Shortage of crews

[ombugge]

Shipping broadens the search for seafarers - Splash247

The generational gap
For many, the deeper problem lies not in the number of potential recruits, but in aligning their expectations with the realities of life at sea.

Wellington Koo, executive director of Valles Steamship, captures it, saying: “The present young generation is a fast food generation. They would like to see results within a short period of time, but the maritime industry requires patience—and there is no fast track for knowledge or experience.”
He adds that the pandemic was a turning point. “Seafarers might now opt for shore jobs to stay closer to family and friends,” Koo says. That sentiment—valuing stability and proximity over adventure—is reshaping how companies recruit and retain.

From Manila to Mombasa, one message resonates: the world’s future seafarers are already out there—but they must be inspired, trained, and treated as professionals, not placeholders.

One thing is to find new trainable recruites, another is:

How to crack the seafarer retention riddle - Splash247

That optimism collides with tougher realities at sea. Tim Hill, CEO of Stella Maris, says the long shadow of covid-era practices remains. “Extended contracts, lack of shore leave and insufficient rest are still pressing issues,” he says. “As economies improve in traditional seafaring nations, the financial appeal of working at sea will fade. Quality of life will matter more.”

Wiebke Schuett of Wilhelmsen Ship Management believes culture is the deciding factor. “Beyond pay, what makes a difference is well-being — flexible leave, family engagement, and a culture where people feel safe, valued and respected.”

At Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), Eva Rodriguez points to results. “Our crew retention rate stands at 94%, but we never take it for granted,” she says. “We have to remain dynamic. We’re competing for seafarers not only with other shipmanagers, but with entirely different industries.”

John Rowley of Wallem Group sees warning signs among younger ranks. “Long tenures for junior officers and ratings are something the industry must pay attention to,” he says.

Crew turnover has measurable costs: disrupted voyages, rising training bills, lower morale and — ultimately — safety risk. Cases of abandonment and stress-related illness have increased since the pandemic. And while decarbonisation and digitalisation grab the headlines, the true bottleneck for progress may prove to be people.

Staying the course
The lesson from all voices in this debate is clear. If shipping wants skilled, loyal, motivated seafarers, it must offer more than a paycheck and a contract. It has to offer a life worth staying for.

As BSM’s Rodriguez puts it, “We’re not just competing within shipping anymore.”
In an industry built on movement, the real challenge now is how to make people stay.

[jbtam99]

@ombugge

“Amid rising pay”

Where pray tell is this rising pay? Sure as heck isn’t where I’m at…

[Gimli]

Not where I’m at either. In fact, we took a pay cut last year.

[ombugge]

Maybe you are working for the wrong company?

PS: I don`t think these two articles were aimed at a US-centered readership.

The monthly payment may not be what counts the most when young people are looking at whether to take up seafaring.
Pay scale for various nationalities.
Dry Cargo Ships, USD/per month:

Tanker Vessels, USD/per month:

Working conditions, time on/off, training, advancement prospects and access to internet and activities onboard maybe more important to many.

[dry_fly]

If the job is the same, why different pay rates? Aren’t we all one big happy seagoing family? Don’t we all deserve the same $ for our labor (no ‘u’) and time away from friends/family?

Sarcasm -off-

[ombugge]

More comments on the importance of internet access for crew recruitment and retention:

How the internet is transforming life and labour at sea - Splash247

[freighterman1]

@ombugge

Pay scale for various nationalities.

Thanks for posting this.

But I must point out that the pay scale shown for US nationals is inaccurate. If the scale is for US nationals working on foreign vessels it may be correct. I can’t say. But it would be off by a good deal if it is meant to reflect what a U.S. officer would make on a U.S. vessel.

Example: the chart lists US master pay as 8k to 17k per month. In the U.S. a well-paid limited license master makes 900-1000 per day. I can’t say about other places but where I work (CTI) a cadet makes $300/day. The chart shows an average of $30/day.

No complaints. I love this sort of data. But the U.S. data is off.

[blueh20sailor]

I’ve found that new hires (ratings and Jr. Officers) have a disconnect with what the jobs are and what is required. A lot of them don’t really want to be sailors, they just want to tell people that they are sailors. If it was easy work, everyone would do it.

What is also overlooked, is that every ship has a personality and not all are a good fit. If a new hire doesn’t like a ship, or the experience they are having on a particular ship, try another until you find one that “fits”.

Experience comes with experience, there are no shortcuts.

