Marine incident report October-December 2025
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has released its latest quarterly incident report for domestic commercial vessels, covering the period October to December 2025.
The report shows there were 344 reported marine incidents with 54 listed as serious and 3 as very serious, representing a 30 per cent increase in total reported incidents compared to the previous quarter.
A snapshot of marine incidents last quarter shows:
- A vessel sustained hull damage and flooded while moored on a rock bar, with five crew on board evacuating to the nearby shore and activating an EPIRB to seek rescue (very serious incident).
- A vessel sank following engine failure, with all crew rescued from the life raft without injury (very serious incident).
- Charging batteries began smoking and caught fire. The operator inhaled smoke while trying to extinguish the fire and was taken to hospital after firefighters extinguished the blaze.
- A passenger tripped on a raised doorway threshold (door combing) and struck their head on a handrail, resulting in a serious head injury that required medical evacuation.
- A master fell asleep at the helm near a harbour entrance, resulting in the vessel making contact with the seabed before returning to its berth without damage or injury.
In an emergency, there’s no time to improvise. A strong Safety Management System and practised crew training are what you rely on.