Casualty Data refers to the reports collected and produced on accidents and issues which occur onboard a vessel. This can refer to small issues which cause superficial damage to parts and equipment, through to total losses, large fires, or the blocking of the Suez Canal.

The data originates from thousands of sources including coastguards, search and rescue, salvage, which is then amalgamated by suppliers to create a more complete dataset.

The data includes vessel identification, the location, as much qualitative data as is available at the time about the incident. It’s not uncommon for these reports to be frequently updated throughout the duration of the casualty as more information becomes available about the scope, damage caused, or potential loss of life.

Benefits

Casualty data provides context on both the vessel and the owner(s) when assessing risk. Higher than average casualty numbers can indicate a higher risk profile and vice versa.

Rapid information on casualties provides benefits to the whole supply chain ecosystem. For example, speedy reporting of a vessel with an issue enables vessels to recalibrate their ETAs to a port if there is an obstruction and communicate with their stakeholders in port/on the hinterland.

Drawbacks

This dataset relies on appropriate authorities and reporting mechanisms being informed of an incident. It’s not uncommon for casualties to go unreported if issues can be resolved with a personal network.

While there is rigour and a drive for consistency, some reports will be more detailed than others dependent of the information made available to the reporting parties. This means that some casualty reports can lack key context if this information is difficult to obtain.

There are only a small number of suppliers who have gathered this data for a sustained period, so choice is limited if you are looking to purchase one of these databases.