Seafarer Happiness Slips as Chronic Strain Replaces Crisis, Survey Finds

Seafarer morale declined sharply in the second quarter of 2026 as the immediate shock of conflict in the Persian Gulf gave way to the grinding pressures of everyday life at sea, according to the latest Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) from The Mission to Seafarers.

The quarterly survey found overall happiness fell to 6.87 out of 10, down from 7.18 in the first quarter, reflecting what the organization described as a shift “from acute shock to chronic strain.”

“This quarter’s data should trouble the entire industry,” said Ben Bailey, Director of Programme at The Mission to Seafarers. “Seafarers are extraordinarily resilient, but we must not