Seafarer Happiness Index shows modest recovery at end of volatile year, but warning signs remain

The latest Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) from The Mission to Seafarers shows a modest improvement in wellbeing at the end of a volatile year, with the overall happiness score rising to 7.26 out of 10 in Q4 2025, up from 7.05 in the previous quarter.

The Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) is a quarterly survey by the Mission to Seafarers, in partnership with Idwal and NorthStandard, and supported by Inmarsat, offering vital insights into life at sea, highlighting where action is most urgently needed to support a sustainable maritime workforce.

While the increase this quarter suggests a degree of stabilization following the sharp downturn in Q3, the findings reveal that seafarers continue to face mounting pressures and fears related to geopolitics, particularly sanctions and evolving legal landscapes. The fear of unwitting complicity in crimes they cannot see, or control, has become a concern and a heavy burden for seafarers.

Respondents also highlighted rising workloads, with some seafarers working beyond 84 hours a week, compounded by rest hour regulations negligence. Limited shore leave also remains a concern with officers being seen to prioritize getting work done over their crew’s welfare breaks - concerningly, although container ship crews are visiting ports frequently, they rarely see time off the vessel. There are also concerns over long contracts and widening disparities across age, rank and gender, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of the maritime workforce.

Operational intensity remains a key pressure point for seafarers with many reporting increasing demands from officers, driven by reduced crew numbers and expanding administrative requirements. Another downturn this quarter was in connectivity - though widely recognized as essential for wellbeing, seafarers said it created new challenges such as partial contact and being present digitally but absent physically.

Improvements were seen in areas such as general happiness, with seafarers expressing satisfaction with their work, colleagues and professional identity. Wages and workload management also saw an improvement, but none returned to the stronger levels recorded earlier in the year.

Ben Bailey, Director of Program, The Mission to Seafarers, said: “While the latest Seafarers Happiness Index shows a welcome uptick in overall wellbeing, it should not be mistaken for a return to normality. Seafarers continue to face intense operational pressures, long working hours, limited rest and growing anxiety linked to geopolitical uncertainty and complex regulatory environments. These findings are a clear reminder that sustained, meaningful action is still needed to protect seafarer welfare and ensure the long-term sustainability of the maritime workforce.”

Thom Herbert, Idwal Regional Lead, Asia, commented: “Idwal surveyors spend a great deal of time on board vessels, working alongside crews in ports and during some of the most pressured moments in a ship’s operating life. What the Seafarers’ Happiness Index reflects so clearly is what our surveyors also see first-hand: highly professional, resilient seafarers coping with growing workloads, reduced shore leave and increasing demands from shore. The data reinforces that wellbeing cannot be treated as an abstract metric – it is experienced daily on board, and it has real implications for safety, retention and the long-term health of the industry.”

Yves Vandenborn, Head of Loss Prevention Asia-Pacific, NorthStandard, added: “The Seafarers Happiness Index remains a vital barometer of life at sea, and the volatility seen across the 2025 reports highlights the pressures crews continue to face. It is positive to see that wellbeing improved at the end of the year, but the data shows that seafarers are still navigating operational, commercial, and geopolitical challenges. NorthStandard is committed to supporting our Members in creating safe and positive crew experiences - prioritizing robust safety standards, strengthening onboard wellbeing, and enhancing training programs to address evolving skills needs.”