The results of the latest Seafarers Happiness Index, published by The Mission to Seafarers, show a further drop in seafarer happiness for the fourth quarter of 2023, raising serious concerns over conditions for all those working at sea. The growing security threats in the Red Sea and elsewhere have contributed to the Index decline.
The Seafarers Happiness Index is a quarterly survey commissioned by The Mission to Seafarers and made possible through the sponsorship of NorthStandard and Idwal, as well as the support of Inmarsat.. The survey measures the wellbeing of seafarers through ten key questions about their work and life, designed to gauge sentiment about their experiences on board.
This is fourth successive quarter to show a decline in seafarer happiness. The Q4 2023 survey results show a wide range of reasons for this worrying trend, but common causes for concern expressed by seafarers taking part in the survey include feeling overburdened, underappreciated and disconnected, as well as concerns over a lack of shore leave and an inability to contact family.
The Q4 report shows an overall fall in seafarer happiness to 6.36 out of 10. This compares to 6.6 in Q3, 6.77 in Q2 and 7.1 in Q1 2023, and represents a considerable decline over the course of the year.
This fall in happiness is driven by a decrease in sentiment across most areas of life on board covered by the survey, with onboard connectivity being the only notable aspect that showed improvement. However, frustration was expressed by some respondents over what seems to be unfair inconsistency in vessel connectivity, with some vessels in the same fleet having better internet access than others.
The growing security threats to the lives of seafarers are also reflected in the results of the Q4 survey. It is clear that the escalating risks to seafarer safety from piracy, terrorism and war risks are having an impact on crew welfare. It is also adding to the workload burden on seafarers, due to the ramping up of security duties in higher risk waters. The survey also highlighted the importance of warlike operations area payments. However, there is likely to be a lag between the responses and the official designation of these areas. As such, the Q1 2024 survey should reveal the true impact of these changes.
Commenting on the Q4 survey results, the Revd Canon Andrew Wright, Secretary General of The Mission to Seafarers, said: “From perennial concerns over an unsustainable workload, insufficient shore leave, limited rest hours, financial concerns and the burden of separation from family, we now see rising concerns over the security risks facing seafarers, whether in the Red Sea or in high-risk piracy waters.
Seafarers often feel the world’s crises first and hardest, as we have seen in recent years. While it is not within the power of industry to change such events, we are reminded of the vulnerability of seafarers and of the imperatives of prioritising their well-being in all circumstances. It is my hope that we will see the index moving upward in 2024. Let’s make it a year of further action, with meaningful steps taken to ensure that every single seafarer feels safe, happy and respected. The future prosperity of the shipping industry depends on it.”
(Dreamstime photo)
