Continued Drop in Seafarers Happiness Highlights Shore Leave and Connectivity Issues
Seafarer happiness has dropped for the third quarter in a row, according to the latest Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) published by The Mission to Seafarers together with Inmarsat and Idwal. The Q3 2026 score came in at 6.81 out of 10, down from 6.87 in Q2 and 7.26 at the end of 2025.
Six of the ten measures declined. The report found a clear split: factors linked to life on board improved, while everything that depends on support from ashore got worse, including connectivity, shore leave, wages and shore-side welfare.
Interaction with fellow crew members rose to 7.70, the highest score in the survey, with many seafarers describing their shipmates as family. However, the report warns that this strong teamwork is increasingly covering for failures elsewhere, and the industry should not mistake crew resilience for acceptable working conditions.
Shore leave remained the lowest-scoring measure, falling from 5.72 to 5.46. Shorter port stays, remote terminals, security restrictions and minimum manning all played a part, and one respondent reported getting no shore leave across four consecutive contracts. Many crews said port calls have become the busiest and most stressful part of the voyage rather than a chance to rest.
Connectivity saw the sharpest fall, from 7.46 to 6.89. The problem is not that the technology is failing, but that expectations have grown. Seafarers now want internet access that is affordable and reliable enough to support family life, yet data caps still force many to ration calls home.
Ben Bailey of The Mission to Seafarers said the resilience crews are showing should be seen as a clear warning to the industry.
For seafarers, the findings back up what many already know: shore leave and affordable internet are basic welfare needs, and they are worth raising with employers and unions.
