A major new report by the World Maritime University (WMU) has painted a warrying picture of life at sea, as many seafarers express openness, or even concrete plans, to transition ashore due to excessive workloads, limited opportunities for rest and shore leave, and high levels of work-related stress.
The study, In Search of a Sea-Life Balance in an Adverse Environment, commissioned by the Officers’ Union of International Seamen (OUIS), draws on responses from 4,372 seafarers representing 99 nationalities. The survey gathered responses from seafarers, mainly from India (25.1%), the Philippines (15.8%), the United States (U.S.) (11.5%), and other worldwide regions (47.6%).
Interviews revealed that many seafarers expressed openness, or even concrete plans, to transition ashore within the next five years. Seafarers intending to quit reported higher rates of poor mental health (49.8%) compared with those intending to stay (25.4%); and among U.S. seafarers, the gap was even larger, with 65.3% of those planning to quit reporting poor well-being versus 34.9% of those intending to stay.
Globally, seafarers reported working an average of 71.3 hours per week; U.S. seafarers indicated an average of 79.0 hours per week. 69.9% of U.S. seafarers reported exceeding 72-hour workweeks, and 9.5% working beyond 91 hours; Indian seafarers averaged 72.9 hours, just above the mean, with 46.7% exceeding 72 hours; and Filipino seafarers reported working an average of 65.1 hours per week, with 24.9% exceeding 72 hours.
Overall, 40.2% of seafarers considered that their working hours do not allow sufficient time to rest and recover; nearly half of U.S. seafarers (49.6%) confirmed that working hours hinder sufficient rest and recovery; and 44.8% of Indian and 29.2% of Filipino seafarers also considered the incapacity of obtaining enough rest and recovery time.
U.S. seafarers reported higher work stress levels than other seafarers in the study. Worryingly, about a third of seafarers (32.8%) exhibited work stress levels considered ‘severe’ or ‘potentially dangerous.’ The U.S. seafarers have a marginally higher level (33.9%) than Filipino seafarers (27.2%), but lower than that of Indian seafarers (37.5%).
All seafarers agreed that ship inspection (such as flag, PSC, vetting, etc.) is their number one stressor, followed by onboard administrative duties.
Notably, the top four stressors affecting U.S. seafarers were not operational or navigational hazards, but instead associated with bureaucratic and external controls.
Specifically, onboard inspections (flag, PSC, vetting, etc.) were ranked as the most stressful across all groups; Administrative duties (SMS, cargo/port papers, management requirements, etc.) ranked second overall and among U.S. seafarers; for Indian and Filipino seafarers, port-related activities (bunkering, spare parts, stores, supplies, etc.) were the second most stressful; and company communication and port-related activities ranked third and fourth overall, and in the U.S. sample, with the order reversed.
Three-fourths of seafarers ‘never’ or ‘rarely’ go ashore, with Indian seafarers reporting the lowest access (88.2%), followed by Filipino seafarers (77.3%). U.S. seafarers were slightly better off; still, 68.5% ‘never’ or ‘rarely’ go ashore. Workload aboard and insufficient port time were the top constraints across groups.
In accordance with the report, around one third of respondents were assessed as experiencing severe or potentially dangerous stress levels, while mental well-being scores indicate that a significant proportion of seafarers may be at risk of mental health problems. U.S. seafarers, a specific focus of the study, reported particularly heavy workloads, extended work hours, and administrative and inspection pressure despite shorter contract lengths.
The report also raises concerns about the future sustainability of the maritime workforce. Nearly half of all respondents indicated an intention to leave seafaring within the next five years, with poor mental health and dissatisfaction with working conditions emerging as key drivers. According to the authors, these trends pose serious risks to safety, operational resilience and long-term recruitment and retention across the global shipping industry.
“From the numerous statements by working seafarers, it becomes evident that a major change is required if the industry is to not only retain those experienced seafarers in whose training so much time has been invested, but also to recruit the next generation. It is particularly interesting to note that although seafarers, and particularly officers, from a high-wage economy such as the USA, despite enjoying more leave, are still confronted with the same, i.e., more intense, on-board working time as colleagues from countries such as India or the Philippines,” said Nick Bramley, OUIS executive director.
The full study is accessible here.
