Subscribe to our Mailing Lists (It's free!)
Friday, July 11, 2025
SAFETY4SEA
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    IMO piracy

    IMO Piracy Report: Twenty five incidents during May 2025

    Dryad Global

    Dryad Global: Geopolitical tensions continue to shape maritime landscape

    ireland drug seizure

    Ireland’s largest drug smuggling plot leads to eight men in jail

    limpet mines tankers

    Greek tanker fleet boosts security amid limpet mine fears

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    friendship

    Exploring the human need for friendship: A lifeline at sea and on shore

    neck pain

    Neck pain: A growing health concern for maritime workers

    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: Feel grounded and think positive in 10 simple steps

    time

    Stay SEAFiT: Time is non-renewable – invest it wisely

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    BIMCO FuelEU Maritime Regulation

    EU issues low-carbon hydrogen fuel standards

    clean air act

    California updates ballast rules for water from low salinity areas

    biofuels

    India’s DGS issues biofuel bunkering guidelines

    biofuel

    Companies sign deal to advance crude lignin oil biofuel

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    Trafigura, ZeroNorth join forces to advance decarbonization solutions

    Trafigura, ZeroNorth join forces to advance decarbonization solutions

    floating data centres

    New partnership to develop floating data center on retrofitted vessel

    connectivity

    Innovating ocean safety: Intellian’s unified vision for connectivity and GMDSS

    autonomous navigation

    New deal aims to advance autonomous navigation technology

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    AMSA fine

    NorthStandard: Tips to avoid pollution fines in Turkey

    OCIMF

    OCIMF Annual Report 2025: SIRE 2.0 a welcome change for the industry

    USCG

    ABS PSC Report Q1 2025: 526 total vessels detained

    paris mou lists

    Paris MoU 2024 Performance lists

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    Panama Canal

    Panama Canal reports increase in transits despite dry season

    UNCTAD

    UNCTAD: Global trade endures policy changes and uncertainty

    Eternity C

    Watch: Eternity C sinks in the Red Sea following Houthi attack

    newbuildings xclusiv shipbrokers

    Xclusiv Shipbrokers: Newbuilding momentum slows sharply in 2025

  • Columns
    Career Paths: Syb ten Cate Hoedemaker, Maritime Battery Forum

    Career Paths: Syb ten Cate Hoedemaker, Maritime Battery Forum

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    NorthStandard: Data sharing to drive technology and improve crew wellbeing

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    Trending Tags

    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    IMO piracy

    IMO Piracy Report: Twenty five incidents during May 2025

    Dryad Global

    Dryad Global: Geopolitical tensions continue to shape maritime landscape

    ireland drug seizure

    Ireland’s largest drug smuggling plot leads to eight men in jail

    limpet mines tankers

    Greek tanker fleet boosts security amid limpet mine fears

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    friendship

    Exploring the human need for friendship: A lifeline at sea and on shore

    neck pain

    Neck pain: A growing health concern for maritime workers

    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: Feel grounded and think positive in 10 simple steps

    time

    Stay SEAFiT: Time is non-renewable – invest it wisely

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    BIMCO FuelEU Maritime Regulation

    EU issues low-carbon hydrogen fuel standards

    clean air act

    California updates ballast rules for water from low salinity areas

    biofuels

    India’s DGS issues biofuel bunkering guidelines

    biofuel

    Companies sign deal to advance crude lignin oil biofuel

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    Trafigura, ZeroNorth join forces to advance decarbonization solutions

    Trafigura, ZeroNorth join forces to advance decarbonization solutions

    floating data centres

    New partnership to develop floating data center on retrofitted vessel

    connectivity

    Innovating ocean safety: Intellian’s unified vision for connectivity and GMDSS

    autonomous navigation

    New deal aims to advance autonomous navigation technology

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    AMSA fine

    NorthStandard: Tips to avoid pollution fines in Turkey

    OCIMF

    OCIMF Annual Report 2025: SIRE 2.0 a welcome change for the industry

    USCG

    ABS PSC Report Q1 2025: 526 total vessels detained

    paris mou lists

    Paris MoU 2024 Performance lists

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    Panama Canal

    Panama Canal reports increase in transits despite dry season

    UNCTAD

    UNCTAD: Global trade endures policy changes and uncertainty

    Eternity C

    Watch: Eternity C sinks in the Red Sea following Houthi attack

    newbuildings xclusiv shipbrokers

    Xclusiv Shipbrokers: Newbuilding momentum slows sharply in 2025

  • Columns
    Career Paths: Syb ten Cate Hoedemaker, Maritime Battery Forum

    Career Paths: Syb ten Cate Hoedemaker, Maritime Battery Forum

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    NorthStandard: Data sharing to drive technology and improve crew wellbeing

