EMSA publishes comprehensive report on safety

In December,  EMSA published the second edition of its EMSAFE report^[1], which aims to draw a comprehensive picture of the maritime safety landscape in the EU, while also putting it in a global context. The report is the successor of the first edition^[2] of the EMSAFE report, published back in 2022.

In her introductory words EMSA’s Executive Director, Maja Markovčić Kostelac describes the report as a “key tool and a reference for policymakers at national and European level, maritime administrations, industry, and civil society.”^[3] The report among others describes and analyses the evolution of the fleets’ characteristics and safety performance against the background of challenges such as the ageing of the fleet, digitalisation, decarbonisation and the need to retain and attract a qualified workforce. Importantly, the report “does not cover issues in relation to the ‘shadow fleet’ or the sabotage of critical maritime infrastructure. These are issues that have developed rapidly and recently, and are outside the scope of this analysis.”^[4]

One central concern raised by the report is the aging trend of the European passenger ship fleet. This is perceived as being problematic as safety standards date back to when a ship was built. As a consequence, many older ships are not up to date when it comes to the latest safety requirements. The report provides an example by explaining that “38 % of the ships in operation were built at a time when the applicable damage stability standards were those of the 1960 and 1974 versions of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)”^[5].

Another area of improvement identified by the report are the working conditions of seafarers. This has negative impacts on the ability to attract a skilled workforce, EMSA points out.  According to the report, the number of masters and officers with certificates of competency issued by EU Member States decreased by 20 % between 2019 and 2023.^[6] Parts of this trend can be attributed to Brexit, but the report finds that challenging working conditions play a role as well.

As regards search and rescue (SAR), the report sees it as “an essential element of accident response”. In this context it emphasises the role new technologies, such as remotely piloted aircraft systems and satellite‑based Earth‑observation services, can play.”^[7]

When it comes to current and upcoming challenges for maritime safety, the report lists the increasing size of passenger vessels, fire-safety of batteries – this relates both to electric vehicles onboard and, in the future, also to electric vessels – and the fuel and digital transitions.

At a launch event^[8], industry representatives and the IMO Secretary General welcomed the report, but also criticised that the data provided in the report are not more recent than 2023.

[1] https://emsa.europa.eu/publications/item/5598-emsafe-report-2025.html

[2] https://emsa.europa.eu/emsafe-2022

[3] Foreword, page 5

[4] Executive summary, page 23

[5] Executive summary, page 24

[6] p.24

[7] P. 26

[8] https://emsa.europa.eu/emsafe