MAIB Reports Zero UK-flag Ship Losses in 2011, Fishing Boats More Prone

Chief Inspector of the UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch renders year 2011 report

There was a wide variety of accidents to merchant vessels investigated during 2011. For the second year in succession there were no UK registered ship losses and the number of accidents, as a ratio of the size of the fleet, was the lowest recorded by MAIB.

The number of fatalities on UK registered vessels >100gt (5) has risen slightly compared with 2010, but is still low, and the number of injuries to crew is at its lowest ever level.

A further 8 seafarers lost their lives on foreign registered vessels while operating in UK waters, including 6 from the Cook Islands registered bulk carrier Swanland, which sank in heavy weather off the north Wales coast in November.

Fishing vessel losses:

The number of fishing vessels lost, 24, is the highest number recorded by the MAIB since 2005. 71% of these were <15m length overall (loa) vessels while the remainder were 15 to 24m loa vessels. 8 fishermen lost their lives in 2011, compared with 5 in 2010. Again, the majority (7) lost their lives on vessels that were <15m loa.