The Sea Archive

Carriage of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and personal devices needs careful consideration By Felicity Landon In the drive for decarbonisation, the sea transport of increasing numbers...

Study finds decarbonisation will have a more significant impact on seafarers than digitalisation By Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria With 90% of all goods worldwide transported by sea, we know that s...

With a lack of candidates, ratings and officers can ask for more By Matt Bridge At the heart of the maritime industry are seafarers, the skilled and resilient professionals who dedicate their live...

Too much of a female seafarer’s life is out of sight By the Revd Paul Trathen Seafarers work and live on board their ships, many miles away from land, regular networks and ‘sightlines’, whic...

SeaBuddy platform aims to bring maritime professionals together By Richard Holdsworth Guidance and connections can be invaluable in an industry as dynamic as the maritime sector. This is why SeaBu...

By The Revd Canon Andrew Wright Taking part in ship blessing ceremonies, especially when they are named, always a privilege. An old Captain once said to me that “seamanship can only get you so fa...

Ship designers should prioritise attractive living standards By Dr Kate Pike Ship design has the complex task of considering both the operational environment that seafarers work in, and the space ...

Food shortages, extended rotations and contract challenges leave seafarers feeling trapped By Steven Jones The Q2 2023 Seafarers Happiness Index report revealed a concerning decline in satisfactio...

What crew would want their accommodation to be forward on the ship, feeling every movement of it? By Michael Grey The comfort and convenience of seafarers, it has been said with just a touch of ir...

DNV study finds that seafarers feel underprepared for the changes happening in the industry By Carly Fields A pressing need for training in new fuels and technology; embracing new technology; and ...

A newly published guide could simplify requirements for marine litter reception facilities By Michael Grey Nobody likes to see rubbish floating in the sea, and you can probably argue that seafare...

Lifeboat reinvention needed to stop accidents during launches The Container Ship Safety Forum (CSSF) has called for a reinvention of lifeboats on cargo vessels after too many seafarers have been inju...

Seafarers need to be continually recognised for the critical work they do By Carly Fields It took a pandemic for seafarers to become more visible to the world, but with Covid slipping from people�...

Importance of providing medical advice to seafarers where and when it matters most By Natalie Shaw I have been very privileged to be in[1]volved in developing a medical guide that I truly believe ...

Are you there to watch over your colleagues at sea? By The Revd Canon Andrew Wright The Gospels paint a vivid picture of that last night before Jesus was arrested. The Last Supper is over. He is w...

ITF Seafarers’ Trust photo competition celebrates seafarers and their careers The ITF Seafarers’ Trust invites you to submit your best photographs of Life at Sea in 2023. Share the good times, th...

It can be difficult to determine who and what to trust By Pam Kern, Pennie Blackburn & Rachel Glynn-Williams In maritime, we have seen an increasing appetite for approaches to mental health pr...

Neurodiversity has its place at sea and on shore By Felicity Landon Does it help to have a label? That’s a question that perhaps applies more to neurodiversity than any other area within the di...

Survey exposes prevalence of seafarers being charged illegal recruitment fees By Christos Kontovas Recruitment or placement fees and charges that are borne by seafarers illegally and in violation ...

Analysis now proves the correlation between happy ships and happy crews By Steven Jones The latest Seafarers Happiness Index figures indicated yet another rise in Q4 2022, as it reached something ...

The Mission’s Family Support Programme builds community resilience and offers holistic support By Thomas O’Hare The Mission to Seafarers provides welfare services to thousands of seafaring fam...

Only you can find your perfect place for prayer or reflection By The Revd Canon Andrew Wright I love the village church I go to on Sundays. Parts of it go back almost 1,000 years and it is full of...

Don’t lose sight of seafarers when developing new maritime technology By Kuba Szymanski Digitalisation is transforming the way ships operate and promises to improve efficiency and assist shippin...

Idwal’s Thom Herbert calls for ‘fundamental and positive’ change on a global level By Carly Fields Ship owners and operators who have a very strong focus on the welfare of their seafarers te...

Some operating practices see shipping edge uncomfortably close to forced labour issues By Felicity Landon Modern slavery in shipping – a hidden problem; a growing problem; or less of a problem t...

‘Profound concern’ about a surge in abandoned ships and their crews By Jan Engel de Boer Article updated 10th March 2023 “I have been in Egypt’s Adabia (sic) Port for 190 days. The trea...

New international medical app available for all seafarers Gard, in partnership with the Norwegian Centre for Maritime and Diving Medicine, has launched an international digital medical guide. The aim...

