# Commercial Marine Shipping Accidents: Understanding the Risks in Canada

> Public scrutiny of shipping has been heightened in recent years and we've been working hard to improve marine safety and better awareness.

Over the past few decades, commercial marine shipping has benefited from a number of developments ranging from improved traffic control technology and better ship designs, to a strengthened regulatory regime and enhanced industry safety procedures. These and other changes have all helped contribute to a notable drop in marine shipping accidents, ship losses, and marine oil spills. 

Though efforts continue to further improve marine safety, public scrutiny of shipping has been heightened in recent years. The risks associated with opening the Arctic to greater ship traffic, increasing marine shipments of oil from Canada’s oil sands, and the growth in vessel size, especially of container ships, have all contributed to this awareness.