Director GenerL of Shipping released Marine Safety Investigation Report od 2024. The global maritime industry, responsible for transporting over 80% of international trade by volume, is built upon the
resilience, competence, and well-being of its seafarers. With more than 1.6 million seafarers operating across complex and high-risk environments, ensuring their safety is not just a regulatory obligation but a foundational pillar of sustainable shipping. For India—a nation with one of the largest and fastest-growing seafaring communities—the stakes are particularly high.
In recent years, maritime safety has rightfully emerged as a key priority in both national and international policy circles. Yet, the broader picture of marine incidents often remains obscured beneath the surface. While statistics on total vessel losses are commonly available, they represent only a fraction of the operational and human incidents that occur at sea. Many significant events do not result in total loss, but
carry immense implications for safety, performance, and environmental integrity. This report, prepared by the Directorate General of Shipping, presents a comprehensive annual account of such incidents, collated through the Mercantile Maritime Domain Awareness Centre (MMDAC) and its critical sub-entities: the Directorate General Communication Centre (DGComm Centre) and the Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) National Data Centre.
Below is compariaon between 2023 and 2024 data on the incidents, a significant rise of 21.6 %.
| Year | Total Incident | Casuality | Others |
| 2023 | 153 | 74 | 79 |
| 2024 | 186 | 78 | 108 |
Key Highlights of Marine Casualties:
- An upward trend was observed in total collision incidents, rising from 5 in 2023 to 10 in 2024.
- Fire and explosion cases declined by over 50%, from 13 in 2023 to 6 in 2024.
- Indian-flagged vessels were involved in just 1 fire/explosion case , down from 7 in 2023.
- Occupational casualties remained the highest among marine incidents, though slightly decreased from 50 in 2023 to 47 in 2024.
- Only 4 of the 47 occupational incidents involved Indian-flagged vessels, accounting for just 8.5% of the total.
- Bulk carriers, Container Vessel and Oil tankers were the most frequently involved in marine casualties.
- No major pollution incidents were reported during the year, despite an overall rise in casualties.
- Loss of anchor/propeller cases emerged in 2024 with 2 incidents — none were reported in 2023.
- Indian-flagged vessel involvement in both fire/explosion and occupational cases showed a downward trend.
Key Highlights of Non-Operational Incidents:
- Total non-operational incidents in 2024 rose by 36.7%, increasing from 79 in 2023 to 108.
- Desertion cases showed a sharp increase of 76.9%, rising from 13 to 23.
- Missing or man overboard cases also recorded a 42.9% increase, from 14 cases in 2023 to 20 in 2024.
- Sickness-related fatalities onboard remained largely the same, with 25 cases in 2024 compared to 24 in 2023.
- Indian-flagged vessels were associated with only 9.3% of all non-operational incidents in 2024, indicating good performance.
- The number of Indian-flagged non-operational cases rose from 7 in 2023 to 10 in 2024, though the share remained proportionally low.
- The year 2024 marked zero suicide incidents on Indian-flagged vessels, reflecting positively on onboard conditions and oversight.
- The total number of fatalities resulting from non-operational incidents increased from 55 in 2023 to 61 in 2024