Coastal shipping needs to shout louder about the benefits that it brings By Michael Grey The case for coastal shipping has never entirely gone away, even though cheap road haulage in so many count...

Can you correctly unscramble these anagrams to form four words? If so, send your answers by email to [email protected] by February 28, 2023. All correct answers will be entered into a draw...

Young maritime leaders call for improved human sustainability across the industry By Siyuan Qin and Susanne Justesen Ensuring human sustainability as well as dignity and respect for every human be...

We must remain ever hopeful in these stormy times By The Revd Canon Andrew Wright Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the LORD,...

But crews should still be vigilant to the risk of attacks in hotspots By Cyrus Mody The International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC) was founded at a time when seafarers had...

Industry experts discuss the pros and cons of the ‘sterile’ wheelhouse Technology has advanced to such a degree that we can often rely more on automated systems than fellow humans to ensure a pla...

Do your research before choosing a shore-based career By Captain John Simpson I had a conventional sea-going career on cargo ships sailing around the world before working on offshore support vesse...

Safetytech Accelerator’s Gabriele Dado explains how innovation can improve seafarer wellbeing By Carly Fields A mechanical and marine engineer by training, Gabriele Dado sees value in experienci...

A safe work culture for all must start by addressing gender inequalities By Carly Fields There is an “urgent need” to create a more diverse, inclusive and equitable maritime community, with wo...

Marine engineers face challenges with many more choices on tomorrow’s bunker menu By Michael Grey That’s progress for you. One hundred years ago there were only two fuels that you could employ...

ICS guide to greenhouse gas emissions includes the seafarers’ role in energy efficiency solutions By Chris Waddington The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions affects every aspect of the ship...

Operators and charterers need to be reminded that shore leave is a necessity, not a luxury By Felicity Landon Go to sea and see the world – how is that working out? Too often, seafarers can’t ...

An evidence-based approach to seafarer health can measure, evaluate and demonstrate progression By Sandra Welch As shipping recovers from the upheaval of the past few years, the industry is now at...

No room for complacency though as delicate gains easily lost by Steven Jones The latest Seafarers Happiness Index data reveals a rise in optimism, with an overall average of 7.21/10 - up significa...

Are you one of the 1.6 million people around the world working at sea, or a loved one of someone who is? The Mission to Seafarers is a great source of support for anyone working in the industry, and ...

There are many health benefits to spending down-time solving puzzles. Lower stress levels, better memory, improved mood, improved problem solving abilities, and better work performance are just some o...

Finding inspiration to find 'strength and understanding' by The Revd Canon Andrew Wright When I was a child, I used to walk in the hills near my grandparents' There was a bench I came across regul...

Seafarers need to be empowered to speak out against bullying By Felicity Landon Insulted, intimidated and isolated. Bullying, sexual harassment or any kind of abuse can happen anywhere, of course,...

Key takeaways on an analysis of working conditions for female seafarers by Revd Ijeoma Ajibade Shipping remains a male-dominated industry, with men making up 98% of the world's 1.6 million seafare...

Fighting for fair pay for seafarers by Martyn Gray Never before has it been so important to support and retain our seafarers. Over the past two years, throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, they have w...

Seafarers can take ownership of learning and betterment through online content by Carly Fields Described as the Spotify of the mari­time training space, Seably shook up the digital training space...

Progress has been made, but there is still more to be done to reach parity on conditions at sea and on shore By Francesca Fairbairn and Andrew Stephens In the last two years, seafarers' rights hav...

ISWAN project finds there are many benefits to be gleaned from a more cohesive crew by Dr Kate Pike The International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network's (ISWAN) Social Interaction Matters...

Seafarers are just as entitled to proper rest as their onshore colleagues by Michael Grey It is very irritating for the passengers left at the airport, but there will be broad measure of acceptanc...

Amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention strengthen support for ships' crew by Brandt Wagner In May, the Special Tripartite Committee of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended (MLC...

The industry needs to hear real-life stories first hand and humanise crew By Carly Fields Sue Henney may have fallen unintentionally into shipping – she graduated in Modern Language Studies and ...

New ideas and initiatives to support those living and working on board post-pandemic By Felicity Landon Never let a good crisis go to waste, said Winston Churchill. This seems applicable when cons...

Lifeboat safety is improving but there is still more to be done By Captain Kuba Szymanski InterManager, the international trade association for ship and crew managers, is leading a drive to improv...

Support to tackle bribery and corruption at ports, canals and anchorages By Calum Finch Shippers and crew are exposed to bribery and corruption in the shipping industry as a result of multiple lev...

