Inmarsat Maritime Report Reveals Distress Calls at Sea Remain High

The 2025 edition of the Future of Maritime Safety Report from Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, reveals that distress calls at sea remain high, underlining the vital role of human factors in safe shipping.

According to the report, the number of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) distress calls registered on the Inmarsat Maritime network increased from 788 in 2023 to 801 in 2024, broadly in line with the 2018-2023 annual average of around 800 calls.

The report points to a turbulent year for international shipping, with geopolitical instability, conflict, severe weather events, piracy, and cyber-attacks all adding pressure on operators and crews. Alongside these risks, seafarers are facing welfare challenges linked to the pace and volume of new technologies. While digitalization and decarbonization are essential for the industry’s future, the rapid implementation of new systems and reporting requirements has created an information ‘overload challenge’ for seafarers, highlighting the need for new technologies to support, rather than strain, crew welfare.

The Future of Maritime Safety Report 2025 calls for the industry to acknowledge the fundamental role seafarer welfare plays in minimizing the number of preventable incidents at sea. It recommends a ‘human factors’ approach to data that streamlines information, reduces duplication, and eliminates contradictory outputs.