(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) The German Federal Bureau of Maritime Accident Investigation (BSU) has published its annual report for 2025.
One key focus is the presentation of five selected accidents that have been referred to a major investigation by the BSU, each of which is still ongoing. These are exclusively maritime accidents involving commercial shipping.
The accidents and their consequences are presented here without prejudging the key findings of the investigation. The statistics section forms the second main focus of this annual report. Detailed overviews and charts are used to examine and explain the accident patterns and their causes in greater detail.
The Federal Bureau of Maritime Accident Investigation is a higher authority under the Ministry of Transport. Its remit is to investigate accidents at sea and subsequently publish reports containing safety recommendations. The BSU investigates maritime accidents involving privately owned recreational craft only in exceptional cases. For this to happen, the incident must have taken place in German waters, and there must be a prospect of concrete findings that are likely to contribute to improving maritime safety or preventing future accidents.
Causes of marine casualties
Human factors remained the dominant cause of marine casualties under the IMO Code, while technical causes were more frequently associated with incidents.
Human-related causes accounted for 88 cases, compared with 22 technical causes, showing an even stronger shift towards human factors than in the previous year (72 human causes compared with 42 technical causes).
The overall number of accidents attributed to human and technical causes remained broadly stable, with only a small change compared with the previous year (110 compared with 114 cases). However, the balance shifted further towards human causes, with the ratio increasing from approximately 1:1.7 to 1:4.
The prevalence of human factors highlights the importance of effective communication, teamwork and multiple control measures on board, as human errors can be more difficult to identify and correct before consequences occur.
Technical failures often provide warning signs that allow crews to take corrective action, whereas human errors may remain unnoticed until there is insufficient time to prevent or reduce the impact.
Main engine failure remained the most common technical cause, as has been the case in previous years.
Main engine and rudder failures continue to represent a significant factor in serious marine casualties, often due to statutory classification rather than widespread public impact.
While many machinery-related incidents are resolved without major consequences, such as a vessel being assisted after a loss of propulsion and continuing its voyage after repairs, the underlying risks can be significant if immediate assistance is not available.
Find out more, by accessing the complete 2025 report of Maritime Casualties below:
Source: Germany Federal Bureau for Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU)
