Aiming to establish the main safety concerns currently facing the shipping industry, Inmarsat published “The Future of Maritime Safety Report 2022”, examining data from Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) calls made to Inmarsat.

Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 and global supply chain disruption, total vessel losses across the industry have continued to steadily decrease, following a downward trend of 57% over the past decade.

The Allianz Global Corporate and Speciality (AGCS) Safety and Shipping Review 2022 shows a drop from 65 total vessel losses in 2020 to 54 in 2021, suggesting the industry’s continued focus on regulation, improved ship design and technology and risk management advances are increasing overall trends in safety.

Peter Broadhurst, Senior Vice President of Safety and Security, Inmarsat Maritime, said: «The Future of Maritime Safety Report provides insights into safety trends from GMDSS data gathered between 2018 and 2021 and reveals patterns at a local and global level. Better understanding these patterns can help us to take proactive steps to prevent such incidents going forward and help guide us to a safer future»

Establishing a clear link between the global health crisis and a “drastic rise in distress calls in the last three years”, the report suggests that shipping “has not emerged from the pandemic unscathed”. It concludes with a call to action, imploring the industry to put “safety at the core of its operations” and use “every solution available to prevent incidents and save lives”.

«Protecting our seafaring workforce requires constant vigilance and a concerted effort from the international maritime community, working with agencies and governments around the world» added Cyrus Moody, Deputy Director, International Maritime Bureau, addresses the value of communication and collaboration in tackling piracy.

The-Future-of-Maritime-Safety-Report-2022.pdf.gc