CHIRP Maritime published its tenth Annual Digest of CHIRP Maritime reports, covering all the cases published during 2024 and other items of interest.
CHIRP Maritime’s 2024-25 Annual Digest, consists of reports and insight articles including ports, commercial fishing, recreational, diving, cruise, ferry, superyacht, deck, engineering, pilotage, navigation and more. In 2024 CHIRP received over 200 reports from individuals and another 980 from maritime companies and other organisations.
2024 brought new challenges, from addressing emerging risks such as Marine Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) to shedding light on operations within the ‘dark fleet.’
2024 brought new challenges, from addressing emerging risks such as Marine Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) to shedding light on operations within the ‘dark fleet.’
…said Adam Parnell, Director, CHIRP Maritime, highlighting that this year in addition to more traditional reports, the first report about Marine Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) was published.
In 2024 cases of crew abandonment more than doubled last year from 2023’s record levels, therefore the first section of the Annual Digest begins with a section on welfare, tackling issues like rationed food, shortage of provisions onboard, allergic reactions and harassment onboard.
Furthermore, on the topic of port operations the Digest highlights the issue putting safety at odds with commercial demands and pressure. The reports in this section clearly demonstrate the benefits of having skilled pilots and tug crews and safety should never be compromised for convenience.
Another section of the Digest addresses common hazards like insufficient training, inadequate supervision, and neglected hazards which persist in causing serious incidents. In addition, the report highlights poor design choices, such as unsafe pilot ladders, failing mooring bitts, or unsecured equipment.
Moreover, engineering mishaps—from elevator accidents to fuel contamination and machinery-related injuries—underscore the need for strict safety protocols. /tag-out procedures, proper risk assessments and adherence to maintenance schedules are critical in preventing life-threatening incidents.
Avoiding groundings through better planning
A grounding incident highlights the consequences of distractions, poor preparation, and ECDIS mismanagement. A master preoccupied with administrative issues and an ineffective bridge team led to avoidable errors. Human factors remain a leading cause of navigational failures. Thorough passage planning, clear communication, and proper use of navigation systems are crucial to safe operations.
This section of the Digest is notable because it contains the first report CHIRP has received relating to autonomous vessels, also known as marine autonomous surface ships (MASS). The rules governing these vessels are still not widely understood, so CHIRP included some helpful guidance that is worthy of careful study. The report highlighted a troubling incident where two autonomous MASS vessels operated unpredictably, violating COLREGs and forcing a merchant ship into evasive action.
This raises concerns about the safe integration of MASS into conventional shipping lanes. While the IMO is working on a MASS Code, current regulations largely focus on vessels over 500GT. In the meantime, industry-led frameworks like the UK MASS Code of Practice provide guidance, but awareness among seafarers remains low. Training gaps in STCW courses leave crews unprepared for encounters with autonomous vessels.
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT HERE
