Is seafaring still attractive?

Since the steam engine era, society has progressed through the technological and digital revolutions. Today, Industry 4.0 offers near-limitless access to knowledge and a vast network of connected devices, while products or services seem only one click away.

However, as long as sci-fi ‘beaming’ technology remains fiction, maritime transport will continue to carry most goods, keeping seafarers at the heart of global trade.

In this context, Eva Rodriguez, HR Marine Director at Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), outlines how the profession is changing and asks whether seafaring is still attractive, a question Rodriguez says goes to the core of the industry’s future workforce.

She explained that advances in AI and smart technology have boosted vessel performance, sped up operations and enhanced decarbonisation efforts, resulting in shorter port stays and smaller crews.

At the same time, she noted that new fuels and increasingly complex regulations, especially concerning decarbonisation, have increased ship management challenges, and therefore all these factors impact seafarers’ lives.

“Today, seafarers must be resilient supermen and wonder women, mentally strong team players, comfortable making decisions, prepared to be away from home for months, and certainly tech savvy,” Rodriguez said, adding that more than competitive pay is needed to appeal to new generations.

In this regard, attracting and retaining Millennial and Centennial talent requires understanding evolving priorities and values and, as she explained, the profession must adapt to offer the flexibility young people seek.

More broadly, as an industry, she added, shipping must cultivate a truly engaging work environment shaped by a range of factors.

Because seafaring is inherently international, she said regulation of working conditions and rights must increasingly be coordinated globally.

Referring to the 2025 amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention, Rodriguez noted that they address recognition of seafarers as key workers, improved protections against shipboard violence and harassment, enhanced access to shore leave and repatriation and updated medical and occupational safety standards. “

BSM welcomes these amendments,” she emphasised, expressing hope for full global implementation by 2027.

Turning to technology, she explained that while some fear AI and automation threaten jobs, they actually do the opposite. Modern demands for workload, quality and compliance continually grow and therefore seafarers require modern tools and systems to master evolving requirements.

Accordingly, technology, she said, is essential to the industry’s future and serves as indispensable support for crews.

She noted that digitalisation and AI facilitate functions such as data monitoring, planned maintenance and electronic logbooks.

“At BSM, many of these functions are integrated modules of our smartPAL ship management software, streamlining daily operations and easing the lives of seafarers,” Rodriguez explained.

Furthermore, she mentioned that maritime satellite connectivity is steadily improving internet access at sea, with more vessels now operating broadband satellite services such as VSAT and low Earth orbit systems, increasingly enabling connectivity even in remote ocean regions.

As a result, this enhances crew welfare through better communication with families, access to entertainment and telemedicine services.

Rodriguez emphasised that in Industry 4.0 human decisions remain central to operations and even the most advanced technology is effective only if crews are skilled in its use.

Consequently, she said there is a constant need for training across many areas, with seafarers needing to stay up to date not only with digital proficiency but also environmental compliance, energy management and evolving safety and emergency response measures.

“Our training adopts a holistic approach, combining content and technical skills with the development of soft skills,” she explained, adding that this helps seafarers build the confidence to operate safely, particularly in uncertain times.

In particular, she further noted that special emphasis is placed on leadership skills, including emotional intelligence, cognitive ability and resilience.

To make efficient use of limited spare time, she said BSM’s Competence Management System assesses individual training needs, including the adoption of new fuels, and tailors the training content accordingly, while modular e-learning enables crew members to learn at their own pace.

“We encourage our seafarers to take an active role in decision-making, for example when it comes to processes and wellbeing on board,” Rodriguez added, noting that this creates both more efficient operations and a stronger sense of recognition and belonging.

Rodriguez stated that BSM invests heavily in education and career development.

“Our Cadet Programme combines foundational courses with 12 months onboard, supported by mentorship to Junior Officer levels,” she said.

She added that the Smart Academy partners with maritime universities worldwide to bridge the gap between theory and practice, while the Sea to Shore Programme offers career transitions into shore-based roles, providing seafarers greater flexibility.

She emphasised that seafaring is not for everyone, but supporting those with the drive to succeed remains vital.

“We aim to increase female representation through our Cadet and Smart Academy programmes and dedicated mentoring,” Rodriguez noted.

Meanwhile, while traditional hubs such as the Philippines and India remain key recruitment sources, she said expanding into emerging markets, including Ghana, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Egypt and South Korea, broadens the talent pool and capacity.

Wherever BSM operates, she added, the focus remains on fair, inclusive and equitable conditions and fostering a culture valuing wellbeing as much as performance, resulting in a crew representing a wide range of cultures and ethnicities and maintaining a retention rate of 94 per cent.

“Actually, it has never been,” Rodriguez said, referring to seafaring as a career for everyone, but she concluded that it can offer purpose and a rewarding career for those drawn to a truly global and highly relevant industry that keeps world trade moving for consumers worldwide, “and that is: for all of us.”