Seafarers around the world continue to face significant challenges, including fatigue, anxiety, and poor access to medical care, according to new research by Cardiff University’s Seafarers International Research Centre.
The analysis derives from anonymous questionnaires and interviews with 1,240 cargo ship workers and 1,202 cruise sector workers. This new study shows more than a third of cargo workers who were on board a ship when they completed the questionnaire had not had enough sleep in the past 48 hours.
Seafarers stated that they did not get enough sleep because of the number of hours they worked, the patterns of work they observed, their port duties, vessel movement and noise. These issues had increased since similar data was collected in 2016 and 2011.
Increased anxiety and homesickness affecting sleep
A higher number of cargo workers also described insufficient sleep due to work-related anxiety, general anxiety and homesickness than in previous surveys. Insufficient sleep as a result of work-related anxiety was a particularly acute problem among senior officers.
Lack of medical attention for injured or ill cargo seafarers
Other findings show that in almost one in five cases, cargo seafarers who had experienced a serious injury or illness had not had medical attention when they needed it. There was normally no access to a qualified medic on board, with patchy telemedical assistance being provided until they arrived at port.
Difficult and demanding conditions for 1.5 million seafarers worldwide
At any one time, there are more than 1.5 million people working at sea around the world, often in difficult and demanding conditions. It is believed there is widespread underreporting of the challenges on board, with people working precarious contracts nervous of jeopardising their employment.
She also noted that there was considerable evidence of work/rest records being falsified to hide overwork. Even when regulations under the Maritime Labour Convention were followed, seafarers were still at risk of insufficient rest. According to her, a comprehensive revision of work/rest hour regulations was urgently needed to ensure uninterrupted rest periods that align with recommended adult sleep guidelines.
It is also clear that access to medical care on board cargo ships is woefully inadequate, with no medically qualified person on board in the event of an emergency. Having a trained medic on board would ensure workers are not left suffering for long periods if they are injured or ill when far from land
… the Professor pointed out.
Sleep deprivation among cruise ship workers
The reports also focus on the experiences of cruise ship workers, with just under half of the 950 participants who were at sea when surveyed feeling they had not had sufficient sleep in the previous 48 hours. Work hours and work patterns were the main reasons for insufficient sleep.
Cruise workers’ medical conditions and accommodations
Almost one in 10 cruise workers described a medical condition which they attributed directly to their work, although most had access to a qualified doctor on board. Unlike cargo ship workers, the majority of cruise workers were denied private sleeping arrangements as a result of a desire to prioritise revenue earning spaces over crew accommodation.
Seafarers’ access to wellbeing amenities
Almost all seafarers reported a lack of access to the benefits of bathtubs and described a preference for greater access to these as well as to saunas.
In contrast, cruise ship workers typically had better access to medical care but still struggled with sleep deprivation due to demanding schedules and shared accommodations. Across both sectors, workers expressed a desire for better wellbeing amenities such as baths, saunas, and shore leave.
To remind, the 2024 SEAFiT Crew Survey, found that satisfaction with mental wellbeing and physical health has declined, with the Physical Wellbeing Index showing the greatest drop. Furthermore, top challenges included inadequate healthcare coverage for mental health (58.9%), insufficient guidance on coping strategies (59.9%), and a lack of information on mental health symptoms (58.1%).