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    Trending Tags

    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
SAFETY4SEA

Empowering seafarers: How digitalization is shaping maritime recruitment

by Alexander Held
April 16, 2024
in Opinions
seafarer statistics

Credits: Shutterstock

FacebookTwitterEmailLinkedin

During the SAFETY4SEA Hamburg Forum 2024, Alexander Held, Head of Commercial at TURTLE, delivered an insightful presentation which explored the transformative advantages that a digital recruitment platform can offer.

The maritime recruitment platform and march of digitalization  

TURTLE is a maritime recruitment platform that connects shipping companies and seafarers globally in a fair and compliant way. It serves as a good example of how a digital solution can positively impact the industry where it is applied by combatting the shortage of skilled personnel, driving diversity, attracting young talent through innovation and mitigating the risk for malpractices.

There are around 1.9 million seafarers in the world. When talking about digitalization in this space it’s important to note that next to recruitment there are other  areas worth mentioning.

RelatedNews

IACS reports progress on decarbonisation & digital transformation

NorthStandard: Data sharing to drive technology and improve crew wellbeing

First, there is an enhanced ship and shore communication through digitalization, both professionally and personally. Seafarers can now communicate more easily with friends and family. They have also improved access to mental health solutions and medical assistance. Additionally, ship operations have become more efficient, and navigation has become safer.

In terms of recruitment, seafarers now have improved access to job opportunities as well as to tests, training, and education. Previously, physical presence was more required, but now many processes are available remotely, including the digital sharing of certificates.

Currently, around 170,000 seafarers are registered with TURTLE, representing more than 140 countries globally. The process is simple: seafarers sign up, complete their profiles, and shipping companies can contact them for global job opportunities.

When TURTLE was launched in its current form two years ago, the market was very fragmented, consisting of agencies, seafarers, shipping companies and other players. We saw the need for a more efficient digital solution which was also driven by the following aspects:

  • An anticipated shortage of 80,000 qualified officers in the coming years. and an associated lack of a global approach, where seafarers and shipping companies can connect directly
  • Emerging fuel technologies and qualifications requiring efficient connections between seafarers and potential employers.
  • Time-consuming manual recruitment processes that create the need for a modern, transparent and compliant tool for shipping companies
  • A compliance gap where seafarers are sometimes required to pay to get onboard.

The goal was to establish a global platform which is empowering seafarers in their recruitment process, providing quick and direct access to job opportunities, focusing on diversity, reducing the risk of charging illegal recruitment fees to candidates and safeguarding seafarers’ personal data.

Various seafarer types profit from a digitalized recruitment process

On the one hand there are experienced seafarers with a solid experience track-record that are looking for an efficient tool to steer their career and get access to reputable employers 24/7. At the same time there are also seafarer groups facing specific challenges when looking for a job. Two examples of areas which can be problematic in this regard are diversity on board as well as illegal recruitment fees requested from seafarers.

Gender diversity in the maritime industry

Currently, the maritime industry faces a significant gender disparity, with only 1.2% of the global seafarer workforce being women out of a total of nearly 2 million seafarers. This underrepresentation highlights an urgent need for increased gender diversity onboard ships.

Generally, efforts are being made to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for women in the maritime sector, with more and more Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives being explored.

Alas, this is not the case for all shipping companies. To address this issue, TURTLE is actively working to promote gender diversity by providing female candidates with improved access to suitable employment opportunities.

Enhancing transparency in the recruitment process

A collaboration with nonprofit organizations (IHRB, SSI and MACN) in the industry revealed in a survey with 5,000 participating TURTLE seafarers that 40% of them had experienced corruption related to their work, with 70% of these incidents linked to recruitment.

