The third question for our ‘De-mystifying digitalisation and AI in maritime campaign’  AI comparison project aims to answer the question: What is making seafarers happy or unhappy, and what can the maritime industry do to improve their wellbeing?

Below, you will find the outputs from the public versions of five leading AI platforms – ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini and Grok, but these have been shuffled and anonymised to prevent any biases.

We’ve also invited Filipino Seafarer Christian Canizares, The Mission to Seafarers Development Manager and port chaplain Ruth Campbell, and Steven Jones, Founder of the Seafarers’ Happiness Index (SHI), to join us as our expert guest judges. 

They, along with Intent Communications CEO Namrata Nadkarni will be assessing the outputs using this judging criteria. The results will be shared in our monthly newsletter, so do sign up to learn who the winner is! We will include the link to the results at the bottom of this page once they are out!

Take a look at the outputs below and see whether any stand out to you. We’ll be carrying out our assessment before sharing our results at the end of the month. 

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LLM 1:

Seafarers’ happiness is shaped by a combination of work conditions, human relationships, safety, fatigue, and connection to life ashore. Recent findings from The Mission to Seafarers’ Seafarers Happiness Index show that wellbeing has improved slightly in some periods, but deep structural pressures remain. (Maritime Magazine)

What makes seafarers happier?

Several factors consistently improve morale and wellbeing onboard:

• Good crew relationships and teamwork
  Positive interactions among crew members are repeatedly reported as the strongest source of satisfaction at sea. Camaraderie reduces isolation and stress. (The Mission to Seafarers)
• Reliable internet and family contact
  Connectivity has become essential. Being able to video call family, message loved ones, and access entertainment significantly improves mental wellbeing. (The Mission to Seafarers)
• Fair wages and feeling professionally respected
  Seafarers report greater satisfaction when compensation is fair and when they feel their role is valued and meaningful. (Maritime Magazine)
• Adequate food, recreation, and decent living conditions
  Basic quality-of-life factors onboard still matter enormously: nutritious food, rest spaces, gym access, and recreation opportunities help maintain morale. (The Mission to Seafarers)
• Training and career development
  Confidence in handling new technologies, fuels, and safety systems contributes to wellbeing and reduces anxiety about the future. (The Mission to Seafarers)
• Shore leave
  Time ashore remains one of the most important “pressure valves” for mental recovery. Many seafarers describe shore leave as essential rather than optional. (Reddit)

What makes seafarers unhappy?

The same surveys and studies point to recurring causes of dissatisfaction and distress:

• Long working hours and fatigue
  Many crews report excessive workloads, understaffing, and weak enforcement of rest-hour regulations. Fatigue is one of the industry’s biggest risks. (Maritime Magazine)
• Isolation and separation from family
  Months away from home create loneliness, relationship strain, and emotional exhaustion. (Sage Journals)
• Limited or nonexistent shore leave
  Fast port turnarounds, security restrictions, and transport barriers often prevent crews from leaving the vessel. Some seafarers have described ships as “floating prisons.” (Reddit)
• Administrative overload and reduced crew sizes
  Seafarers increasingly report spending time on paperwork, compliance, and digital systems while crew numbers shrink. (Maritime Magazine)
• Mental health stigma
  Many seafarers still feel pressure to appear tough and avoid discussing stress or depression. (Reddit)
• Safety concerns and geopolitical pressure
  Fear of sanctions violations, piracy risks, conflict zones, and legal liability adds psychological strain. (Maritime Magazine)
• Unequal conditions across fleets
  Some vessels provide modern connectivity and welfare support while others lag badly behind, creating what researchers describe as a “two-speed industry.” (The Mission to Seafarers)

What can the maritime industry do?

Improving wellbeing requires operational and cultural changes, not just wellness campaigns.

1. Enforce realistic workloads and rest hours

Companies should:

• reduce excessive overtime,
• improve manning levels,
• simplify bureaucracy,
• strictly enforce fatigue-management rules.

Fatigue reduction improves both wellbeing and safety. (Maritime Magazine)

2. Guarantee meaningful shore leave

Ports, shipowners, and regulators can:

• schedule protected shore-leave windows,
• provide affordable transport from terminals,
• simplify port-access procedures for crews.

