Reported shipping incidents fell by around 16% in 2025, but those long-term safety gains are increasingly being tested by geopolitical conflict, disrupted trade routes and growing uncertainty around strategic maritime chokepoints. The Nautical Institute will examine what these contrasting trends mean for the industry in its forthcoming Risks in Shipping webinar, drawing on Allianz Commercial’s Safety and Shipping Review 2026.
The report describes a sector undergoing a fundamental transition towards a new equilibrium characterised by greater volatility and uncertainty, requiring a stronger strategic focus on resilience over cost efficiency. It warns that geopolitical disruption, ageing fleets, rising repair costs and evolving operational risks are reshaping the environment in which shipping companies and seafarers operate.
Taking place on Wednesday 26 August, the webinar will feature Captain Rahul Khanna AFNI, Global Head of Marine Risk Consulting at Allianz Commercial, who will present the report’s key findings and discuss what they mean for the industry. The discussion will be moderated by Captain David Patraiko FNI, Director of Projects at The Nautical Institute.
Among the issues under scrutiny will be fire hazards and the increasing transportation of lithium-ion batteries, GNSS jamming and spoofing, the impact of geopolitical instability on shipping routes, and the risks associated with growing activity in Arctic waters.
The review recorded 2,818 incidents involving vessels over 100GT in 2025, compared with 3,353 in 2024. Machinery damage or failure remained the leading cause, accounting for more than half of all incidents at 1,505, followed by 260 collisions and 218 fires and explosions.
Captain David Patraiko FNI, Director of Projects at The Nautical Institute
Captain David Patraiko FNI, Director of Projects at The Nautical Institute, said: “The reduction in reported incidents is encouraging and reflects the progress the industry has made on safety. However, the wider picture shows that maritime professionals are operating in an increasingly complex and unpredictable environment. Established risks such as machinery failure and fire now sit alongside disruption to navigation systems, geopolitical instability and changing trade routes. This webinar gives us an opportunity to look beyond the headline figures and understand what these developments mean in practice for those responsible for managing risk at sea and what this means for serving seafarers.”
Risks in Shipping will take place from 14:00 to 15:00 BST on Wednesday 26 August 2026. Registration is available at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1797075246633528152?source=press
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