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BIMCO, ICS See Officer Shortage Widening

[ June 26, 2026   //   ]

The global shipping industry faces a growing shortage of certified officers despite a sharp increase in the overall number of seafarers, according to the Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 released Thursday by BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).

The report estimates the global merchant fleet now employs 2.57 million STCW-certified seafarers, including 1.05 million officers and 1.52 million ratings, to operate 85,148 merchant ships worldwide. But while the industry has enough ratings to meet current demand, it is short 39,100 officers, a gap expected to widen as the global fleet continues to expand.

BIMCO and ICS project the industry will need an additional 113,735 officers by 2030, requiring an average of 22,747 new officers to join the workforce each year through the end of the decade. The report also estimates annual demand for 8,475 additional ratings.  

“The recruitment, training and retention of the seafarer workforce will be crucial to ensuring that our industry is prepared for the future,” said BIMCO Secretary General and CEO David Loosley. He said the report is intended to help governments and industry ensure recruitment and employment policies remain focused on future workforce needs.  

The report attributes the growing demand largely to expansion of the global merchant fleet and continued recovery from pandemic-era disruptions. Since the previous report in 2021, demand for STCW-certified seafarers has increased 35 percent, including a 23.1 percent increase in demand for officers and a 46.3 percent increase for ratings.  

Although the overall supply of qualified seafarers has grown substantially since 2021, the report concludes the industry continues to face a structural imbalance: a shortage of officers alongside a surplus of ratings. It estimates current demand at 1.09 million officers and 1.46 million ratings, compared with available supply of 1.05 million officers and 1.52 million ratings.  

Recruiting engineering officers and deck officers remains the industry’s greatest hiring challenge, while companies reported it is generally easier to recruit ratings for both deck and engine room positions. The report also found the number of officer cadets has continued to increase since 2021, suggesting the industry’s training pipeline is improving, though not yet quickly enough to close the widening officer gap.  

ICS Secretary General Thomas Kazakos said attracting new entrants while retaining experienced personnel will be critical as shipping transitions to new fuels and technologies.

“Without continued investment in both recruitment and training, the workforce gap risks growing at a time when the industry needs skilled seafarers more than ever,” he said.

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