Overall seafarer happiness has fallen to 6.87 out of 10 in the second quarter of 2026, down from 7.18 in Q1, according to the latest Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) published today by The Mission to Seafarers.
The decline confirms that the hoped-for recovery after a challenging start to the year has failed to take hold, marking what the report calls a transition “from acute shock to chronic strain.”
Whilst the first quarter of 2026 was defined by the sudden shock of conflict in the Persian Gulf, the second quarter shows those pressures settling into the everyday baseline of life at sea. It is the daily norms – i.e. limited shore leave, excessive workloads and stagnant real-wage buying power – that are steadily eroding crew morale.
Sadly, shore leave scores fell to 5.72, the lowest by a significant margin, with time ashore increasingly sacrificed to intense schedules, short port stays, and restrictions on port and terminal access. Workload management scored 6.20, amid a relentless cycle of six-on, six-off watchkeeping, rapid turnarounds, heavy paperwork and inspections, with rest hours, most alarmingly, recorded “just for authorities and filing.”
Nevertheless, the report firmly rejects a narrative of pure negativity. The strongest categories were crew interactions at 7.49 and connectivity at 7.46, showing that seafarers continue to draw strength from crew relationships and from staying connected with family. Where companies get it right, the best operators respect sign-off dates, ensure timely reliefs, offer merit-based promotions and maintain modern tonnage. As one seafarer noted, “I am heard, my company looks after the crew.”
The report also frames a deepening recruitment and retention challenge, with pay increasingly judged against the total life package available ashore rather than historical maritime wages. One respondent warned that young crew see “no advantages remaining compared with a shore job.”
Demographic data shows where pressure is greatest. The average score from female respondents was 6.06, against 7.13 for men; by region and vessel type, the Middle East (4.94) and container ships (5.85) fell well below the average; and mid-career professionals aged 35 to 55 reported the lowest morale of any age group.
(Dreamstime photo of seafarer)