Statistical summary: Marine transportation occurrences in 2017

Foreword

This document is a summary of selected 2017 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.

It should be noted that certain characteristics of the data constrain statistical analysis and identification of emerging trends. These include the small totals of accidents and incidents, the large variability in the data from year to year, changes to regulations and definitions, and missing or incomplete accident/ incident reports. The reader is cautioned to keep these limitations in mind when viewing this summary to avoid drawing conclusions that cannot be supported by statistical analysis.

The 2017 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 11 February 2018. Since the occurrence data are constantly being updated in the live database, the statistics may change slightly over time.

Also, as many occurrences are not formally investigated, information recorded on some occurrences may not have been verified.

Accidents

Overview of accidents and casualties

In 2017, 278 marine accidents^{Footnote 1} were reported to the TSB (Figure 1), down from the 2016 total of 307, and below the 10-year (2007–2016) average of 320. In 2017, and over the past 10 years, the proportion of shipping accidents vs. accidents aboard ship has remained relatively constant, at approximately 83%.

There were 233 shipping accidents in 2017, down 12% from the 2016 total of 264 and from the 2007–2016 average of 265.  The majority of shipping accidents involved fishing vessels (33%), followed by service ships (14%) and solid cargo vessels (15%).

In 2017, there were 45 accidents aboard ship, up from 43 in 2016 but down from the 2007–2016 average of 55. The majority of accidents aboard ship occurred on cargo vessels (40%) and fishing vessels (31%).

Marine fatalities totalled 11 in 2017 (Figure 2): 4 were the result of 3 shipping accidents, while the remaining 7 fatalities resulted from 7 accidents aboard ship. This total is up from the 7 fatalities reported in 2016, but below the annual average of 16 in the period 2007 to 2016. One of the 4 shipping accident fatalities resulted from an accident involving a fishing vessel, 2 resulted from an accident involving a sport fishing vessel (ferry/passenger) and 1 resulted from an accident involving a workboat. Two of the 7 fatal accidents aboard ship occurred aboard fishing vessels, resulting in 3 fatalities. The total of 3 fishing vessel fatalities in 2017 was below the annual average of 10 in the period 2007 to 2016.

Serious injuries in 2017 totalled 46, down from 48 in 2016 and down from the annual average of 52 in 2007 to 2016. Thirty-nine of the 46 serious injuries (85%) resulted from accidents aboard ship.

Type of accident (Table 1)

As illustrated in Figure 3, the most frequent types of shipping accidents in 2017 were Collision (38%), Grounding (22%), Fire/Explosion (14%), and Unfit (sustains damage rendering unseaworthy/unfit for purpose accidents) (13%). The total number of collisions (89) was 11% more than the prior 10-year average of 80, while the number of groundings (52) was 32% below the 10-year average. The number of Unfit accidents (31) was 11% below the 10-year average, as was the number of Fire/explosion accidents (33) .

Type of vessel (Table 1)

Eighty-eight fishing vessels (33% of all vessels involved in shipping accidents) were involved in shipping accidents (Figure 4), down from 91 in 2016 and down from the 2007–2016 average of 104.

Geographical region^{Footnote 2} (Table 2)

In 2017, 48% of shipping accidents (Figure 5) occurred in the Pacific region, 25% in the Central region, 24% in the Atlantic region, and the remaining 3% of shipping accidents took place in foreign waters. In the Pacific region in 2017, shipping accidents were 14% above the 2007–2016 average, in the Central region shipping accidents were 29% below the 2007–2016 average, and in the Atlantic region shipping accidents were 25% below the 2007–2016 average.

Thirty-eight fishing vessels were involved in shipping accidents in the Atlantic region, which is below the 2007–2016 average of 56 fishing vessels. Thirty-five fishing vessels were involved in shipping accidents in the Pacific region, below the 2007–2016 average of 39 fishing vessels.

Vessel flag (tables 1, 3 and 4)

In 2017, 86% of the 266 vessels involved in shipping accidents reported to the TSB were Canadian-flag vessels. In all, 40% of these Canadian-flag vessels were commercial non-fishing vessels, 37% were fishing vessels and the remaining 23% were non-commercial vessels, pleasure craft or service vessels.

According to information provided by Transport Canada, marine activity for Canadian commercial non-fishing vessels over 15 gross tons (grt) (excluding passenger vessels and cruise ships) was 29,156 commercial movements^{Footnote 3} in 2017, which is 4% above the 2007–2016 average. This yields a rate of 2.5 shipping accidents per 1,000 commercial movements in 2017, lower than the prior 10-year average of 3.1. There has been a statistically significant downward trend in the Canadian commercial shipping accident rate over the last 11 years (p<.05) (Figure 6).

In 2017, there were an estimated 12,742 active fishing vessels in Canada^{Footnote 4}. The shipping accident rate for Canadian fishing vessels decreased from 6.2 shipping accidents per 1000 active fishing vessels in 2016 to 5.8 in 2017, which is 13% below the prior 10-year average. There has been a statistically significant downward trend in the Canadian fishing vessel shipping accident rate over the last 11 years (p<.05) (Figure 7).

