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The seafarer shortage needs urgent attention
The pandemic and Ukraine war have taken their toll as the maritime industry is headed for major tech transformations.
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In 2021, the International Chamber of Shipping predicted a shortfall of 90,000 seafarers by 2026. This forecast has been rendered grimmer still by two recent upheavals – the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Emanuele Grimaldi
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The maritime industry is staring at an impending storm. The shipping industry that is so vital to world trade is headed for a shortage of seafarers at a critical time of technological changes.
Consider these numbers: About 90 per cent of world trade is seaborne trade. Some 50,000 merchant ships manned by over a million seafarers are responsible for transporting cargo of every description, from iron ore to iPhones, to all corners of the world. But this “circulatory system” that is so essential to the global supply chain faces a serious staffing and skills challenge.
