Α decline in overall happiness levels of seafarers during the first three months of the year is reported by The Mission to Seafarers.
The survey, which captures seafarers’ sentiments worldwide across a wide range of welfare issues, shows a fall from 7.69 to 7.1 out of 10, compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.
Revd Canon Andrew Wright, secretary general of The Mission to Seafarers, commented, “We saw the satisfaction of seafarers steadily grow throughout 2022, and this continued into the fourth quarter with a high-water mark of satisfaction at 7.69/10. Unfortunately, this positive trend came to an end in the first quarter of this year, as happiness levels have declined almost across the board.”
More specifically, the Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) report covers ten key questions that provide insights into the challenges and opportunities facing seafarers.
Shore leave and a desire to access welfare services ashore seem as key areas for concern for seafarers, who also reported increased frustration with owners who attempt to make seafarers sign on for longer periods than desired, as well as with the delays experienced in sign-off procedures.
Furthermore, the challenges in extended periods onboard have reportedly been made more difficult due to inadequate food provisions, bureaucratic and unnecessary paperwork demands, ineffective shipboard leadership, and a sense of social isolation adding to the stress of life onboard.
Moreover, the Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) report also identified several other challenges facing seafarers, including a growing wellness gap between companies that provide health and well-being programmes and those that do not, access to dental care in some ports but not others, and limited access to mental health support, medical advisory services, and physical well-being consultations.
Seafarers also expressed concerns about salaries, the cost of living, and potential obstacles to career advancement.
Seafarers were relatively satisfied in the last quarter of 2022, but sentiment has since worsened. The average happiness level of seafarers in Q1 2023 was 7.1, which is lower than the levels recorded in Q2, Q3, and Q4 of 2022.
In fact, nine out of ten areas surveyed showed a decrease in happiness levels. Despite an optimistic outlook for improvements to seafarer welfare in 2023, the latest report indicates that these expectations have not yet been met. As ever, there is still much room for improvement.
