Crew change crisis worsens with 8.8% of seafarers over contract

The Neptune Declaration Crew Change Indicator, the index that charts the number of crew onboard ship beyond their contract, has logged a relative increase of 51.7%.

The index collects data from 10 leading ship managers and showed that 8.8% of mariners are aboard ship beyond their contract, up from 7.2% a month earlier.

The number of seafarers onboard vessels for over 11 months, the maximum allowable under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), has increased from 0.4% to 1% — a 150% relative increase.

“The crew change crisis has been ongoing for more than a year and a half, with the highest cost falling on seafarers and their families’ wellbeing. The situation is going from bad to worse.

“We need more than lip service from governments, we need concrete action that allows crew changes to be carried out in a safe manner,” stated Stephen Cotton, General Secretary, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).