TURTLE has initiated efforts to raise awareness around this topic within the maritime industry and supports seafarers in avoiding such corrupt demands while still pursuing a career in shipping via their recruitment platform

Additional initiatives to empower seafarers

In addition to providing a fast and transparent access to leading shipping companies, promoting gender diversity and fighting illicit activities, various other aspects can further empower seafarers during the recruitment process. These include:

  • Online mentoring programs

Implementing online mentoring programs to provide guidance and support to seafarers, especially those who are new to the industry or seeking career advancement opportunities. Experienced professionals can share their insights, knowledge, and advice to help seafarers navigate their career paths more effectively.

  • Access to salary benchmarks

Providing seafarers with access to salary benchmarks and industry standards to ensure fair and transparent compensation. This information can help seafarers negotiate better terms and conditions with potential employers and make informed decisions about their career opportunities.

  • Sharing success stories on social media

Utilizing social media platforms to share success stories and testimonials from seafarers who have found employment through the platform. These stories can inspire and motivate other seafarers, showcase the benefits of using the platform, and increase awareness about the opportunities available in the maritime industry.

  • Community involvement and support

Engaging with the seafaring community through various initiatives and events to build a strong and supportive network. This helps seafarers connect with each other, share experiences, and learn from industry experts.

  • Rating of employers

It’s beneficial to provide seafarers with the opportunity to rate and share their experiences with employers they’ve worked for or companies they’ve been in contact with. This feedback loop not only empowers seafarers by allowing them to voice their opinions but also benefits the maritime industry as a whole by fostering transparency and accountability.

Future plans to further empower seafarers

Various endeavors are currently underway to expand these aspects and further empower seafarers in the future.

TURTLE is committed to continuously improving and enhancing its platform to better serve the needs of seafarers and shipping companies alike.

The views presented are only those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.

Above article is a transcript from Alexander Held’s presentation during the 2024 SAFETY4SEA Hamburg Forum with minor edits for clarification purposes.

You can watch his video presentation here below

Empowering seafarers: How digitalization is shaping maritime recruitmentEmpowering seafarers: How digitalization is shaping maritime recruitment
Empowering seafarers: How digitalization is shaping maritime recruitmentEmpowering seafarers: How digitalization is shaping maritime recruitment
Tags: crew welfaredigitalizationeventsrecruitmentSAFETY4SEAshortage of seafarers
Previous Post

IMO: A human will be responsible for MASS regardless of autonomy level

Next Post

UK P&I Club: Understanding and adhering to laws for flying the Chinese National Flag

Alexander Held

Alexander Held

Alexander has been in the maritime industry since 2011 and holds a Master’s Degree in International Marketing and Management from Copenhagen Business School. He has been working in Maersk Line’s Strategy department and held various commercial positions at Zeaborn Ship Management before joining TURTLE in 2022. TURTLE is an online marketplace enabling seafarers to run a fair and self-determined recruitment process and offer reputable shipping companies direct hiring possibilities to global verified seafarers. Today more than 150,000 seafarers are registered on the platform and over 40 shipping companies are using TURTLE. As Head of Commercial at TURTLE, Alexander is working closely with the shipping companies signed up on the platform and is also building up cooperations with other external stakeholders to jointly create awareness around diversity and fair recruitment practices within the maritime industry.

SUGGESTED FOR YOU

Port of Helsinki
Ports

Ports get €22 million grant for digital and electrification solutions

July 7, 2025
floating data centres
Smart

New partnership to develop floating data center on retrofitted vessel

July 7, 2025
estonia
Shipping

EST Flag: Offering a digital and sustainable business model

July 7, 2025
AP Companies: How physical and mental well-being shape happier ships
Seafarers

AP Companies: How physical and mental well-being shape happier ships

July 3, 2025
AMSA
Seafarers

AMSA: Watchkeeping and crewing standards

July 3, 2025
MSC 110
Seafarers

IMO targets fatigue, work and rest hours and harassment at sea

July 2, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Explore more

No Result
View All Result
MARITIME EVENTS

Explore

  • Safety
  • SEAFiT
  • Green
  • Smart
  • Risk
  • Others
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

Useful Links

  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Editorial Policies
  • Advertising
  • Content Marketing
  • Contact

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA

No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • SEAFiT
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Case Studies
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Opinions
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Tip of the day
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA

Manage your privacy
We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. We do this to improve browsing experience and to show (non-) personalized ads. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • SEAFiT
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Case Studies
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Opinions
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Tip of the day
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA