Seafarer Workforce Report 2026: Industry faces a shortfall of 39,100 STCW-certified officers

June 28 ------ As the global maritime community marks the Day of the Seafarer on 25 June, BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) have released the Seafarer Workforce Report 2026, warning of a growing shortage of qualified officers and highlighting the urgent need to expand the industry’s talent pipeline.

According to the report, demand for STCW-certified officers is expected to continue rising, with the global shipping industry projected to require an additional 113,735 officers by 2030 to operate the world merchant fleet. The study estimates that 2.57 million seafarers are currently serving aboard 85,148 merchant vessels worldwide. Despite the size of the workforce, the sector is already facing a shortage of 39,100 STCW-certified officers in 2026, while a surplus of 56,890 ratings is forecast.

To bridge the widening gap, the report estimates that the industry will need to recruit an additional 22,747 officers and 8,475 ratings annually through 2030. This equates to an average yearly workforce increase of 2.0% for officers and 0.5% for ratings.

Estimated global seafarer supply

The global supply of seafarers in 2026 is estimated at 2,565,580 seafarers, of which 1,048,980 are officers and 1,516,600 are ratings.

Since the 2021 report, the supply of STCW-certified seafarers available to the internationally trading world merchant fleet has increased, with both numbers of qualified officers and ratings continuing to grow. The number of STCW certified officers is now estimated at 1,048,980, a percentage increase of about 22% since 2021. Meanwhile, the report estimates an 47% increase in the number of STCW-certified ratings since 2021.

According to estimates of national contributions to the current global supply of seafarers, the five countries reporting the largest numbers of seafarers in 2026 are shown below. Together, these five seafarer supply countries represent 56.25% of the global seafarer workforce supply. "The recruitment, training and retention of the seafarer workforce will be crucial to ensuring that our industry is prepared for the future. We have a big collective task ahead of us in working with all stakeholders and the countries that are the biggest suppliers of the seafarers operating our ships. The report can help ensure that recruitment and employment policies are future focused," said BIMCO Secretary General & CEO, David Loosley.

Furthermore, according to data collected from shipping companies, the five main nationalities of STCW-certified seafarers working within the world merchant fleet are shown below. This closely resembles the countries estimated to supply the largest proportion of the seafarer workforce.

Seafarer workforce gender diversity

The report finds that the increase in supply of female seafarers is concentrated among officer positions. Only one administration reported a decline in the number of female seafarers, this decrease seen in deck ratings, which is a positive indication. A majority of respondents reported that the number of female ratings has stayed about the same.

Training, recruitment and retention

Levels and quality of available training, coupled with trends in recruitment and seafarer retention, are vital in influencing the supply-demand balance of the global seafarer workforce. This report finds that the number of officer cadets has increased since the 2021 report, further building on the increase of officer trainees observed from 2015 to 2021. The ratio of officer cadets to qualified officers in 2026 is now 1:3.8, up from both 1:4.8 in 2021 and 1:7.6 in 2015.

When recruiting STCW-certified officers, companies reported the highest level of difficulty in hiring engineering officers and deck officers, while noting that it is easier to recruit ratings to work both on the deck and in the engine room. Additionally, this report also finds that it is becoming easier to find officer cadet berths, building on a trend of increased berth availability first reported in the 2015 report.

However, compared to officer cadets, it is even easier for rating trainees to obtain a berth, with almost two-thirds of respondents reporting that it is easy or very easy to find a berth for rating trainees. The growth in demand for both ratings and officers is likely being driven by the expansion of the global merchant fleet.

Estimated future supply and demand for seafarers

The baseline forecast for the future demand estimates that, to meet the predicted demand for officers in 2030, an additional 22,747 officers would be needed to join the workforce each year. This is roughly a 2% increase in the number of officers every year.

As explained by Thomas A. Kazakos, Secretary General, ICS, seafarers are the backbone of global trade, and this report reinforces just how important they are to keeping the world economy moving, especially in an increasingly fragmented world. As shipping continues to evolve, attracting more people to careers in maritime is essential. "We must continue our long-standing efforts to engage with young people early and build a strong pipeline of future talent. At the same time, retaining and developing our existing workforce is equally important. Seafarers play a key role in the industry’s transition to new fuels and technologies. Ensuring they have access to the training and skills needed for this future will be critical. Without continued investment in both recruitment and training, the workforce gap risks growing at a time when the industry needs skilled seafarers more than ever," Kazakos highlighted.

Source: safety4sea.com