WHERE DO WE STAND?
Overall, notwithstanding the liquefaction episode and temporary surges linked to specific trades, the dry bulk sector operates today in a significantly safer environment than in previous decades. Regulatory reform, structural standardization, improved operational procedures and digital technologies have materially reduced fatal accident recurrence.
Yet two emerging risk factors warrant close attention.
The first relates to the rapid development and deployment of alternative fuels such as ammonia, methanol, hydrogen, biofuels, and potentially nuclear propulsion. While likely to be essential to meet decarbonization objectives, these fuels introduce new technical hazards and operational complexities. Training standards, emergency procedures, and onboard experience are still developing. In safety management, accumulated operational knowledge is critical — and for many of these fuels, that experience remains limited. A good start has been the development of new class rules for new fuels but we also need to help ensure the broader operational and commercial context of decarbonized shipping is supporting safety.
The second concerns geopolitical instability. In certain regions, commercial
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
0 5
Indonesian LQ fatalities
Oth. LQ fatalities
Indonesian Exports (RHS) 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Chart 3: Dry Bulk fatalities from liquefaction. Source: Bureau Veritas
vessels and their crews are increasingly exposed to armed conflict, missile strikes, and other security incidents. War-related losses, once marginal in safety statistics, are again becoming a material risk category.
The long-term safety trajectory of the dry bulk industry remains positive and demonstrable. However, sustaining this
progress will require continued regulatory vigilance, technological robustness, and sustained investment in crew competence and training, particularly as the industry navigates decarbonization and geopolitical uncertainty.
MARC PAUCHET Bulk Carrier Market Leader, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore
marc.pauchet@
bureaveritas.com
REGULATORY REFORM, STRUCTURAL STANDARDIZATION, IMPROVED OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES HAVE MATERIALLY REDUCED FATAL ACCIDENT RECURRENCE.
Image courtesy of Bureau Veritas 15 | ADMISI - The Ghost In The Machine | Q2 Edition 2026
MN TONNES
NUMBER OF FATALITIES
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38
