Hull underwriters assess machinery, class, age, management and claims history. Yet the safety and performance of every vessel depend on the people who operate, maintain and protect her. I believe crew wellbeing deserves a prominent place in our risk assessment.
Seafarers are civilian workers, but many now sail through areas exposed to missiles, drones, mines and other hostilities. Some have been killed or injured. Others have been trapped onboard, uncertain whether they will be attacked or when they can return home. The twenty-five crew members of the m/v “Galaxy Leader” were held captive for fourteen months. Their release ended the captivity, but not necessarily the trauma experienced by them and their families.
Piracy creates the same fear through a different route. During the first half of 2026, 67 crew members were taken hostage. Even after release, anxiety, disturbed sleep and fear of returning to sea may remain. These are human consequences, and they can also affect confidence, concentration and operational performance.
Abandonment is less visible, but equally disturbing. The ITF recorded 6,223 seafarers abandoned across 410 vessels in 2025, with USD 25.8 million in unpaid wages. Many were left without adequate food, medical support, fuel or repatriation. An owner who abandons a crew is also revealing the quality of the management behind the insured risk.
Mental health must be considered honestly. Research supported by the ITF found that one quarter of surveyed seafarers showed signs suggesting depression, while one fifth reported suicidal thoughts. Fatigue, isolation, excessive workloads, conflict and uncertainty all contribute.
At the same time, shipping faces a serious workforce challenge. BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping estimate a current shortage of 39,100 qualified officers and say that 113,735 additional officers will be needed by 2030. We cannot expect families to encourage young people to choose seafaring while they see crews exposed to violence, captivity, abandonment and inadequate support.
If conditions do not improve, shipping risks an ageing and shrinking pool of experienced seafarers, while recruitment increasingly comes from people entering through economic necessity rather than genuine choice.
Hull underwriters should not become welfare inspectors, but we should ask better questions about fatigue, retention, shore support, warlike voyages, repatriation and family communication. Protecting crews protects vessels. Crew wellbeing is therefore a measure of management quality, operational resilience and ultimately hull risk. It belongs in every serious assessment of hull risk.
