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In February and March, When the Risk of Maritime Accidents Is High, Stay Alerted for Sinking and Capsizing Accidents Caused by Weather Change

WriterMaritime Transportation Policy Office
Hits23
Date2026-02-27 13:31:36
ContentIn February and March, When the Risk of Maritime Accidents Is High, Stay Alerted for Sinking and Capsizing Accidents Caused by Weather Change - Capsizing and sinking accidents cause relatively heavy casualties, given the number of cases. Over the past decade, they were concentrated during February and March. - Deteriorating weather conditions, such as wind wave watches, trigger these accidents. It turned out that 89.6% of ships involved in accidents already had risk factors before the accidents. - The Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority does its utmost to implement measures to prevent casualties, such as preemptive management of high-risk ships based on the Risk Index. Maritime accident statistics used in this article are the result of KOMSA’s independent analysis using the Maritime Transportation Safety Information System (MTIS), whose operation was entrusted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) to the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (KOMSA), based on the statistics of the Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal of MOF. <Summary> • Casualties from capsizing and sinking accidents are concentrated in February and March, when weather conditions frequently deteriorate, including wind wave watches. o Over the past decade (2015-2024), the severity level* of capsizing and sinking accidents was the highest in February and March. - In some months, there was a repetition of cases that inflicted heavy casualties, considering the number of ships involved in the accidents, and the severity level stood at a maximum of 460. * A value that is obtained by dividing casualty figures from capsizing and sinking accidents by the number of ships involved in accidents and then multiplying 100 to turn the result into an index. (casualty figures/the number of ships involved in accidents x 100). Case example: In February 2025, due to a ship capsizing accident, 15 people died and went missing, which shows that casualties were concentrated in a short period of time. • Deteriorating weather conditions serve as a “trigger factor” for accidents. In bad weather, accident cases with heavy casualties occur repeatedly. o The risk for capsizing and sinking accidents increases when the period of deteriorating weather conditions during February and March overlaps with risk factors, including human errors and equipment defects. o According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, in 2024, the number of days when wind wave watches were issued in February and March was 30.3 days, which rose by 15.5 days from 2023. - High wave height persisted; for example, days when significant wave height of over three meters (the highest) were observed, were concentrated in early 2025. Case example: In March 2024, in the midst of strong wind and high waves, an oil and chemical tanker capsized, and in this accident, one of eleven crew members survived. • 89.6% of ships involved in accidents had “risk factors prior to the accidents,” and one of the major factors was cargo. o Over the last decade (2015-2024), 89.6% of ships involved in accidents had risk factors even before the accident. o Among risk factors, cargo was the most frequently found risk factor, the second was reckless and careless operation in the midst of deteriorating weather, and the third was damage to and poor management of ships and equipment. • KOMSA’s measures for capsizing and sinking accident prevention during February and March, the period prone to maritime accidents. o In terms of preemptive management of high-risk ships, KOMSA carries out intensive examinations on and provide education for inshore and coastal fishing vessels using an AI-based Risk Index. o In terms of marking crew space, KOMSA aims to increase rescue support and the survival rate in case of accidents by marking crew space on FRP inshore fishing vessels. o In terms of the Maritime Transportation Safety Information System (MTIS) app service, KOMSA offers real-time safety information, including special weather reports and navigation alerts. o Management plans to preside over an “on-site public meeting about maritime safety” on a regular basis while the institution performs safety checks on long-distance fishing vessels at the same time. The analysis using the Maritime Transportation Safety Information System (MTIS, whose operation was entrusted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to the institution) confirmed the trend that casualties from capsizing and sinking accidents are concentrated in February and March, when the weather frequently deteriorates, such as wind wave watches. According to the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (KOMSA, President Jun-Seok Kim), over the past decade (2015-2024), the severity level* of capsizing and sinking accidents by month was the highest in February and March and cases that caused heavy