SHIPPING is facing a shortage of 113,000 officers by the end of the decade, the latest Seafarer Workforce report has revealed.

Published every five years by the International Chamber of Shipping and BIMCO, the report estimates an additional 22,747 officers and 8,475 ratings will need to join the workforce every year until 2030 to meet future demand.

In 2026 alone, the industry is likely to be short of STCW-certified officers by 39,100, although it will record a surplus of 56,890 ratings.

That looming skills gap was highlighted several times at Posidonia this year. Speaking to Lloyd’s List then, Lloyd’s Register’s chief growth officer, Andy McKeran, said seafarer shortage has been considered a problem for the future, rather than one for now.

The surplus highlighted by the report is indicative of a skills gap the industry is likely to face, panellists at BIMCO’s Crewing the Future session said, especially as vessels become more complicated and run on alternative fuels.

OSM Thome chief crew management officer Julia Anastasiou said the fight was actually for talent, rather than recruitment more generally.

ICS secretary-general Thomas Kazakos said shipping must continue its “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,” he said.

The report found companies found it hardest to recruit STCW-certified engineering and deck officers, while recruiting ratings to work on deck and in the engine room was easier.

To meet future demand, the report recommends that maritime education and careers at sea are promoted with information on how to transition to shore-based roles.

It’s a point outgoing Wista International president, Elpi Petraki, made in Posidonia.

She said the industry must acknowledge that not everyone wants a career that involved 20 to 30 years at sea, even if that means companies feel they are not receiving the same return of their investment that they may have in decades prior.

“Why not show them a future opportunity that they might have onshore?”

Why risk losing those that don’t visualise their whole life in the industry, and instead bring them back to shore and utilise the knowledge gained at sea in other sectors, she said.

BIMCO secretary-general David Loosley said shipping had 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 recruitment, training and retention of the seafarer workforce will be crucial to ensuring that our industry is prepared for the future.”