Updated and expanded casualty analysis of container vessels

ABSTRACT

Historical information is the key input for risk analysis with respect to developing the risk model as well as in the risk management process, i.e. identification of effective risk mitigating measures. Casualty databases are today still the primary source of this information on accidents and incidents. Accident investigation reports provide more detailed information on the accident scenario and facilitating improved risk analysis. Casualty information by IMO GISIS, IHS Markit and LMIU for the period 1990–2020 and containerships of more than 999 GT had been re-analyzed and information categorized for allowing statistical analysis of causes. A taxonomy had been developed for the consistent categorization of information and used to present accident causes in a more structured way. Appropriate statistics regarding the main causes for major types considering collision, contact, grounding, fire, explosion and failure of machinery equipment are presented in this paper. Historical trends and quantitative casualty characteristics are reported.

KEYWORDS:

• Casualty investigation
• containership risk analysis
• casualty database
• FSA
• taxonomy

Disclosure statement

The author declares that we have no relevant or material financial interests that relate to the research described in this paper).

Notes

1 Containership: cellular containership according to IHS ship register.

2 Accident frequencies are calculated using the number of accidents over the number of ship years (for a given period, typically a year).

3 For this study no information on HM accidents available.

4 A casualty report may be assigned to more than one source.