Global Shipping Needs 114,000 More Officers by 2030, New Report Warns

The global shipping industry will need an additional 113,735 certified officers by 2030 to keep pace with fleet growth, according to a new workforce report from BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), underscoring mounting concerns over the industry’s ability to recruit and retain qualified seafarers.

Released Thursday to coincide with the Day of the Seafarer, the Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 estimates that 2.57 million seafarers currently serve aboard the world’s 85,148 merchant ships. Despite that workforce, the report projects a shortage of 39,100 Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) certified officers this year, even as the industry maintains