Industry groups increasingly argue that shore leave should be treated as a safety requirement, not a luxury. (Reddit)

3. Improve onboard connectivity

Affordable, reliable internet access is now considered fundamental crew welfare infrastructure. Better connectivity helps reduce isolation and improves retention. (The Mission to Seafarers)

4. Strengthen mental health support

Effective measures include:

• confidential counseling,
• peer-support systems,
• mental health awareness training,
• leadership training for officers,
• reducing stigma around seeking help.

But many seafarers argue that support must address root causes like fatigue and understaffing, not just provide apps or helplines. (Reddit)

5. Invest in leadership and onboard culture

Captains and senior officers heavily influence morale. Respectful leadership, fair treatment, and inclusive cultures improve wellbeing significantly.

6. Prepare crews for digital transformation

New technologies can reduce workload, but poorly implemented systems create “technostress.” Companies should provide practical training and involve seafarers in technology rollouts. (arXiv)

7. Shorten contracts where possible

Very long contracts are strongly associated with declining morale and mental exhaustion. More predictable rotations and shorter tours improve retention and mental health. (Maritime Magazine)

Overall, the evidence suggests that seafarers are happiest when they feel:

• rested,
• respected,
• connected to family,
• safe,
• professionally supported,
• and treated as people rather than just operational resources.

The maritime industry increasingly recognizes that crew wellbeing is directly tied to safety, retention, and operational performance—not just welfare policy.

LLM 2: 

Seafarers are happiest when they feel safe, supported, connected, fairly treated, and properly trained, and unhappiest when overworked, isolated, underpaid, or denied basic welfare conditions. Across multiple recent surveys, including the Seafarers Happiness Index and large-scale wellbeing studies, the same themes consistently appear.

🌊 What Makes Seafarers Happy

• Strong crew relationships — Crew interaction is repeatedly the most positive part of life onboard, boosting morale and reducing stress. worldports.org
• Good connectivity — Reliable internet access allows video calls with family and provides entertainment, significantly improving mental wellbeing. worldports.org
• Quality food and fitness options — Better food and access to exercise facilities correlate with higher happiness scores. worldports.org
• Useful training and career development — Seafarers who feel well‑prepared (especially on tankers) report higher satisfaction and confidence. The Mission to Seafarers
• Fair wages and timely payment — Improvements in wages and reduced deductions increase satisfaction. worldports.org
• Medical and welfare support — Access to private medical insurance and improved welfare programs boosts loyalty and wellbeing. maritime-hub.com

⚓ What Makes Seafarers Unhappy

• Excessive workload and crew shortages — Manning levels are falling, administrative burdens are rising, and fatigue is widespread. Rest-hour violations are often normalized. seafarershappinessindex.org
• Declining shore leave — Short port stays, immigration restrictions, and high transport costs reduce opportunities for rest and recovery. seafarershappinessindex.org
• Safety concerns — Preventable accidents (falls, electrocution, enclosed spaces) remain common. Misuse of “riding squads” undermines safety culture. worldports.org
• Stress, depression, and mental health issues — Stress levels have risen sharply, especially among younger officers. 16% report depression. maritime-hub.com
• Wage delays and financial insecurity — 30% report delayed payments; 9% report incomplete pay. maritime-hub.com
• Unequal access to training — Seafarers on dry cargo and container ships feel left behind in decarbonisation and new-fuel training. The Mission to Seafarers
• Poor connectivity, food, or health facilities — These remain pain points when not properly addressed. The Mission to Seafarers

🛠️ What the Maritime Industry Can Do to Improve Wellbeing

Below is a structured set of actions grounded in the evidence from the surveys.

1. Increase manning levels

Crews are stretched too thin. More personnel reduces fatigue, improves safety, and restores mentorship pathways. seafarershappinessindex.org

2. Reduce administrative burden

Duplicated paperwork wastes hours and shifts focus from real safety. Streamlining digital systems would significantly reduce stress. seafarershappinessindex.org

3. Strengthen fatigue management

Enforce rest-hour compliance, redesign watch schedules, and monitor fatigue risks as seriously as alcohol impairment. seafarershappinessindex.org

4. Improve mental health support

Provide onboard counselling access, mental health training for officers, and confidential reporting channels. Rising depression rates make this urgent. maritime-hub.com

5. Guarantee timely, fair wages

Address delayed payments and ensure transparent salary structures to reduce financial anxiety. maritime-hub.com

