The global shipping industry is facing a growing shortage of qualified seafarers and will need an additional 113,735 STCW-certified officers by 2030 to meet the demands of the expanding merchant fleet, according to the latest Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 published by BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).
The report estimates that 2.57 million seafarers currently serve aboard the world’s 85,148 merchant ships. Of those, just over one million are officers, while 1.51 million are ratings.
Officer shortage continues to widen
Despite growth in the maritime workforce, the report projects a shortage of 39,100 certified officers in 2026, while the industry continues to have a surplus of 56,890 ratings.
To meet expected demand, global shipping will need to recruit an average of 22,747 additional officers and 8,475 ratings every year through 2030. This represents annual workforce growth of approximately 2% for officers and 0.5% for ratings.
Compared with the previous BIMCO-ICS report published in 2021, the outlook has worsened. At that time, the industry projected it would require around 90,000 additional officers by 2026. The latest assessment now estimates demand for 113,735 more officers by 2030.
Demand has risen sharply since 2021
The report shows that demand for STCW-certified seafarers has increased by 35% over the past five years, driven primarily by continued expansion of the global merchant fleet and the industry’s recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Demand for officers has increased by 23.1% since 2021, while demand for ratings has grown even faster, rising 46.3%.
According to the report, general cargo ships, bulk carriers and cruise ships are expected to generate the largest share of future demand for both officers and ratings.
Industry faces broader workforce challenges
Beyond the shortage of officers, the report highlights several structural problems affecting the maritime labour market, including an ageing workforce, high turnover and limited gender diversity.
The average age of management-level officers has fallen slightly since 2021, while the average age of operational-level officers and support-level ratings is now concentrated in the 31-40 years age group. Growth in the number of female seafarers has been seen primarily among officer positions.
The report also notes that five countries – the Philippines, India, China, Russia and Indonesia – supply 56.2% of the global seafaring workforce. Looking specifically at nationalities serving at sea, the largest groups come from the Philippines, Ukraine, India, Romania and Poland.
The workforce shortage comes as the industry is also coping with geopolitical challenges. At the time of the report’s publication, more than 11,000 seafarers remained stranded in the Persian Gulf amid the security crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.
Investment in recruitment and training needed
BIMCO and ICS stress that attracting new entrants into the profession will not be enough without stronger efforts to retain experienced seafarers and provide training for emerging technologies and alternative fuels.
“The recruitment, training and retention of the seafarer workforce will be crucial to ensuring that our industry is prepared for the future,” said BIMCO Secretary General and CEO David Loosley.
ICS Secretary General Thomas Kazakos added that the industry must both attract young people to maritime careers and continue developing existing personnel as shipping undergoes technological and environmental transformation.
The organizations recommend expanding maritime education and training programmes, promoting careers at sea and opportunities ashore, and improving global monitoring of recruitment and retention trends to help governments and the shipping industry respond more effectively to future workforce shortages.