casualties considering the number of ships involved in the accidents occurred repeatedly; for example, in some months, the severity revel reached a maximum of 460. * A value that is obtained by dividing casualty figures from capsizing and sinking accidents by the number of ships involved in accidents and then multiplying 100 to turn the result into an index (casualty figures/the number of ships involved in accidents x 100). Even though the number of capsizing and sinking accident cases is small, these accidents often lead to heavy casualties once an accident happens. In fact, there was a pattern where casualties were concentrated for a short period of time; for instance, throughout a period of one month in February 2025, the number of those who died and went missing because of capsizing accidents reached as many as 15. While deteriorating weather conditions often trigger accidents, rapidly changing weather raises concerns for heavy casualties. KOMSA pointed out that an increase in these seasonal risks has much to do with deteriorating weather conditions. A KOMSA employee said, “In February and March, weather conditions frequently deteriorate, such as wind wave watches. Therefore, it is highly likely to lead to capsizing and sinking accidents if risk factors, such as human errors and equipment defects, act in a complex manner.” Data from the Korea Meteorological Administration shows that in February and March 2024, wind wave watches were issued for 30.3 days, which is a 15.5-day increase year on year. In addition, high wave height continued throughout the year; for example, days when significant wave height (the highest)* of more than three meters were observed, were concentrated in early 2025. * Significant wave height is the average height of the highest one-third waves. In fact, in March 2024, an oil and chemical tanker capsized in the midst of bad weather with strong wind and high waves. In this accident, just one seafarer survived among nine onboard crew members. KOMSA revealed that over the past two years, similar accidents have been repeated. 89.6% of ships involved in accidents already had risk factors. The institution paid attention to the fact that these accidents do not happen just because of weather conditions. It analyzed data of the rulings of the Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal in the past decade (2015-2024) and found that 89.6% of ships that suffered from accidents had risk factors before the accidents. Major risk factors included cargo (59 cases, 26.5%), reckless and careless operation in deteriorating weather conditions (43 cases, 19.3%), and damage to and poor management of ships and equipment (31 cases, 13.9%). An employee of KOMSA explained, “When it comes to capsizing and sinking accidents, they show structural characteristics, in which a chain of dangerous events occurs in a phased manner, including an inclination of a hull, ship, and equipment damage, and seawater intrusion, and they eventually lead to an accident.” KOMSA implements measures in response to the issue, such as the “Risk Index for fishing vessels, a project to mark crew space, and safety information push notification.” In response, the institution will reinforce actions to reduce casualties in maritime accidents during February and March in line with the government’s operation of a “special management period.” First of all, it identified 750 high-risk ships by type of accidents, including capsizing and sinking, with the use of the Risk Index for coastal and inshore fishing vessels based on AI. This year, the institution plans to strengthen preemptive checks on these ships and prevention education tailored to the needs on the ground. Against “FRB inshore fishing vessels” where crew space exists at the lower part of the vessels, KOMSA will expand and promote a project of marking crew space on the shell plating. The goal is to swiftly provide support for rescue efforts in case of accidents. The institution also aims to offer support for voluntary safety management by providing a real-time safety information push notification service, such as special weather reports and navigation alerts through the MTIS app. In addition, KOMSA will hold an “on-site public meeting about maritime safety” on a regular basis, which is presided over by its management in preparation for maritime accident-prone times. It also plans to provide accident prevention products free of charge and conduct safety checks on long-distance fishing vessels. Jun-Seok Kim, President of KOMSA noted, “As in the case of capsizing and sinking accidents, even a single accident can lead to heavy casualties, it is all the more important to carry out checks before sailing and not to engage in reckless operation.” “KOMSA will do its best to reduce casualties in maritime accidents in line with the government’s operation of a special management period,” he added. An analysis of the severity level of capsizing and sinking accidents by month over the past decade (2015-2024, unit: %) An analysis of a course of risk factors on ships evolving into a real accident over the past decade (2015-2024, unit: a number of accident cases) A ship surveyor of the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (KOMSA) carries out an intensive examination on a high-risk ship (the upper image), and crew space is marked on the shell plating of a hull (the lower image) A concept map of a real-time safety information push notification service of the Maritime Transportation Safety Information System (MTIS)

