"First-of-a-kind Sustainable Crewing Guidelines to safeguard seafarer well-being and protect supply chains from workforce crisis,"

In a first-of-a-kind move to improve seafarer well-being and tackle worsening labour shortages in the shipping industry, the Global Maritime Forum today launched new Sustainable Crewing Guidelines, nine concrete 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.1

The guidelines were 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. They are the culmination of years of research to identify critical improvements needed in areas such as abuse and harassment, work-life balance, and onboard facilities to boost workforce well-being and safety, as well as protect the future of global trade.

... 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 (Allianz) and that 15-20% of all fatalities are linked to fatigue (Science Direct).

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