Nine Ways to Improve Life at Sea
The Global Maritime Forum has launched the Sustainable Crewing Guidelines, nine recommendations to improve life at sea.
The guidelines aim to boost working conditions and alleviate the forecasted shortfall of 90,000 trained seafarers by 2026 – a major risk to global supply chains and safety at sea.
Co-developed by the Global Maritime Forum’s All Aboard Alliance with a consortium of 12 major shipping companies based on feedback from over 400 seafarers, the guidelines are the culmination of years of research.
Preliminary research carried out to inform the guidelines showed that 25% of seafarers experience harassment and bullying (rising to >50% for female seafarers), 90% report having no weekly day off, and many are isolated with limited or no access to internet services at sea.
Struggling with inexperience, fatigue and insufficient resources, workers face an increased risk of accidents, endangering both crew members and ships. It is estimated that 75-96% of accidents and incidents at sea involve human error and that 15-20% of all fatalities are linked to fatigue.
The recommendations are:
Establish clear expectations of respectful and professional behavior: Fostering respect and inclusion at both the company and crew levels is key to improving seafarer well-being and creating a positive work environment.
Zero tolerance for abuse and harassment: Ensuring psychological safety onboard requires a zero tolerance approach to unacceptable behavior that is supported by clear consequences and robust reporting systems.
Set rank-specific criteria for tasks, training, and appraisals: Clear and transparent criteria are essential to ensuring fairness and equal opportunities for all seafarers regardless of gender, age, and/or nationality.
Ensure appropriate equipment and facilities for all: Providing all seafarers access to proper equipment and facilities is vital for their safety, well-being, and job performance – this should include personal protective equipment that fits all body sizes, gender-separated facilities, and basic hygiene products that are readily available on board for everybody.
Provide a reliable daily connection to the wider world: Staying connected with the wider world supports seafarers’ mental health, well-being, and job satisfaction. Currently, around 13% of vessels globally offer no internet access at all, while others charge seafarers to access onboard Wi-Fi. Crew members have also reported high dissatisfaction with their amount of shore leave.
Reduce isolation by building supportive communities: Support networks and mentorship opportunities help seafarers feel less isolated and stressed.
Offer flexible contract lengths and respect contract terms: Companies must honor work agreements, avoid short-notice contract extensions/terminations, and alleviate the pressure seafarers feel to work excessive hours and/or spend too long at sea.
Provide paid parental leave: Over 90% of seafarers state that good parental benefits are important to them. Being pregnant or having family responsibilities at home should not prevent seafarers from making a living at sea.
Continuously collect feedback and take action: Actively listening to seafarers and demonstrating a commitment to change builds trust and creates a more inclusive, supportive working environment.
“We need a complete re-think of what good looks like when it comes to seafarer well-being,” said Susanne Justesen, Director of Human Sustainability at the Global Maritime Forum. “We hope the Sustainable Crewing Guidelines can inspire those companies that want to go beyond the bare minimum and lead the way for the industry to become safe, attractive and sustainable for seafarers.”
The consortium included bp shipping, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, Cargill Ocean Transportation, Chevron Shipping, Diana Shipping, Dorian LPG, GasLog, Hafnia, MISC Marine, Stena Group, Swire Shipping and Synergy Marine Group.
