Crewtoo: Poor Connectivity and Shore Leave Key Issues among Seafarers

Connectivity and shore leave emerged as key issues among seafarers in the results of the third Crewtoo Seafarers Happiness Index report.

Designed to monitor and benchmark seafarer satisfaction levels via 10 key questions, this edition of Crewtoo’s report shows that a number of respondents feel that insufficient investment is being made in ensuring ongoing, high-speed, and quality connections, and that those without Internet access liken conditions to being in the “stone age.”

The latest Crewtoo Seafarers Happiness Index also reveals a three-tiered system in shore leave: There are some seafarers who get good shore leave access and opportunities; those who can occasionally get ashore – but not without difficulty; and those who are denied even the most basic of shore leave.

Responses highlighted that the greatest proportion of seafarers face the double jeopardy of poor quality, expensive, or non-existent connectivity, and difficult, expensive, or non-existent shore leave.

The third quarterly report also shows a seafarer satisfaction level of 6.37 on a scale of 1 to 10, which is virtually unchanged from the 6.44 overall level reported in August. Other areas that showed a downward trend include general happiness, contact with home,training, interaction and workload.

“Perhaps the most surprising results from this quarter were the rapid effect of falling oil prices on offshore sector wages, but more puzzlingly the Happiness Index went up even though we received far more vocal responses raising concerns on wage issues. With large-scale job losses and wage cuts or freezes, one theory is that those who are still earning and receiving their salaries are even more relieved and happy versus their less-fortunate fellow seafarers,” the report finds.

Specific responses mirrored the fact that charter rates and utilisation of the global offshore supply vessel (OSV) fleet have fallen about 20 percent this year, leaving ship owners, especially those that borrowed heavily to fuel fleet expansion, short of cash and with potentially uncertain prospects.

Respondents claimed that they had wage cuts of upwards of USD 10,000 per annum, owing to the situation in the oil and gas industry. Some spoke of 15% pay cuts, a range of freezes, while agency staff spoke of their day rates being significantly lowered and many were left with little or no financial security.

This was especially prevalent from those working in the North Sea, who feared for their livelihoods during the upcoming winter periods when the offshore fleet was set to be down manned due to poor weather conditions, the report shows.

In its report Crewtoo, an online social network for seafarers and a part of KVH Industries, Inc., asks ten questions including areas about the human angle, connectivity, getting ashore, talking cash, meals, exercising, teamwork and relationships on board, workload and overall welfare.