Learning how to effectively still your mind is a gift By The Revd Canon Andrew Wright Recently I was asked to lead a workshop on silence and meditation in my local church. As I admitted to the gro...

Funding initiative aims to keep seafarers in the industry By Commander Graham Hockley Never before has it been so important to support and retain our seafarers. Over the past two years, through...

Digital payment solutions offer a safer and more secure way to pay seafarers By Errikos Andreakos Seafarers have faced unprecedented hardships over the past two years. While the pandemic and the m...

The Mission is providing care and funds for seafarers and their families affected by the war in Ukraine By Verity Relph The Mission to Seafarers’ frontline teams have been no strangers to crisis...

New study aims to examine the differing welfare needs of women on ships By Helen Sampson and Iris Acejo The Seafarers’ Charity is funding the Seafarers International Research Centre at Cardiff U...

Progress is being made on the industry’s decarbonisation journey By Michael Grey The pace of change in the maritime industry, despite its reputation for conservatism, continues to surprise. It i...

Restrictions on shore leave mean seafarers are confined to their ships By Helen Sampson and Iris Acejo Anyone who has been to sea for more than a few weeks will have experienced the relief and joy...

The industry needs a ‘radical shift’ in its thinking about seafarers By Dr Martin Slade Seafarers are the salt of the earth, responsible for 90% of goods that are transported throughout the wo...

Good chief cooks are worth their weight in gold By Michael Grey If an army, as was allegedly said by Napoleon, ‘marches on its stomach’, what effect might the quality of the food have on the p...

seaV promises an all-encompassing social community for seafarers By Will Eillson seaV is more than a community and social network; it’s the only fully automated digital logbook for seafarers. ...

Seafarers are entitled to the same access to medical care as workers ashore By Felicity Landon Covid-19 has thrown a harsh spotlight on seafarers’ rights, not least their rights to medical care....

Setting the Mission’s global strategy for the next five years By Verity Relph The past two years have affected seafarers’ lives dramatically, as they have the maritime welfare organisations wh...

Ship designs need to put more emphasis on how the environment can best support the crew By Yahaya Sanusi and Rangel Vassilev The pandemic and resulting crew change crisis thrust seafarers into the...

Period of hope gives way to confusion and frustration for seafarers By Steven Jones In closing out 2021, we unfortunately saw a drop in the overall average figure for the Seafarers’ Happiness In...

New platform aims to modernise maritime employment By Fraser Matthew The recruitment process for maritime professionals is traditional, slow and laborious for both the seafarer and recruiter. As t...

The release of new data standards will underpin an ECDIS evolution By Carly Fields Change is coming to the way seafarers navigate the world’s waters. The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is moving ...

The maze of life can be better navigated with God’s support By The Revd Canon Andrew Wright Mazes are a collection of paths leading to a goal. They are not simple. Finding the right path can be ...

Seafarers encouraged to confidentially report near misses as well as actual incidents By Carly Fields Adam Parnell took over as director of maritime at the Confidential Human Factors Incident Repo...

Award recognises seafarers for their commitment, heroism and courage By The Revd Canon Andrew Wright Let us now praise famous men”, says the Book of Ecclesiasticus. I write at the time of the...

Protection of a ship’s underwater parts is now a big and important business By Michael Grey In the effort to reduce the negative impact ships have on the environment, quite a lot of the battle g...

More action needed to shift the dial on seafarers’ rights By Felicity Landon When the International Labour Organization’s Maritime Labour Convention 2006 entered into force in 2013, it was hai...

Industry champions are on a mission to revolutionise seafarer wellbeing By Carly Fields Grahaeme Henderson, chair of Together in Safety, is on a mission to convince all chief executives of shippin...

Code of Conduct and self-assessment created for a safe, healthy and secure onboard work environment By Frances House and Andrew Stephens The pandemic and resulting crew change crisis thrust seafar...

Vaccination rates among seafarers are improving, but we need a shared global standard By Susanne Justesen and Kasper Søgaard, Global Maritime Forum For the past 20 months seafarers all over the w...

Seattle has found novel ways to help seafarers get their Covid protection By Verity Relph As key workers who are vital to the global economy, there can be little argument against seafarers being p...

Not every ship is suited to carrying every cargo type By Capt Akshat Arora The exceptionally high demand for container shipments has prompted charterers to explore the possibility of utilising ves...

It’s time to take a fresh look at resolving welfare challenges By Nick Chubb When it comes to better understanding seafarer welfare issues, I believe there are three key topics to consider: the ...

