Greek personnel at sea and on land are growing [REPORT]

Greek Seafarer Employment 2020-2025. Source: “4th NAT Report on Maritime Employment 2026”

“The results of the fourth Report confirm the continuing upward trend in maritime employment, the dynamic participation of young people in the maritime profession, and the steady, significant increase in the presence of women at sea, which is currently characterized by one of the highest female employment rates in the world (significantly exceeding the international and European averages: 1.2% in 2021 and 2.4% in 2022, respectively), as women seafarers will account for 8.1% of total registered maritime employment in Greece in 2025,” reports Georgia Maniati, Director of NAT, in the “4th NAT Report on Maritime Employment 2026.”

NAT management presented key information from the Fourth Annual Maritime Employment Report at the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping’s stand during the Posidonia trade fair. The event, “Maritime Statistics: Data as a Compass for the Evolution of Employment in the Maritime Sector,” was a significant event, as the situation of Greek seafarers is not always stable.

At Posidonia, the Hellenic Seafarers’ Pension Fund presented the current situation of Greek seafarers, even though the study concluded in 2025. Presenting the report’s key findings, Dr. Gabriel Amitsis, a professor at the University of Western Attica, stated that it is necessary to “develop a systematic mechanism for monitoring and analyzing the maritime labor market, which is becoming a key tool in addressing the challenges facing the Greek shipping industry in terms of human capital renewal,” reports “Safety4Sea.”

The (Un)Safe Life of a Seafarer

Seafarer unions see more to the seafarer profession than just statistics. For example, on March 5, 2026, a 24-hour nationwide strike took place due to concerns about the safety of seafarers amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. The last nationwide strike called by the Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO) took place a month before the Posidonia trade fair. Seafarers’ unions operating in ferry companies stopped work on May 1, 2026, resulting in the suspension of ferry services in Greece.

A month after Posidonia, the Panhellenic Union of Merchant Marine Seamen (PENEN) announced a 24-hour strike on passenger and car ferries departing from the port of Rafina, near Athens, on Friday, July 3. The seafarers’ union claims the action is focused on concerns about the safety of both crews and vessels, arguing that the current infrastructure at Rafina port can no longer handle the current ferry traffic, AMNA (Athens Macedonian News Agency) reported.

Age structure of Greek seafarers in 2025. Source: “4th NAT Report on Maritime Employment 2026”

According to PENEN, the port has berths for approximately five ships, yet it currently serves 11 ferries. This forces many ships to wait at anchor in the outer port. Ships are often moved between berths and have to make repeated maneuvers to change berths. The union argues that the Rafina anchorage is unsafe, and anchoring is risky. Ferries are often forced to remain at sea due to a lack of berths.

Ferry Risks

PENEN emphasized that the risks taken by the shipowner have a negative impact on crews. They are overworked. Fatigue is common, and rest periods are limited. Seafarers’ absences from home are increasing. PENEN argued that the strike, citing the conditions described above, posed a serious threat to both crew well-being and maritime safety.

Ferry captains operating on the Rafina route addressed a public meeting, describing the difficulties and risks they face during daily mooring and anchoring operations.

Antonis Ntalakogeorgos, President of the Panhellenic Merchant Marine Seamen’s Union (PENEN – Πανελλήνια Ένωση Ναυτών Εμπορικού Ναυτικού), also criticized the ferry operators. He called on them to pay crews full overtime wages, which, he stated, are a direct result of the current mooring system and repeated vessel movements, according to an AMNA statement.

In this context, the report’s key findings read differently. According to the trends for 2025 presented in the report: Employment in the maritime sector continues to trend upward, with a steady increase in the number of women seafarers. The number of registered active cadets and trainees in Greek maritime schools appears to be stabilizing. Seasonality in seafarer employment in Greece is a persistent structural feature observed for years in Greek maritime transport.

Share of Greek shipowners in EU maritime transport segments. Source: “Union of Greek Shipowners Report 2025-2026”

Greek seafarers under the Greek flag

According to the ship and crew census conducted by the Hellenic Statistical Authority on September 20, 2024, a total of 18,822 seafarers of Greek and foreign nationality were employed on 1,107 ships. Of these, 17,580 seafarers worked on Greek-flagged ships, 63.5% were Greek and 36.5% foreign, according to the “Safety4Sea” report.

Furthermore, 1,242 seafarers were employed on Greek-owned ships flying foreign flags, the majority of whom (89.0%) were Greek, and 11.0% were foreign. At the same time, Greece is experiencing one of the fastest growth rates of female employment in the maritime sector in the world.

Research presented in the “Report of the Greek Seafarers’ Pension Fund (NAT)” shows an upward trend in maritime employment in Greece. There are 26,902 registered seafarers employed in Greek shipping. This represents a 2.6% increase in the maritime workforce compared to 2024. In August 2025, the number of registered seafarers reached 18,537, a 2.5% increase compared to August 2024.

Men dominate Greek maritime transport onboard ships (over 90%), with a significant predominance of Greeks. Approximately 70% of seafarers are aged 18 to 45, and 34.5% are aged 18 to 30. The share of women in the Greek maritime sector is steadily increasing. Women in seafaring positions is increasing. There were 1,237 of them in 2020, and by last year, this had almost doubled to 2,190 in 2025. This represents a significant increase of 77% over six years. Greece achieved an average annual growth rate of 12.16% for female employment in maritime transport. In 2025 alone, the number of female seafarers increased by 6.9% year-on-year.

Women currently constitute 8.1% of the total Greek seafarer workforce. The report emphasizes that “this significantly exceeds international standards (around 1.2% globally in 2021 and 2.4% in the EU in 2022).” The majority of female seafarers (72% in 2025) are employed in passenger transport. “This indicates a strong link between female employment in maritime transport and tourism activities.” The percentage of women among cadets and trainees is also increasing, reaching 12.7% in 2025, according to the report’s authors.

Women on Ship and the Sea

However, the lives of women in the Greek maritime transport sector are not a bed of roses, as the Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO) points out. Celebrating International Women’s Day in the Maritime Sector, the PNO once again called for greater equality, inclusion, and protection for women throughout the maritime sector. The Federation has previously emphasized that the regulatory framework protecting women in the maritime profession, especially pregnant women, remains largely inadequate. The PNO has even drafted a proposal to amend the Maritime Labor Law to protect female seafarers.

According to Capt. Emmanouil Tsikalakis, Secretary General of the Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO), International Women’s Day in the Maritime Sector, celebrated on May 18, is not merely a symbolic commemoration. “This is a day of recognition, responsibility, and continued commitment to the fight for true equality and equal opportunities in a sector that for decades has remained closed and unequal towards women,” according to “Safety4Sea.”

“All women working on deck, on the bridge, in the engine room, in offices, in ports, in logistics, and in maritime administration should be honored. It is women who break the waves of discrimination, overcome social stereotypes, and continue to fight for the place that is rightfully theirs,” emphasizes Capt. Tsikalakis.

Vivi Kolliopoulou, President of WISTA Hellas, emphasized in an exclusive interview with “Safety4Sea” that “women are still underrepresented in managerial and technical positions in the maritime industry. Despite global progress, the percentage of women serving on ships remains low, reflecting persistent skepticism within the industry [regarding the role of women in shipping – MG] and the slow pace of cultural change.”

Capt. Tsikalakis emphasizes that today, however, it’s not just about women already sailing. It’s also about those preparing to enter this world – young women studying at maritime academies, taking their first steps on ship bridges, joining shipping companies, and striving to build their own futures, according to “Safety4Sea.”

Source: Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS) Grafika: SAFETY4SEA