6. Expand high-quality training

Hands‑on training should complement e-learning. Ensure all vessel types—not just tankers—receive decarbonisation and new‑fuel training. The Mission to Seafarers

7. Enhance connectivity and welfare facilities

Reliable internet, better food, fitness spaces, and medical support directly raise happiness scores. worldports.org

8. Protect safety standards

Crack down on unsafe practices, enforce STCW compliance, and address preventable accidents through better oversight. worldports.org

9. Support shore leave access

Work with ports and immigration authorities to reduce barriers and costs. Shore leave is essential for mental recovery. seafarershappinessindex.org

📊 Summary Table: What Drives Seafarer Wellbeing

Factor	Effect on Happiness	Industry Action
Crew relationships	Strong positive	Foster inclusive, respectful onboard culture
Connectivity	Strong positive	Invest in reliable internet
Workload & manning	Strong negative	Increase crew numbers; reduce admin
Safety	Strong negative	Enforce safety standards; stop misuse of riding squads
Training	Positive when available	Expand practical and future-fuel training
Mental health	Strong negative when unsupported	Provide counselling and rest-hour compliance
Wages	Mixed	Ensure timely, fair payment
Shore leave	Strong positive	Reduce port/immigration barriers

 

A Thoughtful Next Step

Would you like a deeper dive into specific wellbeing interventions, a policy brief for maritime leaders, or a presentation-ready summary?

LLM 3:

The Seafarers Happiness Index—a quarterly survey by The Mission to Seafarers—offers a useful window into what’s working and what isn’t. The most recent score (Q1 2026) sits at 7.18 out of 10, down slightly from 7.26 the previous quarter, though Q2 2025 hit a high of 7.54. Seafarers Happiness Index

What’s Making Seafarers Happier

Connectivity stands out as the single biggest positive shift. Reliable internet now lets crew make video calls home, stream entertainment, and stay socially connected—factors that were once rare luxuries. SAFETY4SEA

Crew relationships remain the most satisfying aspect of life onboard; camaraderie and mutual support buffer many of the harder conditions.

Food quality and rest also matter more than their simplicity might suggest—good meals and adequate downtime directly influence morale and physical health. Mission to Seafarers

What’s Driving Unhappiness

• Safety and manning concerns are increasingly vocal: seafarers report pressure on training standards and adequate crew numbers, issues that erode trust and raise real risks.
• Isolation and mental-health strain persist despite better connectivity. Extended contracts, limited shore leave, and the inherent remoteness of life at sea still weigh heavily.
• Inconsistent working conditions—contract uncertainty, uneven pay practices, and variable onboard environments—create anxiety about the future.

What the Industry Can Do

Lever	Concrete Actions
Mental-health infrastructure	Implement the IMO’s new 2026 guidelines: confidential counseling access, mental-health first-aid training for officers, and onboard cultures that reduce stigma. Ports Directory
Proactive health programs	Invest in chronic-disease management, fatigue monitoring, and wellness initiatives—studies show 54% productivity gains and 62% reductions in healthcare costs when companies commit to a “Culture of Health.” Global Maritime Forum
Connectivity as standard	Treat reliable internet as essential infrastructure, not a perk. It underpins family contact, mental wellbeing, and access to support resources.
Transparent career pathways	Offer structured benefits (training reimbursement, performance bonuses, clear advancement routes) to signal that seafaring is a sustainable career, not just a job. Boating Industry
Safe manning and training integrity	Resist the temptation to cut crew numbers or shortcut certifications; the Q2 2025 index explicitly flags this as an area where seafarers feel protections are slipping.

The data suggests that relatively modest investments—better connectivity, genuine mental-health support, and transparent employment practices—can move the needle meaningfully, while neglecting safety and manning standards will erode trust faster than any benefit can rebuild it.

LLM 4:

Seafarers’ wellbeing is shaped by a mix of rewarding and challenging aspects of life at sea. Happiness often comes from professional pride, financial benefits, crew camaraderie, and the adventure of travel, while unhappiness stems from isolation, heavy workloads, poor connectivity, limited shore leave, and inadequate support. Happiness scores in recent Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) reports hover around 7/10, with fluctuations (e.g., ~7.18/10 in Q1 2026, down slightly from prior quarters), reflecting resilience amid ongoing pressures.

