Although the Bermuda Triangle is considered the deadliest territory for passing ships, there are many other places in the world where shipwrecks occur frequently. These tragedies are caused by many factors, including bad weather, human error, non-compliance with the rules for transporting goods, mechanical failures and collisions of ships.
Wrecked ships run aground, crash on rocks, or may remain forever at the bottom of the ocean. Ships sent to sea carry 90% of the goods sold worldwide. At the same time, a huge number of transport ships sail across the seas and oceans. A high level of water traffic implies a high risk of accidents associated with an increase in the number of shipwrecks.
In the past, shipwrecks were common, but over the past decade, major maritime accidents have been reduced by 50%. This, to a greater extent, was facilitated by the use of new methods of navigation control adopted in many countries of the world. Among other things, commercial maritime traffic has declined slightly over the past 10 years, contributing to a decrease in the number of accidents. Some experts believe that non-compliance with the rules of transport standards in Asian countries remains the main factor in the large number of ship deaths in this region.
Other factors analyze the type of ships. Many researchers note a high percentage of shipwrecks among cargo ships. For example, in the period between 2007 and 2016, cargo ships accounted for almost 1/3 of all sunken transport vessels, causing large losses to organizations. Despite the fact that ships sink in any water area around the world, there are some regions like Asia where accidents happen more often than on other continents. This article takes a closer look at the locations of the shipwrecks, according to statistics compiled by Allianz from 2007 to 2016.
Putting aside the total number of maritime accidents around the world, in general, there is a noticeable trend towards a decrease in the number of shipwrecks in recent years. According to Allianz, compared to 2015, in 2016 the number of maritime accidents in Asia decreased by 16%. The total number of incidents worldwide, from 2007 to 2016, also decreased by 29%.
10. Russian Arctic and Bering Sea
The Russian Arctic and the coastal regions of the Bering Sea make it possible to get to the northern regions of the Pacific Ocean, connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans with the help of Arctic routes. This zone ranks tenth with 31 maritime accidents from 2007 to 2016.
9. Bay of Bengal: 34
The Bay of Bengal is located between India and Myanmar and is an important coastal region for South and Southeast Asia. The Bay is ranked 9th on the list with 34 cases over the past 10 years.
8. East African Coast: 39
The area, located off the coast of East Africa, is the eighth most shipwrecked area. There were 39 maritime incidents here between 2007 and 2016. The region covers countries notorious for their pirate activities: Madagascar, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and Somalia.
7. West African coast: 50
Seventh on the list is the West African Coast with 50 accidents reported between 2007 and 2016. This area is commonly used for the import and export of goods from countries such as Guinea, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Gambia, Liberia and Ghana.
6. Western Mediterranean: 51
The Western Mediterranean Sea connects Western Europe with North Africa. Over the past decade, 51 shipwrecks have occurred in the region.
5. Arabian Gulf: 77
The Arabian Gulf, known as the Persian Gulf, is bounded by the waters between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. The Persian Gulf is connected with the Indian Ocean by the Strait of Hormuz. In order to pass the strait, ships adhere to a special transport scheme, in which ships entering the strait use one side of it, and leaving, respectively, the other. Despite its small width, about 35% of all transported oil passes here. In quantitative terms, this is 14 tankers and 17 million barrels daily. From 2007 to 2016, 77 cases of shipwreck were recorded in the region.
4. British Isles, North Sea, English Channel and Bay of Biscay: 89
The shipping area surrounding the British Isles, North Sea, English Channel and Bay of Biscay was previously ranked second. But, due to the increase in the number of shipwrecks in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, as well as around Japan, the Korean Peninsula and Northern China, it moved to 4th place. From 2007 to 2016, 89 cases of shipwreck were recorded in the region.
3. Japan, South Korea, North China: 139
139 shipwrecks occurred in the waters around Japan, the Korean Peninsula and North China between 2007 and 2016. This region ranks third and has all the prerequisites for an increase in the number of maritime accidents in the coming years.
2. Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea: 162
The second water area in terms of the number of shipwrecks in the world is the territory of the Mediterranean and Black Seas. In the period from 2007 to 2016, a total of 162 accidents were recorded. In 2016, the number of shipwrecks in the region increased by 16%, making the Mediterranean and Black Seas the second on our list, overtaking the British Isles.
1.South China, Indochina, Indonesia and the Philippines: 249
Since 2007, 249 shipwrecks have occurred in the coastal waters of South China, Indochina, Indonesia and the Philippine Islands. That's just over 2 marine accidents per month. In 2016 alone, these waters accounted for 25% of the world's maritime accidents. The territory of these countries is washed mainly by the South China Sea, connecting the Pacific and Indian oceans. Here is the center of trade between Europe and Asia.
In fact, about 33% of all sea vessels pass through this area. The Straits of Malacca, located here, is considered one of the most important sea trade routes in the world, accounting for 25% of the world's goods transported and 25% of the oil resources produced. It is the dense traffic of the sea route that explains the high number of shipwrecks occurring in this region.
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