Bulk carrier losses show downward trend, but new risks are emerging: INTERCARGO

Bulk carrier safety continues to show steady long-term improvement, but the nature of risk facing seafarers is becoming more complex and multi-layered.

INTERCARGO – the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners – has reported encouraging progress in bulk carrier safety, with a steady reduction in bulk carrier losses.

The association has reported its findings in its Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2026 which covers the ten-year period from 2016 to 2025.

Over that period, the global bulk carrier fleet grew from around 10,400 vessels in 2013 to 13,669 by December 2025.

Against that backdrop of significant expansion, 17 bulk carriers of 10,000 dwt or above were lost, representing 1.63 million dwt in total, with 71 seafarer lives lost. The rolling ten-year