ITF Seafarers’ Trust: Shorter contracts, permanent employment will boost Seafaring appeal

Abdulgani says that the ‘second name of a seafaring is resilience’ and calls for collective efforts among maritime stakeholders to drive positive changes. He suggests fostering awareness about the benefits of a career in shipping to attract more individuals to seafaring, proposing the establishment of a “maritime constituency” at the national level to advocate for policy changes with governments. Additionally, he recommends shorter contracts combined with permanent employment to incentivize greater participation in the profession.

SAFETY4SEA: What are ITF Seafarers’ Trust top priorities with regards to crew welfare on the agenda for the next 5 years?

Abdulgani Serang: With our motto “We put Seafarers First”, the ITF Seafarers Trust has an ambitious agenda for the next 5 years.  Our aim is to

• To improve welfare and wellbeing of seafarers (maritime workers) and their families 
• To encourage cooperation, coordination amongst organisations working for the welfare of seafarers
• To raise the profile of seafarers beyond the maritime sector by telling and sharing seafarers’ stories.
• To resource welfare organisations to provide port-based services
• To support initiatives around occupational safety and health and medical services for seafarers, including mental health and wellbeing
• To support changes in regulation to effectively implement maritime regulation
• To provide support to seafarers and their families in emergency situations

S4S: From your perspective, which are the key challenges for crew welfare? Do you see any opportunities or positive developments arising?

A.S.: I would just want to highlight only one challenge which is fundamental for crew welfare and that is “attitude paralysis”. Much is being said about crew welfare.  If this is not converted into actions, then it remains only a “tick box” exercise.  Attitude needs to genuinely change for the welfare of seafarers in the true sense rather than lip service with pious “politically correct” statements.  This achieved, everything else will fall in place.  Seafarers are not mere “statistics” for economic reasons.  They are real people.  But in this modern day shipping reality, where there are mixed crew of different nationalities, onboard a ship owned elsewhere, chartered elsewhere, managed elsewhere and usually flagged in a “Flag of Convenience” State leaving crew welfare at a low- priority with nobody really concerned about their welfare which needs to be addressed.

S4S: Which are the key welfare areas that require room for improvement to ensure good working and living conditions onboard and why?

A.S.: Improvement towards enhancing mental health and wellbeing is a one of a key welfare area to ensure good working and living conditions onboard.  Seafaring being physically demanding and mentally challenging can only be complemented by a mind at ease with oneself and under congenial circumstances.

S4S: With the energy transition and changing technologies in shipping, are there any issues relating to crew welfare that need extra care?

A.S.: With the ever-changing scenario of energy transition and technology, extra care and attention has to be given towards skill enhancement and transfer of technology for seafarers.  Qualified seafarers are better placed to discharge their professional duties effectively.  Skill enhancement should be taken as part of crew welfare as it prepares and adds to the confidence of the seafarers.  Present day seafarers, unlike before, are exposed to new situations at a faster pace while serving onboard. 

S4S: Do you think there is need for regulatory update or best practices towards to further enhance crew welfare?

A.S.: Definitely. The famous words of Mr. E. Mitropolous, Secretary General Emeritus of the IMO “without shipping half the world will freeze and the other half will cease to exist.” still and will hold good for ever.  So, if seafarers are that important, and if there is a genuine concern, then enhancement of crew welfare should be by default through regulatory updates and not charity or low in priority, but as a right.

S4S: In your view, how can we go the extra mile for changing seafarers and industry’s mindset and embracing a healthier lifestyle?

A.S.: A wrong impression is being created that seafarers have control and responsibility to maintain good habits but often choose not to have a “healthier lifestyle”.  This is not true.  During Covid, synergies between associations of seafarers, shipowners and the governments worked “overtime” in many key areas for the welfare of seafarers.  The employing companies should have structures in place to facilitate healthy conditions ashore and onboard for seafarers that mitigate the potential for stress and fatigue.  Long hours of work, longer contracts, inadequate manning, minimal social interaction are all negative ingredients which restrict “embracing a healthier lifestyle”.  

S4S: What further changes do you think the maritime industry needs to make to attract more men and women to a career in seafaring/ within the maritime industry? How should we work to raise industry’s profile and visibility?

A.S.: Awareness about shipping as a career, including on cruise ships, should be done at school levels.  The positive side of seafaring should be highlighted with consistency so that shipping as a career is the first choice of men and women and not afterthoughts.  The maritime industry should also have a “maritime constituency” at national levels to lobby with their respective governments in policy making including incentivizing shipping as a career by tax benefits, designation as “key workers” etc. And as mentioned above, the ITF Seafarers Trust efforts in telling and sharing seafarers’ stories is a good example of raising the industry profile and visibility.  The Trust regularly displays photos of seafarers, by the seafarers themselves in museums, seminars, public places etc. to drive home the point of raising the profile and the importance of the seafarers in particular and shipping in general.

S4S: If you could change one thing that would have an either profound or immediate impact on seafarers’ life onboard, what this one thing would it be and why?  

A.S.: Shorter contracts with permanent employment so that seafarers can spend more qualitive time ashore, which will also motivate more people to take up seafaring and permanent employment will take away the apprehensions and uncertainty of the next tour of duty.

S4S: Do you have any projects/ plans that you would like to share with industry stakeholders?

A.S.: The ITF Seafarers Trust is focusing on areas of Telemedicine for the benefit of seafarers onboard to promote standardization across the sector.  Another ambitious project is Occupational Safety and Health in ports to improve awareness and engagement in hazard identification and risk management in ports.  The same is launched in the Arab World, Latin America and the Caribbean and more regions will follow.  The Trust is also facilitating further research project by the World Maritime University (WMU) on implementation of work/rest regulations and the culture around reporting the same.

S4S: What is your key message to industry stakeholders and people onboard to foster their resilience?

A.S.: The second name of a seafaring is “resilience”.  Interactions, awareness, confidence building, group activities, individual space, ship to shore and shore to ship interactive platforms etc. onboard, ashore are key towards fostering resilience. So, let’s continue to focus individually and collectively with consistency towards making the lives of seafarers ashore and onboard a truly satisfying experience.