London-based maritime welfare charity the Seafarers Hospital Society (SHS) has announced the launch of its new report, "The human heart of sustainable shipping: Why seafarer wellbeing is the next strategic priority en route to net zero."
SHS said the report highlights that supporting seafarer health and wellbeing is no longer merely a welfare concern, but a business-critical strategy essential for the maritime industry to achieve its decarbonisation and digitalisation goals.
The report, which draws on data from SHS’s own projects, emphasises that seafarer wellbeing is a core factor influencing safety, retention, and the success of the transition to "net zero," and argues that the industry cannot achieve a "just transition" without a supported workforce, the charity said in a press release.
The SHS said the analysis identifies three interconnected points taking a cumulative toll on the global seafarer workforce:
Mental health and wellbeing: Long voyages, isolation, high job demands, and anxiety stemming from geopolitical tensions, the pace of decarbonisation, and criminalisation are widespread. Fatigue remains the top threat to safety at sea.
Financial burden: Many seafarers face financial stress due to unpredictable income, hidden costs, inadequate shore-based support, and often bearing the financial burden of upskilling for new technologies alone.
Recruitment and retention: The industry faces a persistent officer-level skills shortage. SHS said modernising working conditions is vital to attract new talent and retain experienced professionals.
While highlighting the essential, scalable support provided by the SHS, including over £412,000 (US$539,000) in welfare grants and the funding of a 24/7 mental health platform that saw seafarer outreach triple in 2024, the report calls for a shift from reactive to systemic action.
"Meaningful support can be simple and effective," said SHS CEO Sandra Welch. "However, to build long-term resilience for the industry, we need systemic investment and coordinated action."
SHS reiterated that shipowners and managers should treat financial transparency, fair compensation, and proactive communication about training as strategic levers for stability. Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General InterManager and Chairman of SHS, highlighted that to encourage people to join and also to retain them in the maritime industry, "we need to gain their trust".
SHS said that by strategically addressing human pressures through enhanced mental health support, fair financial practices, and modernised working conditions, the maritime sector can, "unlock the human capital required to navigate the challenges of net zero and digitalisation successfully."