What Makes Seafarers Happy

Positive factors include:

• Strong crew bonds and teamwork — Many describe colleagues as “like family,” with social interactions, jokes, and mutual support boosting morale significantly.
• Financial rewards and family provision — The ability to support loved ones back home provides purpose and satisfaction.
• Adventure, travel, and professional pride — Seeing the world, learning skills, and the unique nature of the job appeal especially to younger or newer seafarers.
• Good food, rest, health facilities, and recreation — When available (e.g., gyms, varied meals, team activities), these enhance daily life.
• Improvements in connectivity and occasional shore leave offer emotional lifelines.

Younger seafarers (e.g., 16-25) sometimes report higher initial satisfaction due to novelty, while mid-career groups may peak in contentment if conditions are supportive.

What Makes Seafarers Unhappy

Key stressors, drawn from SHI reports, academic studies, and surveys (e.g., IOSH research), include:

• Isolation and separation from family — Prolonged contracts, missed life events (e.g., weddings, births), and homesickness are major drivers of loneliness, anxiety, and depression.
• Heavy workloads, fatigue, and long/irregular hours — Excessive demands, maintenance on aging vessels, paperwork, and poor sleep (exacerbated by noise/vibration) lead to burnout. Many report feeling overworked with insufficient rest.
• Limited or poor-quality connectivity — Inconsistent or expensive internet hinders family contact, worsening emotional strain.
• Restricted shore leave — Tight port schedules, operational pressures, and access barriers leave crews feeling trapped.
• Food quality and variety — Monotonous or poor meals affect mood and health (a frequent complaint).
• Management and organizational issues — Poor leadership, lack of trust, inadequate mental health support, fear of criminalization/job loss, and perceived undervaluation (e.g., stagnant wages amid rising costs).
• Other factors — Younger/single seafarers, poor physical conditions, lack of autonomy, cultural clashes, and geopolitical uncertainties add risk. Mental health issues like depression and anxiety are higher than in shore-based populations; suicide risk is elevated in some data.

Happiness is often lower at sea than at home, with boredom, “bossy” superiors, discrimination, and exhaustion cited as direct mood depressors.

What the Maritime Industry Can Do to Improve Wellbeing

The industry can drive meaningful change through proactive, systemic improvements rather than solely reactive support. Recommendations from reports emphasize:

• Enhance connectivity — Provide free, reliable, high-speed internet as a baseline right. This is repeatedly the top request and strongly correlates with better mental health.
• Improve work-life balance — Shorter contracts, more predictable schedules, adequate rest hours, and reduced administrative burdens. Consider permanent or more stable contracts to reduce insecurity.
• Boost shore leave and port welfare — Advocate for policies enabling meaningful time ashore, better port facilities, and reliable transport. Ports and companies should collaborate on this.
• Upgrade food and onboard facilities — Increase victualling budgets for fresh, varied, healthy meals. Invest in gyms, recreational spaces, and varied social/solitary activities (e.g., sports, games, barbecues) to combat boredom.
• Strengthen leadership and culture — Train captains and managers on supportive leadership, team cohesion, and recognizing mental health signs. Foster psychological safety and fair promotion/ grievance systems.
• Mental health and training support — Provide accessible counseling, confidential helplines, and proactive wellbeing programs. Shift training toward practical, scenario-based learning with better transition support for new tech (avoiding added stress from poor implementation).
• Design and operational changes — Consult seafarers on ship design for better living spaces, noise reduction, and ergonomics. Address aging fleets and workload from new regulations/tech thoughtfully.
• Family and broader support — Offer family communication resources, shore-side support programs, and competitive wages/benefits reflecting responsibilities.
• Measurement and accountability — Use tools like the SHI regularly, act on feedback, and track outcomes (e.g., retention, incidents). Companies prioritizing wellbeing see benefits in safety, productivity, and talent retention.

Broader context: Seafarers show remarkable resilience, but it should not be taken for granted. Issues like crew shortages, an aging workforce, and generational shifts (younger seafarers expect better balance) make improvements urgent for sustainability. Initiatives by organizations like The Mission to Seafarers, ISWAN, and proactive shipping companies demonstrate progress is possible when wellbeing is treated as a strategic priority alongside safety and efficiency.

Targeted actions in these areas can significantly raise baseline happiness, reduce mental health risks, and make seafaring a more attractive, sustainable career.

