Study Finds 29% of Ships Account for Nearly 70% of Maritime Accidents

A relatively small share of ships accounts for most reported maritime accidents, according to new research that suggests operational warning signs can often be detected before an incident occurs.

The Maritime Risk Report 2026, produced by ShipIn Systems and marine insurer NorthStandard, found that 29% of vessels accounted for nearly 70% of reported accidents.

The study combined casualty data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence SeaSearcher with operational data collected through ShipIn’s FleetVision platform across more than 600 managed vessels.

Researchers found a strong relationship between lower operational scores and accident frequency. Ships with FleetVision scores below 75 recorded accident rates 5.7 times higher than vessels scoring 85 or above.

Lower-scoring vessels also showed more recurring deviations involving bridge operations, deck safety, mooring and personal protective equipment, according to the report.

The findings suggest that accident risk is not distributed evenly across a fleet and that recurring operating patterns may offer ship managers an opportunity to identify problems earlier.

“Safety is still too often measured after the fact,” said Osher Perry, founder and CEO of ShipIn Systems. “What this research shows is that risk is visible much earlier, embedded in everyday operations.”

A separate group of 250 vessels monitored continuously over 12 months also showed a sharp decline in recorded operational deviations. Average deviations fell from about 230 per vessel per month to eight, a reduction of roughly 96%, according to the report.

ShipIn said the improvements were sustained across bridge operations, deck safety and PPE compliance.

The research points toward a more targeted approach to fleet safety, with shore teams focusing attention on vessels showing repeated deviations rather than applying the same level of intervention across an entire fleet.

“The industry does not lack operational data. The challenge is turning that information into timely, practical action,” said Colin Gillespie, global head of loss prevention at NorthStandard.

“When ship and shore teams can see the same evidence, they can address emerging risk together and reinforce a proactive safety culture across the fleet.”

ShipIn’s FleetVision system uses onboard video, computer vision and other operational data to assess activities across bridge, deck, technical and safety operations. Vessels in the study were scored on a scale of zero to 100 and divided into three performance groups: below 75, 75 to 84, and 85 or higher.

The report argues that repeated deviations in day-to-day operations can provide an early indication of where accident risk is beginning to build, allowing operators to intervene before those patterns result in casualties or losses.

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