Seafarers sometimes dread port calls because of the increase
in workload caused by audits and inspections when a ship is in dock, according
to a new survey by Crewtoo, an online social network for seafarers.
The quarterly Crewtoo Seafarers Happiness Index report is
designed to monitor and benchmark seafarer satisfaction levels via 10 key
questions. The results of the second quarterly report were revealed Aug. 26.
They show a seafarer satisfaction level of 6.44 on a scale of one to 10, up
0.02 from the inaugural survey published in May.
According to the latest survey results, the increase in workload
at port also caused a drop in satisfaction levels toward shore leave, as the
amount of work often eats into the time available for relaxation.
“I am happy at sea but when our vessel enters port, it is a
very hard time,” one respondent stated.
Increased stress during port visits and either reduced or
non-existent shore leave gives seafarers very few opportunities to relax and
unwind away from their vessels.
However, the latest quarterly Crewtoo Seafarers Happiness
Index also shows several areas where satisfaction improved versus the first
report.
For example, there was an improvement in crew satisfaction
with salary levels and an improvement in their feelings about the standard of
food available onboard. The availability of exercising onboard was also viewed
more positively, as was the satisfaction derived from crew interaction and team
building, which increased from 6.96 to 7.16 and became the highest score in the
survey.
Answers to the survey were received from across all ranks
and nationalities including seafarers from the US, Canada, United Kingdom,
Philippines, Poland, Croatia, Germany, India, and Turkey, as well as a number
of African nations.
The age of the respondents ranged from 16 to late 60s.
Masters made up the largest proportion of responses by rank; 11 percent of
respondents stated that they were currently serving in the role of captain. The
majority of responses were from seafarers working on bulk carriers and
container vessels.
Full results of the latest survey can be downloaded at http://survey.crewtoo.com/happiness.