KOMSA Plans to Reduce Human Casualties from Maritime Accidents by 10%, Taking Prevention Measures for 2026 in Earnest

WriterMaritime Transportation Policy Office
Hits52
Date2026-02-06 14:22:50
ContentKOMSA Plans to Reduce Human Casualties from Maritime Accidents by 10%, Taking Prevention Measures for 2026 in Earnest - Identifying risk factors for traffic lanes and using the AI Risk Index to prevent accidents caused by human errors. - Strengthening voluntary safety management by introducing a “Ship Planner” feature to the Maritime Transportation Safety Information System (MTIS). - Making safe sea routes by implementing a safety and health system for fishing vessel crew and enhancing safety management of passenger ships. < The main points of the 2026 maritime accident prevention measures of the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Management Authority (KOMSA) >  “Reducing human errors” in maritime accidents by creating a safe environment at sea. o Identifying risk factors for major traffic lanes: figuring out policies that need to be improved in major traffic lanes and nearby ports, holding a public contest for finding risk factors for traffic lanes, and preparing brand tasks of maritime accident reduction. o Introducing AI-based safety management: mainly focusing on high-risk ships by using the AI-based Risk Index, offering ship safety inspection services through cooperation with companies specializing in this matter, and promoting a project to mark crew space on a shelling plate.  Transitioning into “voluntary safety management” based on data analysis. o Transitioning into voluntary safety management: introducing a “Ship Planner” service for ships registered to MTIS, developing additional services by linking information on crew members and insurance, and providing a mobile navigational alert notification service. o Reinforcing operation safety: providing information on dangerous places based on geographic information systems (GIS) ship track data and building a safe operation environment by conducting risk assessment of obstacles to navigation.  Providing more “support customized to the needs on the ground" through a safety and health management system for fishing vessel crew. o Strengthening a support system: establishing a thorough management system tailored to the needs of fishers, such as allocating experts to accident investigation centers in five regions across the country and operating them. o Creating a safe working environment: carrying out a “project to create safe workplaces” and building a safe fishing environment by improving a mobile risk assessment platform, “Fishing Vessel Crew Safety Talk.”  Ensuring “maritime transportation safety” by strengthening checks on high-risk passenger ships and ports of call. o Reinforcing safety management: focusing on high-risk passenger ships, conducting examinations on risk factors for docks and facilities in ports of call by using drones, and ensuring safety, including education for crew members. On January 22, the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (KOMSA, President Jun-Seok Kim) announced that the institution would establish “maritime accident prevention measures for 2026” and implement them with the goal of reducing the number of maritime accident casualties by 10% from 136 (tentative total) * in 2025 to 122 in 2026. * Data from the Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal (the tentative total of maritime accident casualties in 2025 as of January 2026) KOMSA plans to carry out specific tasks focused on four areas: reducing human errors by creating a safe environment at sea; transitioning into voluntary safety management based on data analysis; providing support tailored to the needs on the ground by implementing a safety and health system for fishing vessel crew; and strengthening examinations on high-risk passenger ships and ports of call.  “Reducing human errors” by creating a safe environment at sea The institution will attempt to remove risk factors in major traffic lanes in order to decrease human errors (84%), which are one of the root causes of maritime accidents. In legal sea routes and nearby ports, it plans to analyze waters with a high frequency of accidents and average ship speeds by using data from the geographic information systems (GIS), based on which KOMSA aims to discover tasks for the improvement of relevant systems. In addition, the institution will hold “Find a Traffic Lane Risk Factor Contest” among crew members to identify risk factors by region and develop its brand tasks to reduce maritime accidents. KOMSA will also strengthen safety management of ships based on AI. In particular, it will focus on 750 high-risk ships*, which it identified on the basis of the “Maritime Accident Risk Index of coastal and offshore fishing vessels.” The institution developed the Risk Index in 2025 using AI. * 250 ships involved in accidents due to negligence, 200 ships suffered from capsizing and sinking, 50 ships had collisions and near-collisions, and fires and explosions occurred in 250 ships. The institution will also operate a “ship safety diagnosis service” for 1,020 ships in cooperation with specialized companies to prevent engine damage and fires. It will also carry out a “project of marking crew space on a shelling plate” on 100 ships to increase the likelihood of saving a life in accidents.  