Seafarers’ lived experiences led to the Sustainable Crewing Guidelines

The Global Maritime Forum launched Diversity@Sea: The Journey to the Sustainable Crewing Guidelines last week, the final report from a two-year pilot project focused on improving life at sea. 

Released in conjunction with the Day of the Seafarer, the report draws on the lived experiences of seafarers and the active involvement of 12 leading industry partners to explore how to improve working conditions and make seafaring a more attractive career option.

This report is based on original research and responses from nearly 1,200 seafarers. 

Responding to questions about their life on board, the participants provided insights on what it’s really like to work at sea.

One comment shared was: “Being lonely is part of every seafarer’s life. Every seafarer is used to it but doesn’t get affected much if there’s a good working atmosphere that is friendly and conflict-free.”

The Sustainable Crewing Guidelines themselves present a set of nine recommendations co-developed by the Global Maritime Forum's All Aboard Alliance and 12 major shipping companies. These guidelines aim to address the critical workforce shortage in the shipping industry, projected to reach a shortfall of 90,000 trained seafarers by 2026, posing a significant risk to global supply chains and maritime safety.

Based on extensive research and feedback, the guidelines outline essential improvements in working conditions, including measures to prevent abuse and harassment, promote work-life balance, and enhance access to onboard facilities. These recommendations seek to improve workforce well-being, ensure safer working environments, and make seafaring a more appealing career choice.

The report also features a checklist of indicators to help seafarers, charterers, cargo owners, shipping companies, and other stakeholders assess how well a vessel or company aligns with the nine sustainable crewing guidelines.