BIMCO and ICS: 114,000 officers needed by 2030
Maritime transport will need 114,000 merchant navy officers by 2030, BIMCO and International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) new report informs. The report, “Seafarer Workforce Report 2026: The global supply and demand for seafarers in 2026,” was published on Seafarer’s Day, which this year was celebrated by the IMO under the theme “They carry global trade. They also carry risk.”
BIMCO and ICS experts determined that the main risk in maritime transport will be the lack of qualified deck and engineering staff. Already, there is a shortage of both officers and seafarers in many positions. Maritime work is becoming increasingly unattractive. Changing technologies require continuous improvement, ongoing education, and constant monitoring of technical innovations.
Demand for officers increased by 23.1% since 2021, while demand for seafarers increased by 46.3%. Thomas Kazakos ICS Secretary General said that “attracting new crew members [to merchant ships – MG] while retaining experienced personnel is now crucial, as shipping is undergoing major technological and environmental changes.”
Seafarer Workforce Supply and Demand. Source: “Seafarer Workforce Report 2026. The global supply and demand for seafarers in 2026”
Seafarers are also aware of the growing threats from pirates, ship robbers, and other “unexpected” threats in ports and during ship passage. Cases of attacks on ships by maritime forces, more or less affiliated with navies, have been widely reported in the media.
The BIMCO-ICS report, published every five years, is one of the most comprehensive assessments of the global seafarer labor market in the industry. “Recruiting, training, and retaining seafarers will be crucial to ensuring our industry is prepared for the future,” said BIMCO Secretary General and Director David Loosley.
Over 2.5 million officers and sailors at sea
BIMCO and ICS analysts have calculated that there are currently 2.57 million officers and sailors serving in over 85,000 positions. merchant ships. It has been determined that we will soon face a shortfall of 39,100 officers certified according to STCW standards. The report “Seafarer Workforce Report 2026. The global supply and demand for seafarers in 2026” states that we still have a surplus of 56,890 officers this year.
Seafarer Workforce in 2015, 2021, and 2026. Source: “Seafarer Workforce Report 2026. The global supply and demand for seafarers in 2026”
More precisely, the report estimates that the current global supply of STCW-certified seafarers is approximately 2,565,580, of whom approximately 1,048,980 are officers and 1,516,600 are ratings; The current global demand for seafarers is estimated at 2,547,790, with the industry requiring 1,088,080 officers and 1,459,710 ratings for the global merchant fleet.
Research by BIMCO and ICS indicates that ship operators will need to recruit an average of 22,747 additional deck and engineering officers and 8,475 ratings annually. This requirement must be met if ship managers want to meet the demand for qualified personnel. To maintain a stable workforce, the officer cadre must increase by 2% annually by 2030 and ensure at least a 0.5% annual increase in qualified seafarers.
The report, published every five years by BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping, is one of the most comprehensive assessments of the global seafarer labor market in the industry. Analysis of the maritime transport personnel market shows that demand for qualified deck and engineering personnel has accelerated since the report published in 2021. Demand for deck and engine crew with STCW certifications increased by 35%.
Seafaring Personnel
The outflow of personnel following the COVID-19 pandemic has been clearly felt, as has the accelerated pace of rebuilding the bulk carrier and tanker fleet, including LNG carriers and container ships. This is clearly demonstrated by Veson Nautical’s statistics listing the world’s 10 leading maritime nations in 2026. GospodarkaMorska.pl reported on this here.
“Seafarers are the foundation of global trade, and this report highlights how important they are to keeping the world economy moving, especially in an increasingly fragmented world,” said Kazakos, commenting on the report: “As shipping continues to grow, attracting more people to careers in the maritime industry is essential. We must continue our long-standing efforts to engage young people early and build a strong pipeline of future talent.”
Age structure of the merchant navy workforce. Source: “Seafarer Workforce Report 2026. The global supply and demand for seafarers in 2026”
“Seafarers play a key role in the industry’s transition to new fuels and technologies,” emphasizes ICS Secretary General Thomas Kazakos. Therefore, in his opinion, “ensuring they have access to the training and skills necessary for the future will be crucial. Without further investment in both recruitment and training, the workforce gap could widen, while the industry needs skilled seafarers more than ever.”
The demographic structure of maritime transport is crucial. “Following the methodology of the 2021 report, the 2026 report obtained additional data sets from open registries, which provide demographic information,” the report’s authors state. The “Seafarer Workforce Report 2026: The global supply and demand for seafarers in 2026” states that “compared to 2021 estimates, the average age of those serving at management level has decreased slightly, while the average age of those employed at operational and support levels is around 31-40 years old.”
Given the aging workforce and technological challenges, the report recommends expanding maritime education and training programs and promoting maritime careers—including maritime career paths. It also recommends improving the monitoring of global recruitment and retention trends. BIMCO and ICS emphasize that the report aims to ensure that better data on maritime workforce demand will help governments, shipowners, and fleet operators respond more effectively to future labor shortages.
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