(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) INTERCARGO's primary mission is to unite and promote quality dry bulk shipping by advancing the highest standards of safety, operational excellence, and environmental stewardship. In 2025, the association represented over 400 companies and roughly 40% of the world’s dry bulk fleet. Its core vision is to serve as the most member-focused maritime association, providing advocacy that amplifies the voice of dry bulk owners at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other global fora.
Key 2025 Initiatives
Dry Bulk Centre of Excellence (DBCE): Continued development of the DryBMS framework, a quality self-assessment scheme designed to improve safety and sustainability benchmarks across the sector.
Quality Panel Advocacy: The association’s Quality Panels (East and West) actively engaged with RightShip to improve the transparency, fairness, and standardization of vessel vetting processes.
Operational Guidance: INTERCARGO completed its long-awaited Ship-to-Ship (STS) Operations publication, providing critical best-practice guidance to minimize risks during cargo transfers.
Regional Engagement: Leadership conducted direct outreach in Australia, meeting with port authorities and mining companies to harmonize port requirements and address operational challenges.
Industry Challenges and Regulatory Stance
Decarbonization: INTERCARGO supports the IMO’s 2050 net-zero goals but stresses that the transition must remain practically and economically realistic. It advocates for a global, uniform framework to prevent market fragmentation and ensure the availability of alternative fuels.
Safety and Cargo Carriage: The association remains focused on the safe carriage of cargoes, particularly regarding the risks of liquefaction and mis-declaration of cargo. It continues to publish the Bulk Carrier Casualty Report to identify trends and lessons learned from maritime incidents.
Seafarer Welfare: Throughout its initiatives, INTERCARGO maintains seafarers' safety and professional development as a central pillar of its advocacy.
Future Outlook (2026)
Looking ahead, the association plans to launch an AI-powered assistant (Capt Aln) in early 2026 to enhance member support. It will also activate a new Newbuilding Specification Working Group to guide members through the evolving technical landscape of modern fleet development.
Analysis of casualty statistics
Based on the INTERCARGO Annual Review 2025, the following analysis outlines bulk carrier casualty statistics and safety trends covering the ten-year period from 2015 to 2024.
General Safety Trends
- Declining Loss Rates: There is a clear and sustained trend of improved safety and a decline in ship losses over the long term, even as the global dry bulk fleet continues to grow.
- Driving Factors: This positive trend is attributed to constant industry learning, enhanced crew training, advancements in ship design, new technologies, and more rigorous regulatory compliance.
- Persistence of Major Incidents: Despite general improvements, major incidents involving loss of life still occur, reinforcing the need for the industry to avoid complacency.
Critical Risk Factors: Cargo Liquefaction
- Major Cause of Fatalities: The "Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2015-2024" identifies cargo liquefaction as a primary cause of bulk carrier losses and seafarer fatalities during this decade.
- Dangerous Cargo Groups: Liquefaction is a particular concern for Group A cargoes, which are susceptible to moisture-related failures like dynamic separation and liquefaction.
- Root Causes: A significant issue remains the mis-declaration of cargo by shippers and receivers, whether through negligence or deliberate action, which can have catastrophic results.
Recent Casualty Data (2025)
While the primary ten-year report covers up to 2024, the document notes several serious incidents in 2025 that will be included in the next formal casualty report for global scrutiny:
- Sinking of two bulk carriers in the Red Sea.
- One grounding and one collision involving major dry bulk vessels.
Regulatory & Industry Response
Reporting to the IMO: INTERCARGO systematically monitors these statistics through its annual reports, which are formally submitted to the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III).
Lessons Learned: In July 2025, the IMO approved 36 specific lessons learned derived from recent casualty data, focusing on critical areas such as collisions, groundings, fires/explosions, and enclosed space entries.
Collaborative Safety Initiatives: The association actively supports the "Together in Safety" initiative to prevent serious injuries, fatalities, and major asset damage across the maritime sector.
For more information click below to download the Intercargo Annual Review 2025.
Source:Â Intercargo
