RightShip faces criticism over dry bulk and general cargo fleet inspection age drop

RightShip’s recent decision to lower the age trigger for vessel inspections in the dry bulk and general cargo sectors has been met with criticism from Intercargo, the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners. 

“Our decision to lower the inspection age from 14 to 10 years, in a phased approach, reflects the desire from stakeholders for more physical inspections of vessels to counter challenges the dry sector faces in achieving operational excellence. This change reflects our commitment to raising safety standards globally and comes at a critical time as the global dry bulk fleet now averages 14.7 years in age and will continue to rise,” explained Christopher Saunders, Chief Maritime Officer at RightShip. He added, “Data shows there is a strong correlation between performance in a RightShip Inspection and the risk of detentions and incidents.”

However, Intercargo members have voiced concerns over the decision saying it “was made without prior consultation with the owners and managers of bulk carriers”.

RightShip’s rationale for lowering the inspection age is based on concerns about safety risks associated with older vessels. The company believes that more frequent inspections will help identify potential issues and mitigate risks.

The new policy will be implemented in two phases, with the inspection age gradually decreasing from 14 years to 10 years over the next two years. This change will have significant implications for shipowners and operators, as it will increase the frequency of inspections required for their vessels.

Additionally, RightShip said it will require vessels with less than 8,000 DWT to undergo similar inspection making the safety standard more consistent across the global dry bulk and general cargo fleet.

RightShip said that dry bulk sector lags in critical safety metrics compared to other sectors, with bulk carriers experiencing the highest incident ratio at 1.49 per cent.

The RightShip analysis shows a strong correlation between the age of bulk carriers and safety risks, particularly after 10 years. Larger vessels (over 200,000 DWT) experience increased incident and detention ratios, especially between 10-13 years, while smaller vessels peak at 14-19 years. Deficiencies per inspection also rise with age, underscoring the need for proactive safety measures before the 14-year mark to help owners mitigate risks and enhance efficiency. The pattern also mirrors the challenges faced by general cargo vessels.

However, Intercargo urged RightShip to reconsider the timeline for implementing this decision, particularly as the current vetting inspection regime was only introduced two years ago.