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Foreword

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This document is a summary of selected 2015 marine safety data. 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.

The TSB gathers and uses this data during the course of its investigations to analyse safety deficiencies and identify risks in the Canadian transportation system.

The 2015 data were collected according to the reporting requirements described in the TSB Regulations in force during that calendar year. 

The statistics presented here reflect the TSB database at 12 April 2016. Since the occurrence data are constantly being updated in the live database, the statistics may change slightly over time.

Because many occurrences are not formally investigated, information recorded on some occurrences may not have been verified. Consequently, be cautious in using these statistics.

The following series of data tables are also associated with this annual summary:

Table of contents

Foreword
  1. Foreword
  2. Accidents
  3. Incidents
  4. Appendices
Table 1. Marine occurrences (types, vessels and losses involved) 2006-2015
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Accidents 379 407 382 358 337 295 267 299 301 245
Shipping accidents by type 327 331 313 301 274 254 215 238 249 210
Capsize 18 11 15 9 8 2 6 8 3 10
Collision 93 84 95 81 65 87 77 79 88 55
Fire/Explosion 53 48 62 50 53 50 34 31 29 33
Grounding 114 95 73 110 102 73 69 62 61 58
Sank 23 21 31 20 20 10 10 14 26 16
Sustains damage render unseaworthy/
Unfit for purpose
25 65 35 29 24 28 16 43 41 36
Other shipping accident types 1 7 2 2 2 4 3 1 1 2
Accidents aboard ship 52 76 69 57 63 41 52 61 52 35
Vessels involved in shipping accidents by type of vessel 368 371 361 337 297 294 239 276 281 235
Barge 31 28 22 28 17 20 5 19 12 10
Cargo - liquid 14 7 6 11 12 10 6 7 14 12
Cargo - solid 81 75 67 63 62 57 63 60 68 37
Ferry 26 24 29 26 19 23 18 13 20 18
Fishing 131 133 143 118 111 99 82 88 92 81
Passenger 15 20 11 17 14 16 15 15 13 17
Service ship 27 34 28 38 29 25 20 36 21 26
Tug 23 38 34 18 19 24 25 26 22 19
Other vessel types 20 12 21 18 14 20 5 12 19 15
Vessels involved in shipping accidents by vessel flag 368 371 361 337 297 294 239 276 281 235
Canadian non-fishing vessels 173 185 177 165 138 153 110 148 147 123
Canadian fishing vessels 123 127 142 115 109 95 78 86 92 80
Foreign vessels 72 59 42 57 50 46 51 42 42 32
Vessels lost by gross tonnage 32 29 32 26 27 22 23 20 20 23
1600 gross tons and over 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
150 to 1599 gross tons 2 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 2
60 to 149 gross tons 5 8 3 4 4 2 3 4 4 6
15 to 59 gross tons 6 8 14 7 10 9 8 6 4 6
Less than 15 gross tons 13 9 10 6 8 10 9 6 8 8
Unknown tonnage 4 3 3 6 5 1 2 3 3 1
Fatalities 18 15 30 15 18 16 14 18 12 19
Shipping accidents 12 3 21 7 11 3 5 10 4 13
Accidents aboard ship 6 12 9 8 7 13 9 8 8 6
Serious injuries 56 65 60 54 75 32 48 49 46 42
Shipping accidents 7 4 4 5 5 2 6 0 1 12
Accidents aboard ship 49 61 56 49 70 30 42 49 45 30
Occurrences with a dangerous good release* 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5
Reportable incidents by type 306 296 285 249 224 216 270 734 747 707
Bottom contact 21 24 23 14 13 14 21 19 24 36
Cargo shift/Cargo loss 4 2 6 6 3 2 5 2 1 4
Person overboard 10 15 9 7 9 4 5 10 7 13
Risk of collision (near collision) 39 30 25 28 33 38 37 63 35 30
Risk of sinking 46 49 46 33 24 24 25 26 0 10
Total failure of any machinery or technical system** 178 147 161 150 135 120 156 603 676 589
Other incident types 8 29 15 11 7 14 21 11 4 25
Data extracted April 12, 2016
In November 2013, the Transportation Safety Board developed and deployed a new Marine Database. The new database significantly improves the TSB's ability to collect, categorize and present statistics. In accordance with these changes the 2014 statistical summary onward will be presented in a slightly different format.
New TSB regulations came into effect on July 1, 2014, changing some reporting requirements.
* Under new reporting requirements the release of dangerous goods has been harmonized with Part 8 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations. Detailed data was not collected prior to July 1, 2014.
** New regulations clarify the reporting requirements for a total failure of any machinery or techinical system.
Table 2. Details of occurrences, losses and vessels involved by region
