Preliminary results of a new survey shows majority of the seamen are content with life at sea.
The survey, carried out as part of the BIMCO/ICS Manpower Report 2015, is directly engaging seafarers in order to understand their views on life at sea and outlook for the industry’s manpower in the future.
Since 1990 the joint Manpower report has been published every five years by the International Chamber of Shipping and BIMCO association. Questionnaires completed by maritime administrations and shipping companies in different countries are the main data source used to estimate the current seafarer supply and demand situation.
The new Manpower Report, in addition to those data sources, will also solicit the opinions from a wider number of maritime high-qualified authorities with knowledge of the ‘sharp end’ of the manpower supply situation.
Such professionals like members of maritime unions, lecturers at maritime education and training institutions (MET), seamen, manning agents and welfare port workers are involved in the preparation and presentation of the data in the BIMCO/ICS Manpower Report.
The first of the targeted surveys for this year includes seafarers from over 40 countries and more than 500 seamen have already responded to it.