LLM 5:

Life at sea is a unique balancing act between immense professional pride and deep personal sacrifice. Data from the Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) reveals that while seafarers are incredibly resilient, overall happiness sits in a state of constant volatility, averaging around 7.18 out of 10.

The maritime industry relies on these workers to move 90% of global trade, yet systemic pressures frequently push crew members to their limits.

⚓ What is Making Seafarers Happy?

When seafarers report high satisfaction, it is almost always driven by onboard community, basic human comforts, and strong ties to home.

• Crew Camaraderie and Social Bonds: Year over year, “interaction with crew” remains the highest-scoring metric. Close-knit, harmonious multinational teams create an environment of “friendship built despite hardship,” which acts as a vital buffer against isolation.
• Reliable Internet Connectivity: Affordable, high-speed Wi-Fi is no longer viewed as a luxury—it is a lifeline. Being able to regularly video-call family, stay updated on household affairs, and wind down with digital entertainment dramatically boosts morale.
• Professional Pride and Identity: Many seafarers express deep satisfaction with their technical skills, the sense of adventure, and the foundational role they play in the global economy.
• Shorter Contract Lengths: Crew members on shorter contract rotations (1 to 3 months) consistently report significantly higher happiness scores than those on 6-to-12-month stints, as they experience a lower burden of chronic fatigue.

🌊 What is Making Seafarers Unhappy?

The factors dragging down seafarer wellbeing are largely systemic, worsened by compressed commercial schedules and escalating global tensions.

• Chronic Fatigue and Falsified Rest Hours: A landmark World Maritime University study highlights that seafarers average 74.9 hours of work per week, with many exceeding 84 hours. Disturbingly, up to two-thirds of seafarers admit to occasionally or regularly adjusting their official work/rest records just to appear compliant with regulations.
• The Disappearance of Shore Leave: Due to fast port turnarounds, strict immigration rules, and heavy administrative burdens, shore leave has become a “vanishing privilege.” Seafarers frequently describe modern vessels as “floating prisons” where they may not step on dry land for half a year.
• Geopolitical Anxiety and Safety Threats: Regional conflicts, drone/missile attacks on commercial shipping lanes, and rampant GNSS (GPS) jamming have severely strained mental health. In active conflict zones, disrupted supply chains have even forced unthinkable situations like the rationing of fresh food and water.
• The “Digital Availability” Paradox: While internet access is a net positive, it can create a psychological toll. Seafarers report the stress of being “digitally present but physically absent”—hearing about family emergencies or milestones back home while trapped thousands of miles away at sea.
• Stagnant Benefits vs. Shore Careers: Younger seafarers are increasingly questioning the trade-offs of maritime life. As shore-based jobs raise wages and offer vastly superior work-life balance, the financial incentive to endure months of isolation is wearing thin.

🛠️ How the Maritime Industry Can Improve Wellbeing

To safeguard the future of the maritime workforce, the industry must transition from viewing welfare as an abstract metric to enforcing structural, human-centric changes.

1. Enforce Real Manning Scale Reforms

The root cause of fatigue is under-crewing. Regulatory bodies and shipowners must reassess minimum safe manning levels so that vessels have enough crew to handle both operational workloads and the mounting mountain of shore-driven paperwork, without forcing watchkeepers to falsify rest hours.

2. Universalize Free, High-Speed Connectivity

The industry should treat high-quality, un-throttled Wi-Fi as a basic human right under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), rather than a perk or an expensive add-on.

3. Protect and Facilitate Shore Leave

Ship management and port authorities need to collaborate to streamline security and immigration processes. Port stays must factor in dedicated, protected time for crews to disembark, clear their heads, and access port welfare facilities.

4. Adjust Contract Standards Toward Shorter Rotations

Whenever operationally feasible, the industry should shift away from grueling 9-to-12-month contracts toward predictable 3-to-6-month rotations. Shorter stints drastically reduce burnout and improve long-term retention, particularly for younger generations.

5. Invest in Proper Nutritional and Living Budgets

Shipowners must shield victualling (food) budgets from inflation. Providing high-quality, diverse, and nutritious meals, alongside functional recreational and gym equipment, directly translates to a healthier, happier crew.

Are you looking at this issue from the perspective of a ship operator looking to improve crew retention, or are you exploring maritime policy and labor rights?
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Photo credit: Pexels

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