Shipping faces a recruitment and retention crisis, concentrated in officer ranks, that poses significant risks to both seafarers and global supply chains. BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping report a current shortage of over 39,000 certified officers, and project the industry will need 113,735 officers by 2030. Meanwhile, 800,000 seafarers require retraining to operate ships using sustainable fuels and emerging technologies.
Shipping does not have a labour supply problem; it has a decent work deficit. Shortages are driven by systemic issues: poor working conditions, extended periods away from home, limited career progression and concerns about safety and wellbeing. Shipping faces the same lack of decent work, weak enforcement and downward pressure on labour standards driving shortages across transport.
The declining attractiveness of maritime careers – particularly among younger workers – exacerbates the problem.
Recruitment practices create their own human rights risks. Seafarers face deceptive recruitment, excessive fees, lack of transparency in contracts and dependence on intermediaries – exposing them to exploitation, forced labour and modern slavery. Retention is further undermined by inadequate wages, limited access to shore leave, poor onboard conditions and weak enforcement of labour standards, particularly on FOC ships.
Recent events have compounded this situation. The Covid-19 pandemic and the crew change crisis left hundreds of thousands of seafarers stranded on board for months beyond their contracts. Since then, seafarers have been killed, injured and taken hostage in attacks on merchant shipping, and vessels transiting the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea have been struck, seized and mined. Seafarers have seen the industry treat them as both essential to maintaining global trade and expendable to its needs.
The consequences of these challenges are significant. Shortages can lead to understaffing, increased workloads and fatigue, amplifying safety risks. At the same time, reliance on less experienced or inadequately trained seafarers compromises operational safety, increasing the likelihood of accidents.
For more on workforce challenges, see the Risks Across Transport guidance.