The latest Seafarers Happiness Index from The Mission to Seafarers showed a sharp decline in crew welfare during the first quarter of 2026, as the outbreak of conflict in the Persian Gulf reversed an earlier period of stabilization.
The quarterly survey was tracking upward at 7.4 out of 10 early in the quarter, before falling to 7.0 out of 10 in the weeks after the conflict began. The 4.6% decline marked an unusually rapid deterioration, with stranded seafarers reporting safety fears and critically low supplies of basic necessities.
Even crews working outside the immediate conflict zone reported heightened stress and uncertainty, with some describing the situation as a “new pandemic”.
The SHI survey is conducted quarterly by The Mission to Seafarers, in partnership with Idwal and North Standard, and supported by Inmarsat. It provides insight into the lives and working conditions of seafarers across the maritime industry.
The report described severe conditions for crews stranded in the conflict zone. Respondents said they saw drones and missiles flying at low altitudes and heard fighter jets passing close to their vessels. Some crews faced serious shortages of food and drinking water, with reports of seafarers boiling seawater for drinking and rationing food to one meal a day.
The report also found that many stranded seafarers felt trapped in what it described as a form of “de facto detention”. Some feared that asking for relief or repatriation could lead to blacklisting by shipping companies and harm future employment prospects.
Connectivity became another source of pressure. Increased GNSS jamming made navigation dangerous and, according to respondents, terrifying for captains. Internet blocking and communication blackouts also cut seafarers off from their families during periods of urgent emotional need.
Outside the Persian Gulf, the report pointed to a deepening structural crisis. Workload management recorded the sharpest fall of any category, declining to 6.4 out of 10. Seafarers said rest-hour records were often falsified to show regulatory compliance, while actual working hours routinely reached 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week.
Wage satisfaction edged up slightly to 7.0 out of 10, but the report noted that wages have remained largely static for a decade despite inflation and higher company profits. Senior officers, particularly Captains, reported the lowest happiness scores of any rank.
The report also raised concern over the industry’s long-term workforce outlook. Seafarers aged 25 to 35 made up the largest respondent group and were also the least satisfied, pointing to a possible recruitment and retention challenge.
Thom Herbert, regional lead for Asia and Crew Welfare Advocate at Idwal, said the latest findings showed how quickly global events are felt by those working at sea. He said seafarers are carrying the human cost of geopolitical instability alongside long-standing pressures around workload, fatigue and time away from home.
