Seafarer happiness continues to decline as crew raise serious concerns over working conditions at sea, highlighting rising worries about safety risks in conflict regions such as the Red Sea.
The results of the latest Seafarers Happiness Index, published on Wednesday, shows a further drop in seafarer happiness for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023.
The Seafarers Happiness measures the well-being of seafarers through ten key questions about their work and life, designed to gauge sentiment about their experiences on board.
The quarterly survey commissioned by The Mission to Seafarers is sponsored by North Standard, Idwal, and Inmarsat.
This is the fourth successive quarter that the index has reflected a decline in seafarer happiness.
The results show a wide range of reasons for the worrying trend, but common causes for concern expressed by seafarers include feeling overburdened, underappreciated and disconnected, as well as concerns over a lack of shore leave and an inability to contact family.
The report shows an overall fall in seafarer happiness to 6.36 out of 10, compared to 6.6 in Q3, 6.77 in Q2 and 7.1 in Q1 2023, representing a considerable decline over the course of the year.
Onboard connectivity was the only notable aspect that showed improvement.
However, some respondents expressed frustration over what appears to be an unfair inconsistency in vessel connectivity, with some vessels in the same fleet having better internet access than others.
Respondents expressed concern over a lack of social interaction and a growing sense of isolation.
Seafarers also reiterated their concerns about stagnating wages that are failing to keep up with inflation, and a lack of training opportunities.
Growing security threats were also highlighted, which showed that escalating risks to safety from piracy, terrorism and war are affecting crew welfare.
This is also adding to the workload burden on seafarers due to the ramping up of security duties in higher-risk waters.
Extended contracts, diminished employment terms, downward pressure on wages and growing workload demands have all undermined welfare and working conditions, the survey found
The secretary general of The Mission to Seafarers, Andrew Wright, said following the uptick in seafarer happiness in late 2022 after the lifting of Covid restrictions, it was “very disappointing” to see the downward trend in happiness over 2023.
“If there was ever any complacency about the circumstances facing seafarers around the globe, these results surely dispel that.
“We know that some ship owners and managers are doing fantastic work to invest in the wellbeing of their crew, but sadly, the overall picture remains concerning.
“From perennial concerns over an unsustainable workload, insufficient shore leave, limited rest hours, financial concerns and the burden of separation from family, we now see rising concerns over the security risks facing seafarers, whether in the Red Sea or in high-risk piracy waters,” he said.
“Seafarers often feel the world’s crises first and hardest, as we have seen in recent years. While it is not within the power of industry to change such events, we are reminded of the vulnerability of seafarers and the imperatives of prioritising their well-being in,” Wright said.
North Standard head of loss prevention for Asia-Pacific, Yves Vandenborn said the survey reflected a sustained drop in happiness for the fourth consecutive quarter.
“The increase in international conflicts and heightened tensions inevitably manifested a degree of anxiety and uncertainty for those at sea.
“With a global workforce, the maritime industry must be conscious of how easily changes in international relationships have a bearing on the wellbeing of seafarers.”
He said North Standard will continue to collaborate with industry leaders to improve the working environment for global mariners.
Idwal senior marine surveyor and crew welfare advocate Thom Herbert said the results were disappointing.
“We see a continuing negative trend throughout 2023, following some apparent improvements in 2022 as the world emerged from the pandemic.
Comments in Q4 and throughout the year seem to present a troubling theme – that many seafarers feel disrespected and undervalued by shoreside colleagues,” Herbert said.
