The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) Marine Incident 2024-25 Annual Report revealed AMSA received 5625 marine incident reports – a 2.8% increase from the previous year.
This report provides an analysis of marine incidents reported in the 2024 calendar year, along with trends from 2020-2024, for domestic commercial vessels (DCV), foreign-flagged vessels and regulated Australian vessels.
In 2024, AMSA received a total of 5625 marine incident reports from foreign-flagged vessels (FFVs), regulated Australian vessels (RAVs) and DCVs and 394 marine safety concerns. This is a 2.8% increase from marine incidents reported in 2023 (5472 reports).
In 2024, AMSA also received 394 reports of marine safety concern representing a 7.9% decrease on the number received in 2023 (428 reports). Marine safety concerns can be reported by anyone who observes an event or practice that may endanger, or if not corrected could endanger, the safety of a commercial vessel or persons on board a commercial vessel.
Domestic Commercial Vessels
In 2024, AMSA received a total of 1182 reports of marine incidents involving DCVs. This represents an increase of 5.0% from 2023 (1126 reports) and a 55.5% increase in the number of marine incident reports from DCVs since 2020 (760 reports).
In 2024:
- very serious marine incidents decreased from 7 in 2023 to 6 in 2024
- serious marine incidents decreased by 17.6% (52 reports) compared to 2023
- less serious marine incidents increased by 13.2% (108 reports) compared to 2023
When considering marine incident reports by vessel class:
- passenger vessels continue to demonstrate a good reporting culture in relation to all other classes of vessels. Passenger vessels which account for a relatively small proportion (8.9%) of the DCV fleet reported almost half (46.6%) of all reported DCV marine incidents in 2024.
- non-passenger vessels which account for 51.3% of the DCV fleet reported 38.2% of all marine incidents in 2024. This is slightly higher when compared to 2023 where non-passenger vessels reported 37.2% of all marine incidents.
- fishing vessels which account for 26.3% of the DCV fleet reported 9.9% of all marine incidents in 2024. This is slightly lower when compared to 2023 data where fishing vessels reported 11.2% of all marine incidents.
- hire & drive vessels which account for 13.5% of the DCV fleet reported 5.3% of all marine incidents in 2024. This outcome is a slight decrease compared to 2023 data where hire & drive vessels reported 6.42% of all marine incidents.
The majority (59%) of DCVs are less than 7.5 metres in length, and yet these vessels only comprise 12.1% of reported marine incidents. Vessels between 7.5-12 metres closely match proportion of reporting of marine incidents (18.4%) to their fleet size (18.0%). Vessels over 12 metres in length which comprise 20.6% of the fleet continue to report the majority (69.5%) of marine incidents.
In 2024, there were three fatal DCV marine incidents which resulted in four operational-related fatalities. This includes:
- A passenger fatality that involved a truck rolling off a ferry-in-chains after the vessel broke off its moorings. The truck rolled back into the river and submerged with the truck driver inside.
- Two crew fatalities that involved an aluminium fishing dinghy which capsized. The two crew were subsequently located in the water near the vessel. The crew members were not wearing lifejackets.
- A crew fatality that occurred after a crew member of a yacht was struck by the boom while competing in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
Consequences to vehicles
The three most frequently occurring consequences to DCVs in 2024 were contact with something other than a vessel (177 marine incidents), collisions (151 marine incidents), and groundings (100 marine incidents) (image below). The most frequently occurring consequences to DCVs categorised as very serious and serious included vessels becoming disabled; collisions and contacts.
Foreign-flagged and regulated Australian vessels
In 2024, AMSA received a total of 258 reports of marine incidents involving RAVs. This represents a decrease of 3.4% from 2023 (267 reports).
Consistent with port arrivals data most marine incident reports from foreign flagged vessels in 2024 were from bulk carriers. Bulk carriers, which account for 52.9% of foreign flag arrivals, reported 60.8% of marine incidents in 2024 (Figure 28). Container vessels, which account for 14.6% of foreign flag arrivals, reported 13.2% of marine incidents in 2024. Similarly, general cargo/multi-purpose vessels accounted for 5.6% of arrivals and reported 6.5% of marine incidents.
In 2024 there was one operational related seafarer fatality on a foreign flagged vessel. There were no passenger fatalities reported in 2024.
Consequences to vessels
Vessel consequences are the impacts or outcomes to the vessel itself resulting from a marine incident, such as damage, disablement, system impairment or loss. In 2024, 10.1% (423) of marine incidents reported involved a vessel consequence.
Out of the 423 reported vessel consequences in 2024, the most recorded consequences were:
Download the report: AMSAmarine-incident-annual-report-2024
