Breaking the psychological contract and managing expectations: developing solutions for the shortage of ship officers

The international shortage of ship officers is an issue receiving increasing attention as shipping companies consider how they will continue to operate their vessels. In particular, the issues of the recruitment of seafarers, their career progression to officer level, and their subsequent turnover due to the ease of mobility within the maritime industry have placed a greater emphasis on retention of this valuable resource. This is of further relevance when it is considered that the shortage of officers is not solely based on recruitment efforts but is also due to changing personal and professional circumstances resulting in senior seafarers moving to shore-based jobs earlier in their careers. Recurring wastage among both cadets and senior officers compounds the shortage problem as the number of years spent at sea by the newer generation of ship officers reduces. This signals the need for a greater understanding of the range of retention issues in order to prolong the number of years that ship officers spend onboard ships.