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Statistical summary: Marine transportation occurrences in 2016

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Foreword

This document is a summary of selected 2016 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 2016 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 30 March 2017. 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.

A series of data tables associated with this annual summary is also available.

Accidents

Overview of accidents and casualties

In 2016, 304 marine accidentsFootnote 1 were reported to the TSB, up from the 2015 total of 248, up from the 2011-2015 average of 282, but down from the 2006-2015 average of 327. Over the past 10 years, 83% of marine accidents were shipping accidents, while the remainder were accidents aboard ship.

There were 261 shipping accidents in 2016, up 23% from the 2015 total of 213, up 12% from the 2011-2015 average of 234, but down 4% from the 2006-2015 average of 272.

Figure 1. Accidents aboard ship and shipping accidents, 2007-2016
Accidents aboard ship and shipping accidents, 2007-2016

Data tables

Figure 1 data table
Number of shipping accidents and accidents aboard ship by year, 2007-2016
Year Shipping accidents Accidents aboard ship
2007 331 76
2008 313 69
2009 301 57
2010 274 63
2011 254 41
2012 215 52
2013 238 61
2014 249 52
2015 213 35
2016 261 43

In 2016, there were 43 accidents aboard ship, up from 35 in 2015 but down from the 2011-2015 average of 48 and the 2006-2015 average of 56. The majority of accidents aboard ship occurred on fishing vessels (42%) and cargo vessels (28%).

Marine fatalities totalled 7 in 2016 (Figure 2) , down from a total of 19 in 2015, down from the average of 16 in 2011-2015 and the annual average of 18 in 2006-2015. All 6 of the shipping accident fatalities resulted from 2 fishing vessel accidents in 2016. There were no fishing vessel accident aboard ship fatalities, down from 5 in 2015 and down from the 2011-2015 average of 6 and the 2006-2015 average of 5. The total of 6 fishing vessel fatalities in 2016 was down from the annual average of 11 in 2011-2015 and 11 in 2006-2015.

Serious injuries in 2016 totalled 48, up from 42 in 2015 and up from the annual average of 43 in 2011-2015. Forty three of the 48 serious injuries resulted from accidents aboard ship.

Figure 2. Marine fatalities and serious injuries, 2007-2016
Marine fatalities and serious injuries by year from 2007 to 2016
Figure 2 data table
Number of marine fatalities and injuries by year, 2007-2016
Year Fatalities Injuries
2007 15 65
2008 30 60
2009 15 54
2010 18 75
2011 16 32
2012 14 48
2013 18 49
2014 12 46
2015 19 42
2016 7 48

Shipping accidents

Type of accident (Table 1):

As illustrated in Figure 3, the most frequent types of shipping accidents in 2016 were collisions (33%), groundings (25%), fire/explosion accidents (17%), and sustains damage rendering unseaworthy/unfit for purpose accidents (12%). The total number of collisions increased by 12% from the five-year average (from 78 to 87). The number of groundings was unchanged from the five-year average (65). Sustains damage rendering unseaworthy/unfit for purpose accidents decreased by 5% from the five-year average (from 33 to 31). Fire/explosion accidents increased by 24% from the five-year average (from 35 to 44).

Figure 3. Shipping accidents by accident type
Number of shipping accidents by accident type from 2007-2016
Figure 3 data table
Number of shipping accidents by accident type, 2007-2016
Accident type 2011-2015 average 2016
Capsize 6 7
Collision 78 87
Fire/Explosion 35 44
Grounding 65 65
Sank 15 26
Unfit 33 31
Other 2 1

Type of vessel (Table 1):

Ninety one fishing vessels (30% of the total) were involved in shipping accidents (Figure 4), up from the 81 (34%) in 2015 and up from the 2011-2015 average of 88 (33%). After fishing vessels, 47 service ships (15%) and 40 solid cargo vessels (13%) were involved most often in shipping accidents in 2016.

Figure 4. Shipping accidents by vessel type
Number vessels involved in shipping accidents by type of vessels from 2007-2016
Figure 4 data table
Number vessels involved in shipping accidents by type of vessels, 2007-2016
Type of vessel 2011-2015 average 2016
Barge 13 24
Cargo - liquid 10 6
Cargo - solid 57 40
Ferry 18 18
Fishing 88 91
Passenger 15 16
Service ship 26 47
Tug 23 26
Other 15 37

Geographical region (Table 2):

In 2016, 52% of shipping accidents occurred in the Pacific region, 25% in the Atlantic region, 21% in the Central region, and the remaining 2% of shipping accidents took place in foreign waters. In the Pacific region shipping accidents increased 55% from the 2011-2015 average (from 87 to 135), in the Atlantic region shipping accidents were unchanged from the 2011-2015 average of 64, and in the Central region shipping accidents decreased by 23% from the 2011-2015 average (from 73 to 56).