[ombugge]

Sorry, forgot to add source on that post. (Now too late)
Here it is: https://maritime-zone.com/en/news/view/salary-gap-between-nationalities-in-maritime-industry

Note: The article is from 2020. Don`t know when the quoted statistics are from but probably 1-2 years earlier:

The salary scale for each vessel is defined by CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement), but not all ship-owners (charitably speaking) adhere to it. We’ve compiled these indicative salary charts for your convenience with the help of Seaman Memories web portal.
Figures are quite eloquent, but there are several conclusions that should be pointed put as well:

• As you can see Asian crew have lower start wage rates compared to other groups; however, differences are less prominent with the more advanced job offers.
• Although there is a general overlap of wage rates, top rates of EU and US officers are still higher.
• We have studied Eastern European salaries in our previous article Seafarers’ Salaries: Scale by the Maritime-zone.com more closely.
• Expertise and experience requirements for top positions often leave no room for ethnic preferences. However, there are might be some exceptions connected with safety (for example Masters -Norwegian speakers required to ensure enhanced safety near jack ups in the North Sea).
• There are special regulations that limit a number of international crew that can work under national flags; some countries impose other regulations (training, certification requirements) that limit a number of foreign crew.
• British RMT (national trade union covering maritime and railway workers) is concerned with salary gaps in maritime industry. Today the law treats shipping is as a ‘special case’ allowing nationality-based pay differentials. In November 2019 the government proposed to outlaw the practice of different basic rates for UK nationals and foreign seafarers.

The history demonstrates that the UK legislation activity usually turns out to be a precedent for other countries; and practices first adopted in the United Kingdom then spread other the world. Let us hope that the maritime community picks up the British initiative over equal wage rates, so we finally see the end of salary gaps in the maritime industry and become truly international.

@freighterman1

Example: the chart lists US master pay as 8k to 17k per month. In the U.S. a well-paid limited license master makes 900-1000 per day. I can’t say about other places but where I work (CTI) a cadet makes $300/day. The chart shows an average of $30/day.

How does this “per day” work out compared to “salary”, where payment is the same for “time on/off”.
Maybe “Annual pay” would be a better way for comparison?

[freighterman1]

@ombugge

Maybe “Annual pay” would be a better way for comparison?

The best way to look at mariner wages is always to break it down to a daily basis, or daily rate.

About 2/3 of the mariners where I work get a daily rate, no OT. Easy math. 1/3 get paid a salary calculated using a target number of days they are expected to work. Somewhat complicated. In the end the way we compare the wages is to just get the annual gross and divide it by the days worked.

An officer at one company might make$300k a year, but that may be based on 365 days of work. Divide the two and actually that officer is making less than a well-paid mate on a per-day basis where I work, who works 160 days a year.

The true measure is always the annual gross divided by number of days worked.

[jbtam99]

@freighterman1

I can’t say about other places but where I work (CTI) a cadet makes $300/day

Your company is overpaying cadets then. Federal rate is something like $47 a day now (somebody correct me with the right rate, in my head it’s still the $19/day it was when I cadet shipped).

[freighterman1]

@jbtam99

Your company is overpaying cadets then.

The difference here is that ‘cadets’ do the actual work of deckhands. Therefore we pay them entry level deckhand wage. (Was actually $310 this year ).

[freighterman1]

@ombugge

The article is from 2020

That would explain a lot of the discrepancy. That was right before Pandemic-induced inflation set it. Between now and then the CPI has increased 26% and a good estimate of US mariner wage increases would be about the same.

[jbtam99]

@freighterman1

Was actually $310 this year

$310 for an OS?? Dang, that’s awesome. No wonder we’ve started seeing suitcase parades from our boats.

@freighterman1

The difference here is that ‘cadets’ do the actual work of deckhands

Oh, we did too for that $19. Being a cadet was practically indentured servitude back then.

[ombugge]

The article is date 20.02.2020 so the latest statistics it is based on would likely be 2018.

In most of the world wages working schedules and other conditions of employment is set be “Collective Bargaining Agreement” between the Unions and the Shipowners Association (or eqv.) NOT with individual shipping companies.
Here is a link to the “Norwegian Maritime Officers Association”: Norsk Sjøoffisersforbund | English
PS: They also organize foreigners working on NOR or NIS registered ships.

All seafarers on Norwegian ships work a 1:1 schedule (or better)
(Offshore workers in Norwegian waters work 2 weeks on/ 4 weeks off)

AFAIK most European nationals are working 1:1 schedules.

As of 1. Jan. 2026 ALL seafarers operating in Norwegian coastal trade and on OSVs in Norwegian waters will have equal pay and conditions, regardless of their nationality, or which flag the vessel is flying:

Norway updates wage and working rules for offshore and shipping

PS: Norway doesn`t have a Maritime Cabotage Law. Many ships in coastal trade and the OSVs working in Norwegian waters are foreign flagged, with foreign crews (even Masters/Mates with Pilotage exemptions)