as "Shipping Accidents."

Reportable Marine Incident

An incident resulting directly from the operation of a ship, other than a pleasure craft, where:

  1. a person falls overboard from the ship;
  2. the ship, of 100 gross tons or more, unintentionally makes contact with the bottom without going aground;
  3. the ship fouls a utility cable or pipe, or underwater pipeline;
  4. the ship is involved in a risk of collision;
  5. the ship sustains a total failure of any machinery;
  6. the ship sustains a shifting of cargo or a loss of cargo overboard;
  7. the ship is intentionally grounded or beached to avoid an accident;
  8. any crew member whose duties are directly related to the safe operation of the ship is unable to perform the crew member's duties as a result of a physical incapacitation that poses a threat to the safety of any person, property or the environment; or
  9. any dangerous goods are released on board or from the ship.

Vessels Covered

This report covers commercial vessels that include all vessels either registered or licensed to operate commercially. Pleasure craft occurrences are not normally included unless they also involved a commercial vessel.

Vessel Categories

  • Commercial vessels: include cargo vessels, ferries, tankers, passenger vessels, tugs and barges.
  • Fishing vessels: include vessels involved in commercial fishing.
  • Other vessels: include research vessels, oil exploration, exploitation and support vessels, government vessels and pleasure craft.

Type of Vessel

Cargo: Ship designed for the carriage of various types and forms of cargo and the combined carriage of general cargo and passengers with 12 or less fare-paying passengers.

Bulk carrier: Ships specifically designed for bulk carriage of ore or other dry cargo.

OBO (oil/bulk/ore carrier): Ships specifically designed for bulk carriage of ore with additional facilities for alternative, but not simultaneous, carriage of oil or loose dry cargo.

Tanker: Propelled ships designed and constructed for the bulk carriage of liquids.

Tug: Vessels designed for the towing and pushing of ships or other floating structures. Additional activity may include salvage, firefighting and work duties of a general nature.

Barge: Vessels designed as non-propelled units for the carriage of cargo in holds or in tanks or weather deck cargo space only for the carriage of non-perishable cargo, or specially outfitted for specific operations.

Ferry: Ships that follow a regular scheduled service of relatively short duration, designed for the carriage of passengers and vehicles. There is usually no cabin accommodation for passengers or not all passengers are accommodated in cabins where cabins are provided.

Passenger: Vessels designed for the carriage of passengers.

Fishing: Vessels designed for fishing operations and support.

Service: Vessels designed for supporting marine transportation such as icebreakers, buoy tenders, Search and Rescue vessels, pilot boats and fireboats.

Non-commercial: Vessels designed to conduct non-commercial activities such as pleasure craft, seaplanes and naval vessels.

Other: Vessels designed for other functions such as laying and repair of sea-bed cables, dredging, training, patrolling as well as ships and platforms designed for the extraction, processing, and storage of oil/gas from offshore wells; ships designed for the carriage of stores and cargo to offshore installations; ships outfitted for support activities related to offshore oil and gas exploration; and vessels designed for research work such as seismic research, oceanic and hydrographic survey.

Type of Accident

Collision: An impact between two or more vessels under way.

Capsizing: To turn over.

Foundering: To fill from above the waterline and sink.

Sinking: To become submerged from water intake below the waterline and settle to the bottom.

Fire: Where a fire is the first event reported.

Explosion: Where an explosion is the first event reported.

Grounding: To touch bottom and remain stranded.

Striking: A hard impact with a stationary object or a vessel not under way.

Ice damage: Damage sustained as a consequence of contact with ice.

Propeller damage: Damage to a vessel propeller, propeller portion or propeller adjoining parts affecting a vessel's seaworthiness or rendering the vessel unfit for its purpose.

Rudder damage: Damage to a vessel rudder or rudder adjoining parts affecting a vessel's seaworthiness or rendering the vessel unfit for its purpose.

Structural damage: Hull damage, such as cracks and fractures, sustained by a vessel affecting its seaworthiness or rendering the vessel unfit for its purpose.

Flooding: To fill a compartment below the waterline with water admitted from the sea.

Other: Vessels lost or damaged for other reasons, including contact defined as a lateral/light impact with another vessel or an object (i.e. bottom contact affecting a vessel's seaworthiness or rendering the vessel unfit for its purpose).

Miscellaneous

Gross tons (grt): A measure of vessel capacity in cubic feet of the spaces within the hull, and of enclosed spaces above deck available for cargo, stores, fuel, passengers and crew, with certain exclusions. One hundred cubic feet is equivalent to one gross ton.

Movement: A vessel's travel segment between ports with at least one port being a domestic port.

Under way: Vessel not at anchor or made fast to shore or aground.

Appendix C - Regional Limits

Appendix C - Regional Limits

Previous | Table of Contents


1. It is agreed by convention that, for a result to be considered statistically significant, its probability must be lower than 1 in 20 (i.e. p<.05).

2. Oil/bulk/ore carrier (OBO), see Appendix B

3. The majority of vessels classified under unknown tonnage were vessels of 15 tons or less in gross tonnage.

4. Ship includes:

  1. every description of vessel, boat or craft designed, used or capable of being used solely or partly for marine navigation without regard to method or lack of propulsion, and
  2. a dynamically supported craft.

5. Pleasure craft means a ship that is used for pleasure or recreation and does not carry goods or passengers for hire or reward.