Who wants to go sea?

THERE is a short answer to the question "Who wants to go sea?": Not very many. And it is becoming a matter of some urgency, because the number of youngsters looking to the sea for a career is too low to keep shipowners happy as they look to man ever-larger fleets.

Launched last week, the new Seafarer Workforce Report from the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) warns that the industry must significantly increase training and recruitment levels if it is to avoid a serious shortage in the total supply of officers by 2026. There is growing demand for officers who meet the mandatory International Maritime Organization (IMO) qualifications, specified by the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

Apparently, an additional 89,510 officers will be needed by 2026 to operate the world merchant fleet. The report estimates that 1.89 million seafarers now serve the world merchant fleet, operating over 74,000 vessels around the globe.