The Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) third-quarter 2023 report, conducted by the Mission to Seafarers, saw another drop in overall happiness – down to 6.6 out of 10 from 6.77 in quarter two.
Happiness levels fell across most question areas, with only shore leave, training and food bucking the negative trend. The most significant drops were in wages, workload and connectivity.
“We saw a mixed set of responses, featuring the highs and lows of life at sea,” said Mission to Seafarers. “From a positive perspective, we heard that the seafaring life still holds an alluring promise of adventure and steady income, yet it also demands substantial sacrifice.”
Based on average response data over the past five quarters, there has now been a consistent downward trend in the index. While overall seafarer happiness improved towards the end of 2022, it dropped from 7.12 in Q1 2023 to 6.77 in Q2 2023 and is now down to 6.6 in Q3 2023. These results imply that seafarer satisfaction and happiness have been steadily worsening in 2023.
“This represents the longest sustained decline in seafarers’ happiness since the SHI was founded,” the report said. “The trend should be an area of serious concern for the industry.”
Key recommendations, according to the report, centre on facilitating shore leave and engaging with ports globally, addressing remuneration concerns, promoting diversity and inclusion, managing workloads, and leveraging technology to enhance work-life balance.