Fishing vessels accounted for 60% of all vessels involved in shipping accidents in the Atlantic region, decreasing to 43 from the 2011-2015 average of 48. Fishing vessels accounted for 27% of all vessels involved in shipping accidents in the Pacific region, increasing to 43 from the 2011-2015 average of 33 fishing vessels.

Figure 5. Shipping accidents by region
Number of shipping accidents by region from 2007-2016
Figure 5 data table
Number of shipping accidents by region, 2007-2016
Region 2011-2015 average 2016
Pacific region 87 135
Central region 73 56
Atlantic region 64 64
Foreign waters 9 6

Vessel flag (Tables 1, 3 and 4):

In 2016, 89% of the 305 vessels involved in shipping accidents reported to the TSB were Canadian-flag vessels. In all, 37% of the Canadian-flag vessels were commercial non-fishing vessels, 33% were fishing vessels and the remaining 30% 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 estimated to be 28,700 commercial movements in 2016, which is comparable to the 2011-2015 average of 28,664 commercial movements, but a 3% decrease from the 2006-2015 average of 29,726. This yields a rate of 2.7 shipping accidents per 1,000 commercial movements, up from the five-year average of 2.6 but down from the ten-year average of 3.0. There has been a statistically significant downward trend in the Canadian commercial shipping accident rate over the last 10 years (p<.05) (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Shipping accident rates for Canadian-flag commercial non-fishing vessels, 2007-2016
Shipping accident rates for Canadian-flag commercial non-fishing vessels from 2007-2016
Figure 6 data table
Shipping accident rates for Canadian-flag commercial non-fishing vessels, 2007-2016
Year Commercial accident rate
2007 3.3
2008 3.8
2009 3.8
2010 3.3
2011 2.9
2012 2.4
2013 2.5
2014 3.0
2015 2.2
2016 2.7

In 2016, there were an estimated 13,563 active fishing vessels in CanadaFootnote 2. The shipping accident rate for Canadian fishing vessels increased from 5.9 shipping accidents per 1000 active fishing vessels in 2015 to 6.2 in 2016 and increased from the five-year average of 6.0. However, there has been a statistically significant downward trend in the Canadian fishing vessel shipping accident rate over the last 10 years (p<.05) (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Shipping accident rates for Canadian-flag fishing vessels, 2007-2016
Shipping accident rates for Canadian-flag fishing vessels from 2007-2016
Figure 7 data table
Shipping accident rates for Canadian-flag fishing vessels, 2007-2016
Year Fishing vessel accident rate
2007 7.2
2008 8.1
2009 6.7
2010 7.0
2011 6.3
2012 5.2
2013 6.1
2014 6.4
2015 5.9
2016 6.2

For Canadian-flag fishing vessels in 2016, groundings (34%), sinkings (19%), and fire/explosion accidents (18%) were the most frequent shipping accident types. Canadian-flag commercial non-fishing vessels were mostly involved in collisions (47%) or groundings (21%).

In 2016, 35 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 26,380 commercial movements in 2016, comparable to the 2011-2015 average of 26,274 commercial movements but down 3% from the 2006-2015 average of 27,074. This yields an accident rate of 1.0 commercial vessels involved in shipping accidents per 1000 commercial movements, down from the five-year average of 1.3 and the ten-year average of 1.5.

Vessels lost (Tables 1 and 5):

In 2016, 16 vessels were reported lost, down from 23 in 2015, and down from the 2011-2015 average of 22. Twelve of the 16 vessels lost in 2016 were fishing vessels. Ten of the 16 vessels lost were less than 15 grtFootnote 3, and 38% were at least 20 years old. During the past 10 years, fishing vessels under 60 grt have accounted for more than 60% of the vessels lost in Canada.

Incidents

Overview of incidents

In 2016, 768 marine incidentsFootnote 4 were reported to the TSB, up from a total of 708 in 2015, and up from the annual average of 535 in 2011-2015 and the annual average of 404 in 2006-2015. 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 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 2016, incidents in the Atlantic region represented 44% of all marine incidents followed by 38% in the Pacific region, and 16% in the Central region. The remaining 2% of reported incidents took place in foreign waters.

The majority of reportable incidents (637 of 768) consisted of total failure of any machinery or technical systems (83%). The Atlantic region had the largest number of total failure of any machinery or technical systems incidents (48%), and the Pacific region had 26 of the 45 risk of collision incidents (56%).

In 2016, vessels most often involved in total failure of any machinery or technical systems incidents were fishing vessels (61%) and solid cargo vessels (18%).

Figure 8. Marine incidents by type, 2016
Marine incidents by type for 2016
Figure 8 data table
Marine incidents by type for 2016
Marine incident type Number  Percentage
Bottom contact 24 3%
Cargo shift/Cargo loss 4 1%
Person overboard 10 1%
Risk of collision (near collision) 45 6%
Risk of sinking 20 3%
Total failure of any machinery or technical system 637 83%
Other incident types 28 4%

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

Marine accident

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

Accident aboard ship

Shipping accident

Marine incident

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-US 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.