Global shipping safety surges despite war risks, shadow fleet threats

The global shipping industry achieved a significant safety milestone in 2025, with fewer than 43 total claims—less than one per week—according to data from Allianz cited by the Maritime Executive. The figure represents a dramatic improvement over the past decade, marking a fundamental shift in how the world's largest cargo ports, including Genoa, manage risk and liability. The gains come despite heightened geopolitical tensions and the rise of the "shadow fleet"—older, poorly-maintained vessels operating outside mainstream regulatory oversight.

For Genoa, Europe's busiest container port and a critical node in Mediterranean trade, the safety trend carries operational weight. Improved claims performance suggests tighter vessel standards, better crew training, and more reliable insurance frameworks across the container and breakbulk traffic that flows through the terminal. The data underscores that modern shipping, despite its vulnerabilities to war risk and rogue operators, has become measurably safer in routine operations—a foundation that allows port authorities to focus on managing emerging threats rather than endemic safety failures.