Seafarer morale drops as shore leaves become limited

This was linked to the normalisation of the disruption.

Global seafarer happiness dropped to 6.87 out of 10 in the second quarter of 2026, down from 7.18 in Q1, and falling for two consecutive quarters, from 7.26 in Q4 2025.

Shore leave recorded the steepest decline, falling to 5.72 from 6.78, the lowest score of any category.

Meanwhile, Training and Development dropped from 7.52 to 6.97, and Interactions fell from 7.93 to 7.49, though it remained the highest-scoring category overall.

Connectivity also slipped, from 7.65 to 7.46, but stayed the second-strongest category. Workload Management (6.20) and Welfare Facilities Ashore (6.56) rounded out the lowest scores.

Wages came in at 6.86, down marginally from 6.91, with respondents citing inflation and stagnant pay relative to shore-based jobs.

Food Quality (7.21) and Health and Exercise (7.14) both declined but stayed above the overall average.

The data also revealed sharp demographic divides. Mid-career seafarers aged 35 to 55, who made up 38.6% of respondents, reported the lowest morale, whilst the 16-to-25 and 55-to-65 age groups scored 7.24 and 7.66, respectively.

Captains scored 6.08 and Chief Engineers 6.31, the lowest satisfaction by rank, whilst the Electrical Department scored highest at 8.65.

Morale peaked at the three-to-six month mark of a contract at 8.01, fell during the first one-to-three months to 6.59, and declined again after 12 months to 6.48.

Container ships scored 5.85 and Cable ships 5.05, the lowest by vessel type, whilst Dredgers and Survey vessels led at 7.53.

By region, South East Asia, 53.3% of respondents, scored 7.28, whilst Eastern Europe scored 6.05 and the Middle East scored 4.94.

The report attributes the decline to a normalisation of disruption, pointing to prolonged rerouting, communication blackouts in high-risk zones, and supply anxieties that have become baseline conditions rather than isolated shocks, citing the Red Sea, Black Sea, and Strait of Hormuz as active conflict zones affecting crews.