New MtS secretary general Venerable Dr Peter Rouch brings his unique perspective to the sector
By Carly Fields
Peter Rouch, the newly appointed secretary general of The Mission to Seafarers, brings a unique blend of experience to the role. While not personally hailing from a traditional maritime background – although there are naval links in his family – he has worked extensively with vulnerable people and less visible groups within communities. He has been struck by how the huge contribution made by the world’s seafarers is not visible to most people, and the challenges that a life at sea can bring.
In the role since August, Peter’s initial impressions of the shipping industry have been marked by its complexity and the potential for exploitation. “Shipping is such a hugely complicated system,” he says. “It strikes me that if you are an individual, or even a small group of individuals within that system, that if something goes wrong, it’s actually very difficult to know what to do to address it.
“I’ve come across some really good, reputable companies, who are genuinely concerned for the welfare of seafarers. But there are those in the industry who are not really like that. So, seafarers can get caught in the wheels of something very complicated.”
In conversation with The Sea, Peter adds that he is nevertheless committed to challenging the perception of seafarers as mere victims. “I do think it is very, very important not to simply adopt the position that seafarers are victims. At times they will be victimised, but it doesn’t need to be like that. To live and work in challenging circumstances should not, and doesn’t inevitably mean that someone is a victim.” he says. “I think at very basic levels, seafarers are not entirely powerless. They are part of a crew. So, in the midst of the challenges of their lives, there’s actually 20 or more seafarers together on the cargo ship. Whether they work well as a team, how they treat each other, the time and attention they give to each other, and whether they carry each other’s burdens, these are within their own hands and they are things that can make a real difference.”
Partnerships matter
To address the systemic issues affecting the shipping industry, Peter supports the need for positive partnerships and data-driven approaches. He highlights the importance of collaboration with organisations like the International Maritime Organization and with industry supporters, and the use of digital tools to gather evidence and advocate for change.
Two things here will make a real difference, he says: delivering on promises in partnerships and being able to evidence change. “We can tell a really, really good story about the particular situation of an individual seafarer, but it’s one story. For a large corporate or a trade union to make a change of policy they need more than a single story, they need wider data, and they need to be able to substantiate the need, and evidence that change.”
He counts three data-driven tools that already support that need: Shipvisitor, the Happy@Sea app, and the Seafarer Happiness Index. “The more seafarers are able to use those things, the better we will be able to see the overall picture, and the evidence that change has happened. By actually using these digital apps seafarers will be taking a positive step in their own welfare.”
The third quarter report of the Seafarers Happiness Index reported a slight rise in global seafarer happiness but significant challenges remain around shore leave, wages, feelings of isolation and the continued inequality of internet connectivity.
The quarterly survey revealed a steady increase in satisfaction in several areas of seafaring life, up to 7.16 in Q3 2024 – a slight uptick from 6.99 in Q2 of this year, an increase attributed to increased downtime due to longer Red Sea diversion routes away from the Middle East conflict zone.
Wages have also improved, suggesting that some seafarers feel more satisfied with their compensation. However, concerns about fair pay persist, with corresponding feelings of being undervalued, and some crew still reporting being unpaid – a situation with which Nautilus ITF inspectors are all too familiar.
A warm welcome
Despite the industry’s challenges, Peter has been heartened by the openness and warmth of the seafarers he has met so far. He emphasises the crucial role of family in their lives and the importance of the Mission in providing support to both them and their loved ones.
“What’s come out quite forcefully when you look at the challenges of life at sea is that whilst it’s a well-paid job – at least in comparison with other roles in some countries – actually most of the money a seafarer earns is usually sent home to family. Therefore, the one overriding reason they go to sea is family; ironically, the reason they go to sea is exactly what they give up when they go to sea.
“That means that our work with families is of real importance. When seafarers come home on their three- month leave, they come into the seafarers’ centre or engage with the family network with their family, as the family has been doing while they’ve been away. It’s a place where the whole family can feel comfortable.”
The Mission to Seafarers’ global network of seafarers’ centres remains a vital component of those support services. While Peter acknowledges changes in the pattern of centre use since the pandemic, he emphasises their continued importance, particularly in remote locations.
The Mission counts around 160,000 visits to seafarers’ centres around the world each year. But how a centre is used ultimately depends on where it is, he says. “If you are in Southampton, you can walk off the dock into the biggest retail shopping centre on south coast of England. So, there is less need to spend a lot of time in a large seafarers’ centre. But if you go to Port Hedland, for example, there is nothing else there. The new seafarers’ centre we are planning to build there will have wide facilities that will be very well used.”
And the need for in-person ship visits has not grown less. Post-pandemic, shore leave has not become easy to get in a considerable number of ports around the world. That will be difficult to change – but Mission people can and do visit ships. “Seafarers really want to see us on board,” he said. “They will talk about all kinds of things, engage in all kinds of ways.”
In a closing comment to The Sea, Peter shares his gratitude for seafarers around the world. “I have been struck by what seafarers give up to go to sea,” he says. “The more you understand this industry, the more you realise we have nothing without seafarers. We are very grateful for what you’re doing.”