Transitioning into “voluntary safety management” based on data analysis. KOMSA will offer support for the “voluntary safety management” of ship operators by enhancing the Maritime Transportation Safety Information System (MTIS) app service ver. 2.0, which it recently released. To this end, the institution will introduce a “Ship Planner” feature for ships registered to MTIS, which supports voluntary safety management, such as the next ship survey and an engine overhaul. It also plans to discover tasks to improve systems by linking crew and insurance information data. It will continue to enhance user-centered services, including a safety alert notification service based on operation patterns. The institution will utilize digital information to advance a system that assists the decision-making of ship operators. It aims to provide a risk recognition service using ship track data as well as a “risk assessment service of navigational obstacles” that assesses the risk of ship navigation, such as waters where floating objects repeatedly occur.  Providing more support “tailored to the needs on the ground” by implementing a safety and health system for fishing vessel crew KOMSA aims to allocate experts to accident investigation centers in five regions across the country, including Mokpo, Busan, Pohang, Jeju, and the Central Area, and operate these centers. It also plans to establish and enhance a “rigorous management system tailored to the needs of fishers” in order to successfully settle a safety and health system for fishing vessel crew in the field. In addition, with the aim of reducing damage to fishing vessel crew practically, the institution will promote a “project to create safe workplaces*” that supports the replacement of outdated equipment and the removal of harmful and risk factors on ships. * A budget for the project is KRW 1.4 billion which is provided by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries with 100% of the budget being covered by government expenditures. The project targets almost 200 fishing vessels engaged in ultra-high-risk sectors. The institution also plans to create a working environment where fishing vessel crew members can engage in fishing activities safely by advancing a mobile risk assessment platform, “Fishing Vessel Crew Safety Talk” with AI. * Its main features include automatic risk detection and guidance on improvement measures, and voice interpretation and display of document translation of foreign languages.  Ensuring maritime transportation safety by strengthening examinations on high-risk passenger ships and ports of call. KOMSA will carry out on-site examinations mainly focused on 15 high-risk* passenger ships to strengthen the safety management of these ships that are used by the public. * High-risk passenger ships are those that experienced maritime accidents more than twice over the past five years (2021 to 2025). The institution aims to step up measures for preventing maritime accidents of passenger ships, including forming a consultative group of experts to diagnose the condition of equipment during ship maintenance and providing on-site education about methods for ship maintenance. It will also expand examinations on ports of call. KOMSA will extend the safety management of ports of call, such as examining risk factors – damage to docks and facilities – and enhancing obstacle detections on and under water using 38 drones including 34 aerial drones and 4 underwater drones. Jun-Seok Kim, President of KOMSA said, “There is a desperate need for transformation in a safety management system, such as improving the operation environment of seafarers at sea and coming up with measures to reduce human errors.” “KOMSA will make safe sea routes that all Koreans can use and enjoy the benefits. To this end, we will spare no effort to reduce maritime accidents by focusing all of our capabilities on this matter,” he added. An infographic of the 2026 maritime accident prevention measures of the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (KOMSA) Employees of KOMSA offer a “ship safety diagnosis service” An employee of KOMSA carries out an intensive examination of ships for the winter season Employees of KOMSA support a fishing vessel safety surveyor of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, who conducts on-site checks KOMSA holds a meeting with fishers on Jeju Island in 2025 to discuss the characteristics of the region’s maritime accidents and their prevention measures An image of a port of call that KOMSA shot for safety management of coastal passenger ships using drones