INADEQUATE levels of shore leave among the world’s mariners have been highlighted in a new report for the ITF Seafarers’ Trust (ITFST) and the World Maritime University (WMU).
The report examined data from 5879 seafarers who participated in the ITFST’s Shore Leave Survey.
Researchers concluded more than a quarter of seafarers received no shore leave at all, and a third only got ashore once or twice during their entire contract.
This was based on an average of 6.6 months onboard.
Survey work began in mid-2024.
ITF Seafarers’ Trust head Katie Higginbottom said they survey “confirms our worst fears”.
“This survey confirms our fears. Seafarers are not getting shore leave because it hasn’t been prioritised as essential for crew wellbeing and the safety of the vessel,” Ms Higginbottom said.
“This is about setting the scene, and it is stark. We hope that the findings will promote discussion and acknowledgement that seafarers deserve a break from the vessel.
“Action must be taken to preserve the possibility of shore leave.”
The report revealed that even when seafarers did get shore leave, 47% were able to spend less than three hours ashore and overall, 93.5% spent less than six hours ashore.
The report also includes feedback from seafarers themselves.
A Turkish deck officer on board a tanker for four-and-a-half months was quoted expressing his unhappiness.
“As a deck officer, most of the time, our shore leave is based on our port watch schedule and chief officers’ approach to officers,” the deck officer was quoted as saying.
“While having six on six off watch it is almost impossible to go out without making another officer take your watch for a couple of hours, and after you are back in port you have to take night watch which makes it hard to stand.”
The data shows multiple barriers to shore leave including minimal crewing and high workloads, increasing inspections, port security and operational efficiencies leading to lack of time in port, lack of shore-based facilities and costs of transport.
An Indian deck officer was quoted as saying how ports had “slowly found ways to deny shore leave to the ship’s crew.”
“If they can’t tell ‘no’ straightaway, then they will impose heavy charges so that everyone automatically refuses to go ashore,” he said.
“Plus, the workload and the commercial pressure on senior officers are so much that they find it difficult to go ashore.”
The seafarer said oil or chemical refineries were typically far from the cities.
“There is nothing close by where we can go and relax a bit, have some nice food or go shopping,” he said.
“There are ports which force us to use boats for shore leave, and those boats are very expensive and unaffordable. After a long sailing, we feel exhausted, and it’s our right, I think, to get a shore leave.”
The report suggests the problem is “systemic and multifaceted”.
According to the ITFST, “all stakeholders, from flag states to port states, agents to shipping companies and seafarers themselves, need to collaborate to ensure that this vital component of life at sea is maintained and expanded”.
“All parties need to recognise that, unchecked, the current regime risks the extinction of shore leave as a viable concept reinforcing the strains on an already pressurised workforce,” it stated.
A Shipping Australia spokesperson said access to shore leave was "a fundamental right of seafarers that is recognised in the Maritime Labour Convention".
"Shipping Australia encourages all parties to do their part to ensure seafarers get access to their well deserved shore leave," the spokesperson said.