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Interview
SSI’ s job is to make that translation possible by connecting evidence, incentives and practice so that good intentions become repeatable and scalable actions. Currently our focus is on sharp execution and measurable impact across energy transition, people risk and ocean health.
Why are charterers still not commercially rewarding higher crew welfare and safety standards in vessel selection and how can they do better? Some are – certainly those in our membership like Rio Tinto and South 32 are extremely advanced and have welfare and wellbeing considered in vetting processes. But that isn’ t widespread. Typically, welfare only enters the conversation once cost and availability are settled and by then there’ s usually no space left for it to make a difference. It becomes a tiebreaker that never gets invoked.
Two things compound this. There’ s no transparent, available, credible, vessellevel signal that tells a charterer which operators are genuinely above the legal minimum. Without that, even a motivated charterer is asking their procurement team to make a judgement call on data they don’ t have. And any charterer who moves alone on welfare faces a cost exposure their competitors don’ t. So, change will need the market to move together.
What we learned in Singapore this month, in a room with charterers, owners, managers and financiers working through what a practical system would look like, is that the appetite for solving this is real. The question now isn’ t whether, it’ s how. And we’ re working with members and partners to build the answer.
Which crew welfare metrics should the industry be measuring consistently and how can data improve transparency and accountability? We’ ve just finished a big industry survey looking at this with seafarers, owners and charterers. What matters most for all parties is reliable pay, guaranteed shore leave, real rest( not paper rest), connectivity, the ability to raise concerns without fear, decent living conditions, mental health support and better food.
That’ s not a long list. And it’ s consistent across everyone being asked.
Most of this data already exists somewhere in crew management systems, port data, invoices and bills, payroll records, inspection reports. The problem is it’ s fragmented and not connected to the commercial systems charterers use. The transparency opportunity isn’ t about collecting new data. It’ s about connecting and validating what’ s already there without creating additional burdens for those on board. Once a charterer can see and reward a credible vessel-level welfare picture, operators have a commercial reason to improve. Right now, that feedback loop simply doesn’ t exist across the market.
How are geopolitical tensions affecting seafarers across key trade routes and has shipping made real progress on seafarer welfare since the pandemic? The pandemic revealed how fragile the system was. Some things genuinely improved: connectivity, mental health awareness, more organizations working on wellbeing and welfare. There has been a tangible marked upwards shift in how much these topics appear in industry discussion.
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