A sharp downturn in the shipping markets in 2009 helped to ease the shortage of officers BIMCO/ISF 2010 Manpower Study warns against complacency as retention and recruitment of cadets remains a problem.

Meanwhile, BIMCO has introduced a new service to help its members deal with operational issues related to crew.

The survey reveals that the supply of officers stands at 624,000, while demand is about 637,000. For ratings, the respective figures are both about 747,000. The supply figures are based on the numbers of individuals holding STCW certificates, while the ones for demand are based on feedback from
more than 100 shipping companies.

Although the overall shortage of officers is only 2%, there is a wider gap between supply and demand in those with qualifications to work on tankers and offshore supply vessels. Individual companies may still experience shortages because in some labour markets senior officers and engineers remain in short supply. The shipping industry also suffers from a continuing problem in recruitment and retention of officers, the survey says, adding that the tanker and offshore supply vessel sectors are the worst affected. On the other hand, the levelsimproved in some countries.
 

”Unless measures are taken to ensure a continued rapid growth in qualified seafarer numbers,especially for officers and/or to reduce wastage from the industry, exintensify over the next decade,” it says. “Supply appears likely to increase in many countries, but the positive trend that has been established for training and recruitment over the past few years must continue to ensure a suitable future pool of qualified seafarers. There are many uncertainties, but
the results indicate that the industry will most probably face a continuing tight labour market, with recurrent shortages for some officers, particularly if shipping markets recover. In the past 10 years, issues affecting crew in foreign ports of call have often made their way to the headlines of the shipping media as some seafarers have faced difficulties going ashore, including in the US.
 

BIMCO has just added a new service to members focusing on the operational challenges of crew issues. BIMCO Crew Issues will focus on port
requirements, the possibility of crew changes, restrictions on crews regarding shore leave, the availability of a seamen’s mission, embassy or consulate, as well as local hospitals and doctors,” - Peter Sand, shipping analyst at the Copenhagen

Further evidence that crewing issues still worry shipowners came in Moore Stephens’ Shipping  Confidence survey, published in November. “Lower quality crews add to operating costs and poorer ship performance. In an attempt to attract better quality crews, we are into higher wage costs. But
in fact we are still having to fish in the same pond of generally end up with the same personnel but paying more for them,” one respondent explained. The surveyfound that crew supply worried 8% of respondents, the second two years ago. Seafarer supply by geographical area Region Current supply
Officers OECD Countries 184,000 Eastern Europe 127,000 Africa / Latin America 50,000 Far East 184,000  Indian Sub-Continent 80,000
Total 624,000
 

 

Source: BIMCO/ISF estimates 
 

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