Eyesea welcomes seafarers with a desire to help tackle at-sea debris By Graeme Somerville-Ryan, Eyesea Environmental compliance, regulation, and oversight. Fun topics that get the average seafarer...

Many seafarers see a job ashore as the natural progression of their career, but is the grass greener? By Felicity Landon There is an accepted narrative around seafarers and the expected pattern of...

The Mission is here for those at sea, whatever their sexuality or gender identity By The Reverend Timothy Tunley Over the years I have helped to support several lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender...

A trauma-informed approach to dealing with the aftermath of critical incidents at sea By Captain Terry Ogg There is a saying that is sometimes used by English-speaking land-dwellers: “Worse thin...

The Mission’s WeCare e-learning modules aid financial and social wellbeing By Verity Relph At a time when mental wellbeing is more of an issue than ever for seafarers, one of the many questions ...

Now is the time for collective action By The Revd Canon Andrew Wright The weather seems to be changing in so many places. As I write, the last few weeks alone have seen record-breaking and dangero...

The Mission’s latest WeCare initiative supports seafarers in addressing barriers By Pam Kern The Mission to Seafarers has elevated its wellbeing resources with a series of free webinars and podc...

The IWSF aims to improve the conditions for women seafarers worldwide By Carly Fields Founded by three pioneering women seafarers of India in 2017, the Inter- national Women Seafarers Foundation (...

Happiness levels down across the board By Steven Jones Every quarter the results of the Seafarers’ Happiness Index (SHI) are compiled. Throughout the past 18 months the responses have held up su...

Ship designers need to ‘live’ the space they are proposing for seafarers By Michael Grey At a time when seafarers are often trapped aboard their ships for months on end, with no shore leave an...

Celebrating the men and women that keep international trade moving June 25 marks an important day for global at-sea workforce. For 11 years, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has co-ordin...

A champion for seafarers By Carly Fields Throughout the pandemic, Bjørn Højgaard has championed tirelessly for seafarers’ rights. He has staunchly promoted key worker status for seafarers and ...

Teaching has not kept pace with change in the shipping industry, leaving crew ill-equipped to handle challenges By Carly Fields This year’s UK Chamber of Shipping conference featured a People Pa...

Do not underestimate the huge amount of regulatory review necessary to bring autonomous ships into the commercial shipping fold By Michael Grey With plenty of other things to worry about in the la...

Jarin Chowdhury is the first female cadet from Bangladesh to sail on foreign-flagged ships. She was awarded the Cadet Award at The Mission to Seafarers annual Seafarers’ Awards, presented to the cad...

By Yrhen Bernard S Balinis The evening sky is illuminated by the colourful city lights visible in the distance. The sounds of revving vehicles rushing to reach their destination reverberate. It’s...

MtS chaplains bring considered gifts to crews to let them know that they are cared for By Verity Relph Most of the world will never get the chance to hear about, never mind taste, a Welsh cake, bu...

By Felicity Landon What has changed since Captain Knud Præst Jørgensen, master of the Elly Maersk, first went to sea with Maersk in 1981? That’s an easy question to answer, he says: “I would ...

Crew must be properly trained on the use, storage and maintenance of pilot ladders to avoid serious injuries to pilots By Sudhir Malhotra Pilot ladders are critical equipment for ensuring the saf...

By Renat Besolov Working as a seafarer offers many opportunities. I work in the fishing fleet; we fish for snow crab in the Barents Sea. The work is physically hard, but it brings in a good income ...

A Lloyd’s Register-led survey sets the foundations for improvements in seafarer well-being By Verity Relph As of December 2020, as many as 400,000 seafarers were stranded on ships working beyond...

Seafarers demand respect for the life-critical services they have tirelessly provided during the pandemic By Michael Grey Some years from now, when the historians get to work on the Great Pandemic...

How increasing awareness of maltreatment of seafarers can help to tackle the issue By Eliza Ader It was a late August afternoon when my brother – Matthew – and I were dis- cussing project idea...

Some owners have risen admirably to the challenge of lifting the spirits of seafarers By Steven Jones The latest report from the Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) has been released, and features fee...

Adjustment of seafarers’ records is a widespread problem that urgently needs to be addressed By Carly Fields New research from a project team at the World Maritime University (WMU) has uncovered...

Paying more than lip service to seafarer welfare By Carly Fields In these distressing times a “tiny sliver of positivity” is emerging from the chaos of the pandemic, according to Vroon Offshor...

Shipping is an international, multicultural industry – we all know that. But what does that mean for those at sea? By Felicity Landon One word keeps coming up when discussing the priorities arou...