(Western, Central, Laurentian and Maritimes regions) 2006-2015
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Pacific region                    
Shipping accidents 112 101 103 106 87 88 75 88 95 87
Accidents aboard ship 15 21 14 22 15 11 18 21 23 13
Vessels involved in shipping accidents 131 115 124 120 95 103 85 108 108 101
Barge/Tug 34 35 39 25 20 25 16 29 23 23
Cargo / Tanker 11 5 11 13 5 5 12 8 15 6
Ferry/Passenger 26 14 16 15 8 13 10 10 10 15
Fishing 42 39 48 45 43 38 29 30 36 33
Other vessel types 18 22 10 22 19 22 18 31 24 24
Vessels lost 12 11 10 8 6 3 6 3 9 12
Fatalities 6 8 9 6 6 6 4 2 5 12
Reportable incidents 97 69 148 115 113 102 118 150 149 261
Central region                    
Shipping accidents 101 119 87 105 98 81 74 73 74 64
Accidents aboard ship 19 33 34 18 31 16 19 25 17 10
Vessels involved in shipping accidents 111 137 97 119 106 95 79 85 85 71
Barge/Tug 13 27 12 17 11 12 9 14 8 6
Cargo / Tanker 64 61 50 52 55 46 46 40 55 35
Ferry/Passenger 9 24 9 11 18 14 14 13 14 13
Fishing 12 11 9 17 10 11 6 7 3 6
Other vessel types 13 14 17 22 12 12 4 11 5 11
Vessels lost 3 2 1 5 2 2 1 4 2 2
Fatalities 3 2 4 3 3 1 3 5 2 2
Reportable incidents 101 121 85 82 67 74 107 149 137 116
Atlantic region                    
Shipping accidents 104 99 114 86 80 78 56 62 72 54
Accidents aboard ship 16 15 17 16 13 14 14 12 12 12
Vessels involved in shipping accidents 113 105 128 94 86 88 64 67 80 57
Barge/Tug 4 1 1 4 4 6 5 2 3 0
Cargo / Tanker 12 6 5 6 6 11 3 6 6 2
Ferry/Passenger 6 5 15 17 7 12 9 4 9 7
Fishing 75 83 86 56 58 50 45 49 52 42
Other vessel types 16 10 21 11 11 9 2 6 10 6
Vessels lost 17 16 21 12 18 17 15 12 9 9
Fatalities 9 5 15 6 8 9 6 11 5 5
Reportable incidents 99 97 46 44 38 36 40 429 450 318
Foreign waters                    
Shipping accidents 10 12 9 4 9 7 10 15 8 5
Accidents aboard ship 2 7 4 1 4 0 1 3 0 0
Vessels involved in shipping accidents 13 14 12 4 10 8 11 16 8 6
Barge/Tug 3 3 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
Cargo / Tanker 8 10 7 3 8 5 8 13 6 6
Ferry/Passenger 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Fishing 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 0
Other vessel types 0 0 1 1 1 2 1 0 1 0
Vessels lost 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0
Fatalities 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
Reportable incidents 9 9 6 8 6 4 5 6 11 12
Data extracted April 12, 2016
In November 2013, the Transportation Safety Board developed and deployed a new Marine Database. The new database significantly improves the TSB's ability to collect, categorize and present statistics. In accordance with these changes the 2014 statistical summary onward will be presented in a slightly different format.
New TSB regulations came into effect on July 1, 2014, changing some reporting requirements.
Table 3. Canadian-flag vessels involved in shipping accidents by vessel category and type of accident
(including commercial accident rates) 2006-2015
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Canadian-flag vessels involved 296 312 319 280 247 248 188 234 239 203
Commercial vessels 126 141 134 112 99 110 86 102 108 83
Capsize 8 7 6 3 5 1 2 0 0 3
Collision 55 59 61 41 35 56 43 46 54 34
Fire/Explosion 17 15 21 12 13 18 9 12 12 11
Grounding 37 28 25 34 31 17 22 28 16 14
Sank 5 9 7 12 5 3 1 3 6 10
Sustains damage render unseaworthy/
Unfit for purpose
4 22 14 10 10 15 9 13 20 11
Other shipping accident types 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Commercial movements (a) 39,373 34,436 29,717 24,871 25,539 28,269 29,000 28,700 29,100 28,550
Commercial accident rate (b) 3.2 4.1 4.5 4.5 3.9 3.9 3.0 3.6 3.7 2.9
Fishing vessels 123 127 142 115 109 95 78 86 92 80
Capsize 7 3 5 4 1 1 3 6 1 5
Collision 17 18 29 14 10 16 12 12 15 6
Fire/Explosion 22 22 34 27 28 24 19 12 10 14
Grounding 49 48 37 56 50 43 33 30 32 33
Sank 14 10 18 6 14 6 9 9 19 9
Sustains damage render unseaworthy/
Unfit for purpose
13 20 17 7 4 1 0 16 14 11
Other shipping accident types 1 6 2 1 2 4 2 1 1 2
Active fishing vessels (c) 16,472 16,514 15,800 15,050 14,167 14,217 13,871 13,555 13,307 13,953
Fishing vessel accident rate (d) 7.5 7.7 9.0 7.6 7.7 6.7 5.6 6.3 6.9 5.7
Other vessels 47 44 43 53 39 43 24 46 39 40
Capsize 3 1 3 2 2 0 1 2 2 2
Collision 23 17 20 25 20 25 10 26 18 24
Fire/Explosion 8 7 5 7 6 6 4 3 7 3
Grounding 9 11 7 15 8 7 6 10 8 7
