A stable crew pool is an important factor in safe and efficient vessel operations, helping to reduce accidents, casualties and damage while improving the financial bottom line. Shipping companies therefore invest heavily in retention, with even major cargo owners, including oil companies, making compliance with crew experience matrices a commercial requirement.
Retention strategies typically include financial incentives such as above-market salaries, rejoining bonuses, medical insurance and pension plans, alongside less visible measures such as good vessel management, company support, fair treatment, promotion opportunities and job security.
Yet despite these efforts, seafarers still leave. Does this mean retention strategies are failing? Probably not, but shipping companies also need to manage the inevitable fluctuations in their crew pools.
Traditional retention strategies largely reflect the priorities of older generations, who tend to value financial security and stable employment. Younger seafarers are often more willing to explore new opportunities and change employers, even when offered attractive conditions. Labour shortages in other industries add to this movement, which is likely to increase as younger generations progress through the ranks.
High retention alone is therefore no longer enough to ensure safe and efficient operations. Companies must also manage the risks associated with regularly introducing new crew members.
The answer lies partly in simplifying and standardising procedures to make familiarisation quicker and easier. Quality management systems often become increasingly complicated as new checklists and requirements are introduced following incidents, leaving new joiners with large amounts of information to absorb and often too little time to do so.
Companies should review their procedures at least annually, removing anything outdated, duplicated or unnecessary. Familiarisation should also focus on practical work instructions and checklists relevant to each person’s duties rather than requiring everyone to study extensive high-level policies.
Making procedures electronically accessible and searchable would help both new and experienced crew members, while AI could simplify matters further by combining information from multiple procedures into shorter summaries.
At an industry level, fewer and simpler regulations would also help, although some technical areas need greater standardisation. ECDIS is one example, where broad IMO requirements have allowed manufacturers to develop different systems, resulting in numerous equipment-specific training courses.
Retaining experienced seafarers remains essential, but changing attitudes towards employment mean some turnover is unavoidable. Shipping companies must therefore focus not only on keeping their crews but also on ensuring new joiners can quickly familiarise themselves with vessel operations and work safely.
Managing fluctuation is becoming just as important as managing retention.
