4,992 Seafarers And Family Members Sought Help As Life At Sea Became More Complex In 2025
Our take
The recently released SeafarerHelp report from ISWAN paints a concerning picture of escalating challenges for those working at sea, with a record 4,992 seafarers and their families seeking assistance in 2025. This figure represents a significant increase, highlighting the growing complexity of life at sea and the strain it places on individuals and their support networks. The increasing demand for welfare support underscores a systemic issue requiring immediate and validated attention. We’ve previously covered initiatives seeking to address this, such as [India Mandates ‘Sagar Mein Yog’ Wellness Course For All Seafarers Through New Digital Learning Platform], demonstrating a proactive approach to seafarer wellbeing through digital learning platforms. Furthermore, the scale of humanitarian aid responses, as seen in [Guyana Dispatches 88 Containers Of Humanitarian Aid To Earthquake-Hit Venezuela], also indirectly impacts maritime operations and the mental load on seafarers navigating these complex situations. The confluence of global events and the inherent isolation of maritime work creates a uniquely challenging environment.
The rise in requests for assistance isn’t simply a matter of increased awareness of existing support services. It reflects a genuine escalation of stressors. Factors like geopolitical instability, increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, and the ongoing impact of climate change on shipping routes and weather patterns are contributing to a more demanding and unpredictable work environment. The report’s findings align with our own analyses of acoustic oceanographic data, as detailed in [Analysis of acoustic oceanographic data characterizing tidal and non-tidal current flux in a gulf–basin system], which demonstrates the significant impact of environmental factors, including increasingly unpredictable currents, on maritime operations. These fluctuations necessitate greater navigational skill and add to the overall stress experienced by crews. The need for robust mental health support and accessible communication channels is becoming increasingly critical, particularly as voyages become longer and more complex. The data from ISWAN provides empirical evidence supporting a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by seafarers, moving beyond anecdotal observations to a measurable assessment of need.
The implications of this trend extend far beyond the welfare of individual seafarers. A fatigued and stressed workforce poses a significant risk to maritime safety and efficiency, impacting global supply chains and international trade. The interconnected nature of the global economy means that disruptions to maritime operations can have cascading effects worldwide. Addressing the root causes of this escalating pressure requires a collaborative effort involving ship owners, governments, maritime organizations, and technology providers. Integrated data ecosystems, capable of providing real-time insights into seafarer wellbeing and operational conditions, are crucial for proactive risk mitigation. Leveraging technological innovation to enhance communication, provide accessible mental health resources, and optimize working conditions is not merely a matter of corporate social responsibility; it's a strategic imperative for the long-term sustainability of the maritime industry. Validated assessments of seafarer mental and physical health, coupled with longitudinal tracking of stressors, will be essential for developing targeted interventions.
Looking ahead, the challenge will be to translate these insights into concrete and sustainable solutions. The increasing complexity of the maritime environment, coupled with the ongoing pressures of globalization and climate change, suggests that the demand for seafarer welfare support is unlikely to diminish anytime soon. A critical question emerges: how can we establish a truly integrated data ecosystem, leveraging ocean intelligence and calibrated risk assessments, to proactively identify and mitigate the stressors impacting seafarers' wellbeing, ensuring a safer and more sustainable future for the maritime profession?
The new SeafarerHelp 2025 Annual Review offers a unique insight into the realities of life at sea through thousands of confidential helpline conversations.
The International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) has published its annual report from its 24-hour, multilingual helpline SeafarerHelp, revealing the challenges seafarers and their families are facing as life and work at sea become increasingly complex. Drawing on data and insights from thousands of confidential helpline conversations, the report highlights emerging welfare concerns and the action needed across the maritime sector to support seafarers’ wellbeing, safety and dignity.
Because SeafarerHelp is confidential, seafarers are able to speak openly about the challenges they face, offering a valuable insight into the realities of life at sea. The review combines quantitative data with the recurring themes and experiences described by seafarers when they reach out for support to build a clearer picture of the issues affecting the global seafaring workforce.
While these insights represent only one perspective on seafarers’ experiences, they provide an important snapshot of the challenges being shared through a trusted, independent welfare service. Shipping companies and other maritime organisations will have their own workforce intelligence, but SeafarerHelp often hears about issues that seafarers may feel unable or unwilling to raise with their employers or crewmates.