Sank 4 4 6 2 1 1 0 2 2 0
Sustains damage render unseaworthy/
Unfit for purpose
0 4 2 1 2 4 3 3 2 4
Other shipping accident types 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Data extracted April 12, 2016
a. Based on data from Transport Canada. 2012 to 2014 data are estimated.
b. The commercial accident rate is the number of Canadian-flag commercial vessels of 15 gross tons or more (excluding passenger vessels and fishing vessels) involved in shipping accidents per 1000 vessel movements.
c. Commercial fishing vessels landing a catch (Source: DFO).
d. The fishing vessel accident rate is the number of Canadian-flag commercial fishing vessels of 15 gross tons or more involved in shipping accidents per 1000 active fishing vessels.
Table 4. Foreign-flag vessels involved in shipping accidents by vessel category and type of accident
(including commercial accident rates) 2006-2015
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Foreign-flag vessels involved 72 59 42 57 50 46 51 42 42 32
Commercial vessels 64 51 35 51 44 40 46 38 41 30
Capsize 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Collision 29 19 22 26 18 23 28 19 29 11
Fire/Explosion 6 5 3 3 5 3 3 5 0 5
Grounding 21 8 7 8 13 6 10 2 7 4
Sank 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Sustains damage render unseaworthy/
Unfit for purpose
8 19 2 14 8 8 5 11 5 10
Other shipping accident types 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Commercial movements (a) 30,959 30,644 28,015 23,720 26,029 25,669 26,300 26,600 26,500 26,300
Commercial accident rate (b) 2.1 1.7 1.2 2.2 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.4 1.5 1.1
Fishing vessels 8 6 1 3 2 4 4 2 0 1
Capsize 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Collision 3 2 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 0
Fire/Explosion 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Grounding 4 4 0 3 2 3 1 0 0 1
Sank 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sustains damage render unseaworthy/
Unfit for purpose
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other shipping accident types 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Other vessels 0 2 6 3 4 2 1 2 1 1
Capsize 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Collision 0 1 5 2 3 2 1 2 1 1
Fire/Explosion 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Grounding 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sank 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sustains damage render unseaworthy/
Unfit for purpose
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other shipping accident types 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
a. Based on data from Transport Canada. 2012 to 2014 data are estimated.
b. The accident rate is the number of foreign-flag commercial vessels of 15 gross tons or more excluding passenger vessels and fishing vessels) involved in shipping accidents per 1000 vessel movements.
Table 5. Vessels lost by vessel category and age 2006-2015
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
All vessels 32 29 32 26 27 22 23 20 20 23
0-4 years 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1
5-9 years 4 1 5 2 5 1 1 1 0 0
10-14 years 2 3 1 4 1 1 2 3 0 2
15-19 years 3 2 2 0 2 3 5 2 2 1
20-24 years 3 3 6 4 6 4 3 2 1 1
25-29 years 1 4 2 2 2 4 3 2 5 5
30+ years 11 10 9 7 4 7 5 5 4 10
Unknown 6 5 7 7 6 2 3 5 8 3
Commercial vessels 7 6 4 8 1 1 1 1 2 8
0-4 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5-9 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10-14 years 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
15-19 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20-24 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
25-29 years 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2
30+ years 5 5 3 3 0 1 1 1 1 4
Unknown 2 1 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 1
Fishing vessels 23 20 25 15 23 21 22 17 17 15
0-4 years 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1
5-9 years 4 1 5 2 5 1 1 1 0 0
10-14 years 2 3 1 3 1 1 2 3 0 2
15-19 years 3 2 2 0 2 3 5 2 2 1
20-24 years 3 3 4 4 6 4 3 2 1 0
25-29 years 1 4 1 2 1 4 3 2 4 3
30+ years 5 4 6 4 4 6 4 2 3 6
Unknown 3 2 6 0 3 2 3 5 7 2
Other vessels 2 3 3 3 3 0 0 2 1 0
