Seafarer supply survey shows pay and promotion prospects as key factors
The majorities of seafarers are happy with their lives at sea and say they have witnessed big improvements in basic pay and Internet access in recent years, according to the preliminary results of new research.
Feedback gathered from more than soo seafarers who took part in a survey as part of research into maritime labour market trends shows that 'happy ships', timely wage payments and career promotion opportunities are the most important factors influencing their decision to stay with their current employers. The survey was conducted to provide background information for the latest BIMCO/TCS Manpower Report on global supply and demand for seafarers, by gathering their views on life at sea and the pros and cons of theirwork.
Two-thirds of the seafarers who have responded to the survey so far, representing over 40 nationalities, said they were confident that it would take them less than three months to secure another job in the industry if they chose to leave their current company.
Researchers said the feedback has underlined the importance and value that seafarers place on their training and skills.
But it has also highlighted the impact of increased regulation and paperwork.
One seafarer responded: 'This is a great career, but an increasingly technical and administrative one. So it is no longer as much an adventure as simply a job- albeit one with the possibility of adventure!'
The new Manpower Report aims to reflect opinions from a wider number of maritime professionals with knowledge of the ‘sharp end' - including lecturers at maritime education and training institutions, manning agents, seafaring unions, and port welfare workers. The MET survey has just been launched, seeking views on the status of the current recruitment and training intake, training standards, training techniques,and implementation of the latest amendments to the STCW Convention.
Aron S¢rensen, chief marine technical officer at BIMCO, commented: ‘This survey has provided us with insight into the views of seafarers today. Understanding the key issues for seafarers is especially valuable when attracting and recruiting talented young people to the shipping industry.'
Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson commented: 'We have been actively supporting this research and we welcome its attempt to get under the skin of the statistics on seafarer supply and demand by taking a deeper look at the factors which influence recruitment and retention of maritime professionals.’
The findings so far are fascinating and we would argue that they support our contention that ship owners and managers need to be more responsive to the concerns raised by their seafarers if they wish to attract and retain the increasingly scarce high caliber personnel needed to operate ever-more sophisticated ships,’ he added.
'Our research has identified a number of areas where members’ job satisfaction levels increased over the past 10 years (including accommodation, opportunities for promotion, pay, provision of training, and general morale) -but contact with home and family had declined, and the importance of email and internet access loomed large in this connection.’
In short, while some elements appear to have improved, there is no room for complacency and the industry needs to do much more if it is serious about resolving the skills shortage,' Mr Dickinson stressed.