Global Shortage of 39,100 Ship Officers, New BIMCO-ICS Report Finds
The world merchant fleet is already short of around 39,100 STCW-certified officers, with an additional 113,735 needed by 2030, according to the Seafarer Workforce Report 2026.
The world merchant fleet is already short of around 39,100 STCW-certified officers, according to the Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 published by BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping. The report, produced every five years, estimates that 2.57 million seafarers currently serve a fleet of more than 85,000 merchant ships.
Demand for STCW-certified seafarers has risen by 35% since the 2021 report, and the authors estimate that an additional 113,735 officers will be needed by 2030. By contrast, the report finds a surplus of around 56,890 ratings.
There is some encouraging news: officer cadet numbers have grown, with the ratio of cadets to qualified officers improving to 1:3.8, compared with 1:4.8 in 2021.
LIMA Expert Insight
The shortage is not just about recruitment. A surplus of ratings alongside a shortage of officers points to a clear opportunity: structured upskilling pathways that help experienced ratings progress into officer roles, supported by employers and national programmes.
Sources and references
BIMCO — BIMCO, Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 press release
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