The ICS’ Guy Platten explains why seafarers are absolutely not forgotten 2020 has been one of the toughest years in living memory. While the pandemic itself has taken its physical toll, the mental ...

Let’s make sure that there is a proper review of remote processes before we fully embrace them In this strange and horrible pandemic, much has been made of the need for everyone to minimise human c...

Better motivation and a retention rethink needed to encourage and keep women at sea By Felicity Landon Let’s start with statistics: when it comes to women at sea, most people quote the Internati...

The Mission’s WeCare initiative has put an emphasis on relationship guidance The Mission to Seafarers port chaplains and welfare teams know only too well the challenges that seafarers face. They un...

Who will be the onboard expert for future fuels or electronic equipment? By Michael Grey What a lot there is for the modern seafarer to learn, beyond the old established skills passed on from thei...

The Mission has reached out to help seafarers during the Covid-19 pandemic By Verity Relph The Covid-19 crisis has hit crews and their families across the globe hard and the Mission to Seafarers h...

An army of knitters offer literal and spiritual warmth for seafarers By Verity Relph Even at the best of times, life on the ocean can be challenging. Rough seas, the threat of piracy and shipwreck...

Could owners and crewing agencies do more to support less able seafarers? By Felicity Landon The rules are clear: all seafarers must pass strict medical examinations before they can set foot on a ...

Past crises have demonstrated the flexibility of shipping and Covid-19 is proving no different By Michael Grey In all the economic and transport turmoil caused by Covid-19 and violent movements in...

Celebrating Sea Sunday is all the more important in these challenging times By Verity Relph For 160 years, churches have united every July to celebrate Sea Sunday. It is an opportunity for people...

Seafarers today need a blend of education tools to ensure continuous and appropriate development By Manish Singh Having been a seafarer and a ship manager for over 25 years, I believe that learnin...

Crews voice Covid-19-related concerns in the Seafarers Happiness Index By Steven Jones Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) gauges the big issues affecting those at sea, and there can be few things in ...

Celebrating the rescue efforts of those at sea in the pre and post Covid-19 world By Ben Strong A familiar question in our home is: “Hey Dad, when is the package going to get here?” As more an...

Facing up to unprecedented challenges in moving seafarers on and off ships By Felicity Landon At the start of May, 12% of the 5,500 seafarers on board ship manager Thome’s ships had gone past th...

What does the threat of criminalisation really mean to seafarers? By Charles Boyle The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented challenges for the maritime sector with seafarers facing pr...

Taking the opportunity to rediscover, rethink and re-evaluate our global community By The Revd Ramaçes Hartwig I am writing this reflection in Easter week in the midst of the turmoil brought by t...

Meet those working around the clock to help seafarers caught out by Covid-19 By Felicity Landon On May 1, in response to a call from the International Chamber of Shipping and International Transpo...

Oceanographer Art Allen has spent his life's work improving the capabilities of offshore search and rescue teams By Carly Fields As an oceanographer employed at the US Coast Guard, one would be fo...

Shore leave for Seafarers is not easy to come by, as they have to overcome a myriad of hurdles in order to take advantage of it… By Felicity Landon Early in February came the news the Singapor...

Fuel scapegoating worries and rising racism issues have come to the fore By Steven Jones The Seafarers Happiness Index allows crews to share detailed feed- back on the challenges facing them at ...

Entering enclosed spaces might be just part of the job, but never forget the hazards such a task presents By Phil Belcher As a first trip cadet, one incident is imprinted upon my memory when I b...

The Mission’s safeTALK training programme champions a community-based approach By Verity Relph It is a distressing fact that close to 800,000 people lose their lives to suicide every year. Thi...

Companies need to recognise the operational and environmental factors that affect mental health By Katie Higginbottom Mental health in the maritime sector, as in other sectors, has been swept un...

New research proves that stable crewing strategies can be transformative for both seafarers and ship operators By Carly Fields Onshore there’s a great deal of reliable data confirming the bene...

A serious re-think is needed on the subject of seafarer training By Michael Grey Why should it be such a struggle for cadets and other trainees to find berths aboard ship to give them the sea ex...

Seafarer Vikas Mishra, abandoned on the cargo ship Tamim Aldar  for almost three years, speaks to The Sea about his ordeal By Kate Jones In October 2016, Vikas Mishra boarded the Tamim Aldar ca...

Knitters around the world take great solace in making items for seafarers By Andrew Wright The Mission to Seafarers, along with a number of its colleague societies, continues to give out very la...