For Canadian-flag fishing vessels in 2017, groundings (33%), collisions (25%), and fire/explosion accidents (19%) were the most frequently reported shipping accident types. Canadian-flag commercial non-fishing vessels were mostly involved in collisions (48%) or groundings (22%).

In 2017, 36 foreign-flag vessels were involved in shipping accidents in Canadian waters, 31 of which were commercial non-fishing vessels. According to information provided by Transport Canada, marine activity for foreign commercial non-fishing vessels was 22,894 commercial movements2 in 2017, below the 2007–2016 average of 24,557. This yields an accident rate of 1.3 commercial vessels involved in shipping accidents per 1000 commercial movements, below the 10-year average of 1.5.

Vessels lost (tables 1 and 5)

In 2017, 12 vessels were reported lost, down from 16 in 2016, and from the 2007–2016 average of 24. Seven of the 12 vessels lost in 2017 were fishing vessels. Eight of the 12 vessels lost were less than 15 grt^{Footnote 5}, and half were at least 30 years old. During the past 10 years, fishing vessels under 60 grt have accounted for more than 60% of Canadian vessels lost.

Incidents

Overview of incidents

In 2017, 882 marine incidents^{Footnote 6} were reported to the TSB, up from a total of 768 in 2016, and above the annual 10-year (2007–2016) average of 450 . On March 12, 2014, the TSB issued new regulations that changed the reporting requirements effective July 1, 2014. The new regulations clarify the reporting requirements for a total failure of any machinery or technical system, leading to an increase in incidents of this category since 2014. The 2013 increase was related to the clarification of the threshold used to classify the engine / rudder/propeller incident category, which is now included in the total failure of any machinery or technical system incident category.

In 2017, incidents in the Atlantic region represented 43% of all marine incidents, followed by 32% in the Pacific region, and 23% in the Central region. The remaining 2% of reported incidents took place in foreign waters (data not shown).

The majority (81%) of reportable incidents consisted of total failure of any machinery or technical systems (Figure 8). The Atlantic region had the most incidents relating to the total failure of any machinery or technical systems (48%), and the Pacific region had the most incidents involving risk of collision (66%).

In 2017, vessels most often involved in total failure of any machinery or technical systems incidents were fishing vessels (60%) and solid cargo vessels (17%) (data not shown).

Data tables

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 TSB Regulations.

Marine occurrence

• any accident or incident associated with the operation of a ship and
• any situation or condition that the Board has reasonable grounds to believe could, if left unattended, induce an accident or incident described above.

Marine accident

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

Accident aboard ship

• a person is killed or sustains a serious injury as a result of
  • boarding, being on board or falling overboard from the ship, or
  • coming into direct contact with any part of the ship or its contents;

Shipping accident

• the ship
  • sinks, founders or capsizes,
  • is involved in a collision (includes strikings and contacts)
  • sustains a fire or an explosion,
  • goes aground,
  • sustains damage that affects its seaworthiness or renders it unfit for its purpose,
  • is missing or abandoned

Marine incident

• a person falls overboard from the ship,
• makes unforeseen contact with the bottom without going aground,
• fouls a utility cable or pipe, or an underwater pipeline,
• is involved in a risk of a collision,
• sustains a total failure of
  • the navigation equipment if the failure poses a threat to the safety of any person, property or the environment,
  • the main or auxiliary machinery, or
  • the propulsion, steering, or deck machinery if the failure poses a threat to the safety of any person, property or the environment;
• all or part of the ship's cargo shifts or falls overboard; or
• is anchored, grounded or beached to avoid an occurrence,
• a crew member whose duties are directly related to the safe operation of the ship is unable to perform their duties as a result of a physical incapacitation which poses a threat to the safety of persons, property or the environment;
• there is an accidental release on board or from the ship consisting of a quantity of dangerous goods or an emission of radiation that is greater than the quantity or emission levels specified in Part 8 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations.

Serious injury

1. a fracture of any bone, except simple fractures of fingers, toes or the nose,
2. lacerations that cause severe hemorrhage or nerve, muscle or tendon damage,
3. an injury to an internal organ,
4. second or third degree burns, or any burns affecting more than 5% of the body surface,
5. a verified exposure to infectious substances or injurious radiation, or
6. an injury that is likely to require hospitalization.

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, 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.

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.

Regional limits

Pacific Region's area of responsibility consists of the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories south of the 70th parallel, as well as the waters adjacent to these provinces and territories.

Central Region's area of responsibility consists of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec (including the Magdalen Islands), the territory of Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories north of the 70th parallel, as well as James Bay, Hudson Bay, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and the Great Lakes waterways up to the Canada–U.S. border.

Atlantic Region's area of responsibility consists of the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the waters adjacent to these provinces.