On July 23, 2025, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) launched a safety issue investigation (SII) (M24A0348) into shipboard fires on commercial vessels and the effectiveness of emergency response in Canada.

Unlike individual occurrence investigations, an SII is broad in scope, involving an in-depth review of multiple occurrences and consulations with key industry stakeholders.

Why this matters

In the past decade, nearly 400 fires on commercial vessels have been reported to the TSB, with 10% resulting in total vessel loss. Despite the nine safety concerns and 10 recommendations issued by the TSB in the last 35 years, vessel fires continue to endanger crews, disrupt operations, and threaten safety in Canadian waters.

This investigation will explore what crew members and responders understand about fire response, how they handle these events, and Canada’s overall preparedness to respond to them. Given international concern over vessel fire safety, the TSB may also share its findings with the International Maritime Organization, and other global partners.

Areas of focus

The SII will investigate safety issues that have been identified in previous TSB investigations including seafarer knowledge of fixed-fire suppression systems, training in vessel-based fires for shore-based firefighting personnel, and the capacity to fight shipboard fires in Canadian waters.

A survey will be made available to marine operators, firefighting services, ports and harbours, and other key industry stakeholders. The results will be compiled and analyzed along with other data gathered by the investigation to identify recurring gaps and trends.

TSB has listed 14 cases of shipboard fire since 1994.