0-4 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5-9 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10-14 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15-19 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20-24 years 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25-29 years 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
30+ years 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
Unknown 1 2 1 3 2 0 0 0 1 0
Data extracted April 12, 2016
Table 6. Accidents, fatalities and serious injuries by accidents type 2006-2015
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Shipping accidents with fatalities or serious injuries 14 4 14 9 7 4 7 4 4 7
Capsize 6 2 8 1 1 0 3 2 0 2
Collision 1 1 0 4 3 1 1 0 1 2
Fire/Explosion 4 0 1 0 0 2 3 1 0 1
Grounding 2 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
Sank 1 1 4 3 1 0 0 0 3 1
Sustains damage render unseaworthy/
Unfit for purpose
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other shipping accident types 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
Shipping accidents fatalities (a) 12 3 21 7 11 3 5 10 4 13
Capsize 6 2 15 2 4 0 3 6 0 9
Collision 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1
Fire/Explosion 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0
Grounding 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 0
Sank 1 0 6 4 1 0 0 0 4 3
Sustains damage render unseaworthy/
Unfit for purpose
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other shipping accident types 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0
Shipping accidents serious injuries 7 4 4 5 5 2 6 0 1 12
Capsize 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
Collision 1 2 0 5 5 1 0 0 1 9
Fire/Explosion 5 0 2 0 0 1 3 0 0 1
Grounding 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Sank 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sustains damage render unseaworthy/
Unfit for purpose
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other shipping accident types 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Accidents aboard ship 52 76 69 57 63 41 52 61 52 35
Accidents aboard ship fatalities (a) 6 12 9 8 7 13 9 8 8 6
Boarding, being on board,
falling overboard from the ship
5 7 3 6 4 13 3 3 5 6
In contact with any part of the ship or its contents 1 5 6 2 3 0 6 5 3 0
Accidents aboard ship serious injuries 49 61 56 49 70 30 42 49 45 30
Boarding, being on board,
falling overboard from the ship
2 6 5 4 2 3 2 6 10 5
In contact with any part of the ship or its contents 47 55 51 45 68 27 40 43 35 25
Data extracted April 12, 2016
a. Fatalities includes missing persons.
Table 7. Vessels, fatalities and serious injuries by vessel type 2006-2015
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Vessels involved in shipping accidents with fatalities or serious injuries 14 4 14 9 7 4 7 4 4 7
Barge/Tug 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
Cargo 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Ferry/Passenger 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 2
Fishing 9 1 6 5 4 3 4 4 3 3
Other 1 2 3 3 2 1 1 0 0 2
Shipping accident fatalities (a) 12 3 21 7 11 3 5 10 4 13
Barge/Tug 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Cargo 1 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Ferry/Passenger 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 6
Fishing 8 1 10 7 7 2 2 10 2 6
Other 1 1 4 0 0 1 2 0 0 1
Shipping accident serious injuries 7 3 4 5 5 2 6 0 1 12
Barge/Tug 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Cargo 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ferry/Passenger 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 2
Fishing 4 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 1 1
Other 0 3 0 4 4 1 2 0 0 9
Vessels involved in accidents aboard ship 53 77 71 58 64 41 53 61 52 35
Barge/Tug 4 8 9 6 5 4 1 3 4 0
Cargo 19 25 22 16 22 13 23 17 21 5
Ferry/Passenger 3 8 8 8 8 6 3 7 5 8
Fishing 22 24 17 20 17 17 21 25 18 21
Other 5 12 15 8 12 1 5 9 4 1
Accident aboard ship fatalities (a) 6 12 9 8 7 13 9 8 8 6
Barge/Tug 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0
Cargo 3 2 3 0 1 1 2 2 1 0
Ferry/Passenger 0 0 0 1 2 1 1 0 0 1
Fishing 2 6 4 4 4 10 6 5 6 5
Other 0 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0
Accident aboard ship serious injuries 49 61 56 49 70 30 42 49 42 30
Barge/Tug 3 7 6 4 5 3 0 2 4 0
Cargo 17 19 18 16 36 12 21 12 18 5
Ferry/Passenger 4 7 8 6 5 6 2 7 5 7
Fishing 20 18 12 16 13 8 15 19 12 17
Other 5 10 12 7 11 1 4 9 3 1
Data extracted April 12, 2016
a. Fatalities includes missing persons.