Top Reasons Why Seafarers Quit Their Seafaring Careers
Every year, maritime academies around the world train thousands of new deck students and marine engineers. These young graduates come with the hope of succeeding in the maritime industry and becoming top seafarers one day.
These seafarers take their new knowledge and training aboard the vessels of prestigious shipping companies, work for a few years, and work their way up the ranks. However, despite the lucrative job opportunities, adventurous work environment, and globetrotting lifestyle, most seafarers suddenly decide to give up their jobs at sea and take up opportunities on land. This trend is on the rise and has already been observed in many countries worldwide.
With more and more seafarers leaving the industry every year, we can’t help but ask: what motivates them to abandon such a respected and lucrative career after just a few years at sea? While some of the reasons we found are common and obvious, there are also some new and surprising reasons.
After surveying several maritime industry professionals who have left their jobs or are planning to leave, we have listed the key reasons why seafarers are currently feeling uneasy.
Note: We are not saying that a career in the maritime industry is not valuable. In fact, working in the merchant navy is the best career opportunity you can have. The most important reasons why seafarers leave their jobs at sea.
1. Sedentary lifestyle
This is the most common and obvious reason why an increasing number of seafarers today seek stable jobs on land. In the early stages of their careers, sailors may not mind a nomadic lifestyle, but after a few years, especially after marriage, they often crave a more stable lifestyle, particularly with their families. Although this is not a new reason for seafarers to leave their jobs, it remains one of the main reasons for job dissatisfaction.
2. Busy life
It is undeniable that life on board has become very stressful. With the implementation of strict maritime regulations, the life of seafarers has become increasingly busy, stressful, and monotonous. Increased paperwork, higher training requirements, new regulations, and stricter safety and environmental laws have made life on board extremely stressful for seafarers. Additionally, many seafarers cite poor management of the workforce on board as a reason for the increased workload. The already busy life on board becomes more stressful every year.
3. Onboard policies
No matter how hard you try to avoid getting involved in professional or personal politics on board, it will affect you sooner or later. Politics and conflicts on board not only make it difficult to work, but also complicate socializing within the already small group of people on board. Additionally, the boundaries between professional and personal life on board are very blurred. However, this makes it difficult to avoid and resolve politics or conflicts arising from differences of opinion. It takes a lot of determination, patience, and skills to deal with difficult people on board, especially after professional or personal disagreements arise.
4. Lack of social life
Almost everyone who comes aboard a ship has grown up in a social environment since birth. When these people are suddenly placed in a cramped space on board with almost no social life, they begin to suffer negative effects such as depression, loneliness, and homesickness. Life on board may seem fine at first, but as time goes by, a sense of emptiness begins to creep in. The lack of interaction with people and restrictions on physical activities make life on board even more miserable. It takes a great deal of courage and mental strength to remain calm and focused on board. Eventually, many sailors quit because of this.
5. Being away from family
While most sailors can accept the fact that they are away from their friends for months on a voyage, being separated from their families for months is heartbreaking. Some may have just started their married life, while others may have just become parents. Losing precious time with loved ones who care about them is the most painful thing for sailors. No sailor wants to miss the time spent with his wife or miss the opportunity to watch his son or daughter grow up without him. It is then that sailors realize the importance of family life and loved ones. The pain of being away from home for months is also one of the main reasons why seafarers leave their seafaring jobs.
6. Personal/Family Problems
When family or personal problems bother a person, they are unable to concentrate on their work. Sailors often face this problem when they leave their family problems on shore. However, the inability to take care of personal problems and their negative impact on the family can lead to a constant state of anxiety, which reduces the ability to focus on duties. Psychologically, it is very difficult to work on a ship when you are at home. In addition, what makes sailors even sadder is that they are unable to deal with emergencies or accidents that their families encounter at home. These situations lead to sailors feeling very depressed, anxious, sleepless, and stressed. Many of them have therefore given up their careers at sea.
7. Increased Piracy
Despite many measures taken in recent years to combat piracy, pirate attacks and kidnappings of crew members occur almost monthly. The threat of pirate attacks is increasing, and despite the availability of weapons to combat pirates, sailors remain clearly apprehensive. No one wants to risk their lives or put themselves in danger by sailing on a ship that sails in an area where piracy is rampant. Fear of pirates is also one of the many reasons why sailors leave their jobs on ships.
8. Health Issues
Sailing on a ship requires meeting strict medical and health requirements. Despite strict regulations that must be followed before boarding, life on board does not even meet health standards. Irregular sleep schedules, excessive work pressure, unsuitable working environments, a lack of fresh food, inadequate medical facilities, and other factors can seriously impact the health of seafarers. Additionally, many seafarers are compelled to cease sailing once they are diagnosed with an emergency that necessitates immediate medical attention. Although the law requires a reasonable allocation of working time and rest time, many still complain about the growing gap between working time and rest time.
9. Fewer Beach Vacations
One of the main reasons people join the merchant navy is the desire to explore the world. However, over the last few years, there has been a sudden reduction in shore leave for seafarers. With ships turning quickly in ports and scheduled maintenance procedures, sailors are not allowed to leave ports. In addition, many supertankers and large-capacity vessels are unable to reach ports to unload or load cargo, resulting in seafarers not having the opportunity to recover from the shipboard environment. This constant cruising, coupled with little or no opportunity for shore leave, has led many sailors to become frustrated and eventually give up sailing.
10. Lack of job opportunities on the beach
It may seem contradictory, but it is also one of the main reasons why sailors leave the field early in their careers. Although most maritime agencies and experts promise to provide seafarers with suitable land-based employment opportunities, seafarers who wish to transfer to shore-based work find it difficult to find suitable jobs. Most companies require good offshore experience to get a position in their domestic offices. Moreover, to get a good management position on the beach, one must obtain an MBA or attend an equivalent training course. Sailors often find it challenging to return to school after a period of absence, especially when they have family responsibilities. Many sailors can now foresee this and change their career path earlier. However, giving up salary is inevitable, sooner or later.
11. Reducing the number of crew members
With the financial crisis looming over the shipping industry, shipping companies are taking all possible means to reduce expenses and manage costs. To achieve this goal, the number of crew members on board is being reduced to offset the necessary expenses. As a result, the workload of seafarers has increased significantly, but there has been no corresponding increase in wages. This trend has been observed in nearly all shipping companies worldwide. The increase in workload, despite a relatively small salary increase, has led many seafarers to leave the seafaring profession.
12. Strict Maritime Laws
Strict maritime regulations make life difficult for maritime professionals, especially those in management positions. Many sailors have been imprisoned, heavily fined, and suspended due to these laws. Management-level employees often bear the brunt of these laws and are therefore under constant pressure to transfer. It is also a significant reason for the severe shortage of marine management professionals.
