Danica urges shipping industry to manage crew turnover, not just retention

Shipping companies need to pay as much attention to managing crew turnover as they do to retaining seafarers if they are to maintain safe and efficient vessel operations, according to Henrik Jensen, founder and CEO of Danica Crewing Specialists.


Speaking ahead of this week's Crew Connect Global 2026 in Manila (20-22 October), Mr Jensen warned that while retaining experienced seafarers remains a priority, changing attitudes towards employment mean shipowners and managers must accept that some crew turnover is inevitable and be better prepared to manage it.



“Having a stable crew pool makes a significant difference to the safe and efficient operation of a vessel. Experienced crews who know the ship, its equipment and each other are less likely to make mistakes, helping prevent accidents, damage and costly disruption,” he said.



“Shipping companies understandably invest heavily in retention, but even those offering excellent employment conditions will lose crew members. We also need to think about how we manage these changes when they happen.”



Mr Jensen explained that traditional retention strategies, including competitive salaries, bonuses, insurance, pensions and promotion opportunities, have largely been built around the expectations of older generations, who tend to value stability and long-term employment.



However, younger seafarers are often more willing to explore new opportunities, even when satisfied with their existing conditions, a trend he believes will become more significant as they progress through the ranks.



“Younger people are generally more open to trying something different. With competition for skilled workers across many industries, we cannot expect everyone to stay with the same employer indefinitely,” he explained.



Mr Jensen believes shipping companies should focus on making it easier for new crew members to familiarise themselves with onboard equipment, procedures and working practices.


“Every time something goes wrong onboard, there is a tendency to introduce another procedure or checklist. Over the years, these requirements build up and systems become increasingly complicated, leaving new crew members with an enormous amount of information to absorb, often without enough time to do so properly.”



He recommends reviewing safety and quality management procedures at least annually to remove outdated or unnecessary requirements, while ensuring familiarisation focuses on the practical instructions relevant to each seafarer's role.


Digital systems and artificial intelligence could also help crew members find and understand relevant procedures more quickly, while greater standardisation of equipment and regulations would make moving between vessels easier. Mr Jensen pointed to differences between manufacturers' ECDIS systems as an example of unnecessary complexity.



“We should be making it easier for people to join a new vessel and become familiar with its systems without compromising safety,” he said.



“Of course, we must continue doing everything we can to retain good seafarers, but we also need to accept that some turnover is unavoidable. If we want safe and efficiently operated vessels, we need to manage both retention and the movement of crew. The two must go hand in hand.”