Access to Internet Divides Seafarers Into "Haves" and "Have-Nots"

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Published Jul 29, 2024 11:33 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

A trend of the "haves and have-nots" is emerging in seafarers' welfare, even though the average level of happiness continues to improve, according to the latest Seafarers Happiness Index.

The Mission to Seafarers' index, which is the commercial shipping industry's barometer of sentiment at sea, reports that there appear to be two classes of life at sea for seafarers, with a "digital divide" at the core.

The second quarter's numbers show a positive trajectory in the level of happiness among seafarers. The index increased slightly to 6.99 on a scale of 10, a marginal rise from 6.94 in Q1. The trend is still on an upswing after a record low of 6.3 in the last quarter of 2023.

The positive shift comes down to improvements in a number of critical areas, including shore leave, wages, training, crew interaction, and workload. However, there are still perceived shortcomings in opportunities for contact with family, quality food and the ability to keep fit and healthy.

Despite the positive trend, there is a divide when it comes to accessing connectivity, as well as differing levels of training, preparedness for new fuels and new technologies. Seafarers working on tankers are reporting sentiments of being well-prepared, qualified, and ready to tackle the challenge of new fuels, those on dry cargo and container vessels feel left out of next-generation developments. 

Seafarers serving aboard vessels with advanced satcom connectivity also have a perceived privilege. Though not explicitly linked to one service, some seafarers have access to high-speed connections like Starlink, with unlimited or high-capacity data. Others are still restricted by limited data allowances, slow connections, or a total lack of access. 
 
Seafarers working on higher-tech, higher-margin vessels generally reported greater happiness. During the quarter, seafarers working in cable ships were the happiest, followed by cruise, ro/ro, bulk carriers, tankers, container ships and offshore vessels. Those working on general cargo were the unhappiest.