Increasing traffic and poor seamanship in Asian waters appear to be factors in the global growth in marine accidents, often with high loss of life.

Last week's collision between the 164,000-dwt Sanchi (built 2008) and the 76,000-dwt CF Crystal (built 2011), which claimed 32 seafarers’ lives, is Asia's third major fatal collision in six months.

Lives lost at sea

Major fatalities in Asian waters over the past seven months

Sanchi collision with CF Crystal, January 2018, East China Sea

Lives lost: 32

Emerald Star sank off the Philippines with cargo liquefaction, October 2017

Lives lost: 10

USS John S McCain collision with Alnic MC, August 2017, Japan

Lives lost: 10

USS Fitzgerald collision with ACX Crystal, June 2017, off Singapore

Lives lost: 7

In June last year, the...