What emerges from the conversations
The report shows that while fewer seafarers contacted SeafarerHelp for straightforward enquiries in 2025, those who did reach out increasingly needed support with complex, interconnected challenges affecting their wellbeing, relationships, finances and safety. New contacts (i.e., calls and messages) decreased, but follow-up contacts increased as more people required ongoing support rather than a single conversation.
Although SeafarerHelp primarily hears from seafarers and family members facing difficulties rather than those having positive experiences, several themes emerged consistently across helpline interactions in 2025. Seafarers described the cumulative emotional impact of long periods away from home, demanding workloads, concerns about family life ashore, and uncertainty created by wider industry and geopolitical developments. Many challenges rarely occurred in isolation – mental health concerns were often closely linked to employment issues, onboard culture, financial pressures or experiences of abuse.
The findings also suggest that improving onboard connectivity is changing why people seek help. Many seafarers now use online sources to find practical information themselves, but continue to turn to SeafarerHelp when situations require empathy, professional judgement, specialist knowledge or emotional support. Helpline officers increasingly report that callers want reassurance that they are speaking to a real person who understands the realities of maritime life.
Mental health concerns reach record levels for the helpline
One of the clearest findings from the review is the significant rise in mental health-related cases. The number of contacts relating to mental health concerns increased by 35.9% compared with the previous year, reaching the highest level recorded by SeafarerHelp and exceeding levels seen at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Helpline conversations reveal the sustained emotional toll that life at sea can have. Seafarers spoke about stress, worry, isolation, and the pressure of balancing responsibilities on board with concerns about family life at home. SeafarerHelp also supported a growing number of people experiencing acute distress, including suicidal thoughts.
In response, ISWAN expanded its mental health support during 2025, including the introduction of a Specialised Support Team providing ongoing mental health support, alongside initiatives such as SEAS (Seafarers’ Education and Awareness Sessions) and the BAYANIHAN mental health initiative in the Philippines.
Safer cultures at sea remain a priority
The report also highlights the continuing impact of abuse, bullying, harassment, discrimination, and violence at sea. Women were disproportionately affected, being more than four times as likely as men to raise these concerns with SeafarerHelp.
Conversations with seafarers suggest that experiences of abuse are often compounded by wider workplace pressures, including long hours, limited rest and unsupportive onboard cultures. Many seafarers described concerns about reporting incidents and the potential consequences of speaking up.
To address these challenges, ISWAN continues to develop programmes, including its Safe at Sea… It Takes All of Us! campaign and the Social Interaction Matters Project, both designed to help create safer and more supportive working environments on board.
Financial pressure and abandonment add to growing uncertainty
The review also points to increasing financial strain among seafarers and their families. Helpline users described the challenges of managing irregular income, contract gaps, debt, and financial responsibilities extending beyond their immediate households. These concerns frequently affected both well-being and family relationships.
At the same time, SeafarerHelp supported a growing number of seafarers affected by abandonment, with abandonment-related contacts increasing by 41.2% during 2025 and rising by 158.9% since 2022. Many affected seafarers reported being left without pay, support or a clear route home.
Turning insight into action
The review demonstrates how insights from SeafarerHelp directly shape ISWAN’s work to support seafarers and their families. By identifying emerging issues, listening to lived experiences and working collaboratively with maritime stakeholders, ISWAN develops practical initiatives designed to address the challenges highlighted through helpline conversations.
As the organisation begins its work with consultative status at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in 2026, ISWAN is committed to ensuring that the experiences shared through its helplines continue to inform discussions about the future of seafarer welfare.
Simon Grainge, Chief Executive of ISWAN, said: ‘The value of SeafarerHelp is not only in the support it provides, but in what it enables us to learn. Every day, seafarers and their families share experiences with us that offer a unique window into life at sea.
‘The themes highlighted in this review reflect the challenges that people are bringing to our helpline at a time of significant change for the maritime sector. Whether it is mental health, workplace culture, financial pressures, or abandonment, these issues can have profound consequences for seafarers’ wellbeing and for their families.
‘Our responsibility is to listen, identify emerging themes and work with maritime stakeholders to turn those insights into practical action that improves the lives of seafarers and their families.’
The SeafarerHelp 2025 Annual Review is sponsored by NorthStandard and can be downloaded here.
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