The seafarer shortage is not what shipping thinks it is

The seafarer shortage is not what shipping thinks it is
May 11, 2026 https://splash247.com/the-seafarer-shortage-is-not-what-shipping-thinks-...

Kuba Szymanski, secretary-general of InterManager, writes for Splash today.

Amid growing concern about a global seafarer shortage, many in the industry argue that recruitment is our biggest challenge. I disagree. The real issue is whether we are properly training, supporting and protecting the workforce we already have to build the industry’s future.

For too long, shipping has referred to a ‘seafarer shortage’ as if the only answer is to employ more people. When I look at what is happening across the crewing market, I see a much more complicated picture. In some areas, yes, there is strong competition for highly experienced officers and crew who meet the requirements of top-quality operators. In other areas, skilled and experienced seafarers are struggling to find safe, decent and reputable employment.

This problem has escalated due to the current geopolitical situation. The war between Russia and Ukraine, tensions involving Iran and the United States, and sanctions affecting Venezuela have all changed trading patterns and reduced activity in areas where many companies previously operated.

For some shipowners and operators, work in these regions has become either too risky, too restricted, or simply impossible. Smaller companies are feeling the pressure and are scaling back operations. When that happens, this doesn’t just affect the employer, it affects the seafarers and their families.

Georgia is one example of this recent trend. Georgian seafarers have served the industry for many years, often on fleets and trades now affected by war, sanctions or political risk. As those opportunities disappear, many are left with fewer choices. Some may feel forced to accept employment on sanctioned or questionable vessels, exposing themselves to serious risks including unpaid wages, abandonment, poor conditions, criminalisation and lack of support.

For many, this is not a career decision. It is about keeping a roof over their family’s head. If reputable shipping does not offer them a solution, others will and most will not have seafarer welfare, rights or safety at heart. This is why I believe the industry must stop referring to a “seafarer shortage’. We may have a shortage at the very top end of the market, where the demand for highly trained, experienced and immediately deployable crew is intense. That doesn’t mean there are a lack of seafarers. It means we are not doing enough to develop the people who are already available.

The solution therefore is simple, If seafarers lack certain skills, they should be trained to learn those skills and if a seafarer has only had experience on a smaller less technical vessels, they should be helped to transition on to better systems and standards.

Some of the larger companies are looking at new crewing regions, including Ghana. Vietnam is also investing in retraining experienced fishermen for the merchant navy, recognising that many of these people have spent years at sea and could become valuable seafarers with the right support.

This is the right approach but must be done responsibly. Simply adding more people to the industry without protecting standards will not solve anything. It could result in pushing wages down even further and make vulnerable seafarers even more vulnerable. Shipping does not just need more seafarers. It needs better training, better recruitment policies and better protection for the seafarers who are already part of our industry who will, in turn, encourage others to join them.

I would urge shipowners, shipmanagers and crewing departments to look again at regions such as Georgia. There are skilled, experienced and motivated seafarers who deserve a fair opportunity in reputable fleets. Seafarers do not disappear when they are unemployed, abandoned, unpaid, or forced into dangerous choices. They remain part of our industry, and we remain responsible for how this industry treats them. If we ignore these seafarers while continuing to search for the “perfect candidate”, we are not solving a shortage. We are creating one.