A new report published by satcom provider Inmarsat indicates seafarers are largely in favour of greater digitalisation but a sizeable proportion of those working at sea also fear shrinking job opportunities in the near future
Seafarers in the Digital Age – Prioritising Human Element in Maritime Digital Transformation was compiled by consultancy Thetius and draws on the results of a survey of 200 maritime professionals.
Thetius describes the relationship between seafarers and emerging maritime technologies as “broadly positive” but responses reveal crew members still have misgivings over shipping’s digital transformation at sea.
More than 88% of maritime professionals believe digitalisation will result in new ways of operating ships within five years and most of them also feel 75% of training and examinations will be delivered remotely in the same period. One in five seafarers believe this percentage could be even higher.
Seafarers see risks in the wider deployment of digital technology. Half of the respondents in Seafarers in the Digital Age expect job opportunities to decline by 25% within five years.
“If half of our seafarers believe traditional job opportunities at sea are disappearing, as this research suggests, more needs to be done to highlight how digitalisation will help jobs to evolve or create entirely new roles,” said Thetius Head of Research and Intelligence Matthew Kenney.
He added, “Instead of allowing maritime professionals to become distrustful or even fearful of digital and emerging technologies, the sector must recognise the continued importance of human capital and work hard to bring crews along on the journey.”
The report also said more than one in three seafarers choose personal access to digital technology as the key factor when considering a new employer.
One industry measure, the Seafarer Happiness Index (SHI), found that crew well-being dropped to its lowest level in Q1 2022 since the SHI was founded in 2015, with respondents citing lack of access to internet connectivity as one cause.
Inmarsat president Ben Palmer commented, “The inclusion of mandatory internet access to the Maritime Labour Convention in May represents a paradigm shift for seafaring rights, putting into law what responsible owners already fully understand: high-quality onboard internet has become a key indicator of crew welfare and hence recruitment and retention of high-quality personnel. Today, it also provides the basis for new and exciting next-generation job roles at sea, as well as supporting safer operations, greater sustainability and productivity gains.”
