THE SEAFARERS Happiness Index, a quarterly survey conducted by Mission to Seafarers, has released its report for the second quarter of 2024.
The survey consists of ten questions asked of those working at sea that address various aspects of their professional and personal lives, intended to provide valuable insights into factors influencing seafarers’ happiness.
Seafarers from varying age groups, regions, rank, types of ships, and length of time at sea completed the survey.
The overall index score has seen a slight increase to 6.99 out of 10 in Q2 2024, compared to 6.94 in Q1 2024.
Whilst a modest increase, the MTS report suggested that at the very least, it shows that overall seafarer happiness has stabilised.
The latest response data shows improvements in several areas, including general satisfaction, shore leave, wages, training, crew interaction, workload and welfare.
However, there were slight declines in satisfaction when it came to connectivity, food, and health and fitness.
The biggest decreases in happiness from Q1 to Q2 2024 were seen in food, which is down 7.03 from 7.23, and ability to keep fit and healthy, down 6.99 from 7.18.
Sue Dight, Mission to Seafarers regional director Australia and PNG, said although there are still “plenty of areas of growth that need attention”, the report reveals an encouraging trajectory of steady recovery and stabilisation after what has been a tumultuous couple of years for seafarers.
“The emerging ‘two-speed’ industry, particularly around connectivity and readiness for new technologies, is worrying, with a striking disparity between tanker crews and those on dry cargo vessels,” she said.
“Every single seafarer deserves access to the fundamentals that support a safe and rewarding life at sea, including shore leave, decent connectivity, good onboard facilities, and regular training.”
Poor quality and irregular maintenance were highlighted as concerns for seafarers attempting to participate in recreational fitness onboard, with small ships in particular emphasised for their lack of space.
Positively, general happiness was increased to 7 from 6.86, shore leave increased to 6.76 from 6.56, and workload increased to 6.32 from 6.11, among other categories seeing marginal increases.
Camaraderie among crew members was highlighted in the report as a significant source of joy for seafarers.
Numerous responses mention the “harmonious relationships” and “family-like culture” on board, suggesting that strong bonds formed at sea may help mitigate the isolation inherent to the job.
While workload satisfaction increase from the previous quarter, with many seafarers finding their work engaging and well-balanced, problems persist for some seafarers, including overworking, claims of unpaid overtime, understaffing, and an inundation of time-consuming paperwork.
With an average index score of nearly 7/10, the report shows a trajectory of positive momentum this year compared to last year, with seafarer happiness in Q4 2023 having dropped as low as 6.36/10.
However, MtS asserts that despite the positive trend, there remain a number of challenges and areas for improvement.
“It is critical that all industries, not just the shipping industry, continue to support and bolster seafarers to maintain this positive momentum,” Ms Dight said.
The report also praised the increased participation of female seafarer’s in the survey, with 15% of respondents for this quarter being female, a positive that MtS says it hopes can be maintained.
