Empowering seafarers: How digitalization is shaping maritime recruitment

During the SAFETY4SEA Hamburg Forum 2024, Alexander Held, Head of Commercial at TURTLE, delivered an insightful presentation which explored the transformative advantages that a digital recruitment platform can offer.

The maritime recruitment platform and march of digitalization  

TURTLE is a maritime recruitment platform that connects shipping companies and seafarers globally in a fair and compliant way. It serves as a good example of how a digital solution can positively impact the industry where it is applied by combatting the shortage of skilled personnel, driving diversity, attracting young talent through innovation and mitigating the risk for malpractices.

There are around 1.9 million seafarers in the world. When talking about digitalization in this space it’s important to note that next to recruitment there are other  areas worth mentioning.

First, there is an enhanced ship and shore communication through digitalization, both professionally and personally. Seafarers can now communicate more easily with friends and family. They have also improved access to mental health solutions and medical assistance. Additionally, ship operations have become more efficient, and navigation has become safer.

In terms of recruitment, seafarers now have improved access to job opportunities as well as to tests, training, and education. Previously, physical presence was more required, but now many processes are available remotely, including the digital sharing of certificates.

Currently, around 170,000 seafarers are registered with TURTLE, representing more than 140 countries globally. The process is simple: seafarers sign up, complete their profiles, and shipping companies can contact them for global job opportunities.

When TURTLE was launched in its current form two years ago, the market was very fragmented, consisting of agencies, seafarers, shipping companies and other players. We saw the need for a more efficient digital solution which was also driven by the following aspects:

• An anticipated shortage of 80,000 qualified officers in the coming years. and an associated lack of a global approach, where seafarers and shipping companies can connect directly
• Emerging fuel technologies and qualifications requiring efficient connections between seafarers and potential employers.
• Time-consuming manual recruitment processes that create the need for a modern, transparent and compliant tool for shipping companies
• A compliance gap where seafarers are sometimes required to pay to get onboard.

The goal was to establish a global platform which is empowering seafarers in their recruitment process, providing quick and direct access to job opportunities, focusing on diversity, reducing the risk of charging illegal recruitment fees to candidates and safeguarding seafarers’ personal data.

Various seafarer types profit from a digitalized recruitment process

On the one hand there are experienced seafarers with a solid experience track-record that are looking for an efficient tool to steer their career and get access to reputable employers 24/7. At the same time there are also seafarer groups facing specific challenges when looking for a job. Two examples of areas which can be problematic in this regard are diversity on board as well as illegal recruitment fees requested from seafarers.

Gender diversity in the maritime industry

Currently, the maritime industry faces a significant gender disparity, with only 1.2% of the global seafarer workforce being women out of a total of nearly 2 million seafarers. This underrepresentation highlights an urgent need for increased gender diversity onboard ships.

Generally, efforts are being made to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for women in the maritime sector, with more and more Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives being explored.

Alas, this is not the case for all shipping companies. To address this issue, TURTLE is actively working to promote gender diversity by providing female candidates with improved access to suitable employment opportunities.

Enhancing transparency in the recruitment process

A collaboration with nonprofit organizations (IHRB, SSI and MACN) in the industry revealed in a survey with 5,000 participating TURTLE seafarers that 40% of them had experienced corruption related to their work, with 70% of these incidents linked to recruitment.

TURTLE has initiated efforts to raise awareness around this topic within the maritime industry and supports seafarers in avoiding such corrupt demands while still pursuing a career in shipping via their recruitment platform

Additional initiatives to empower seafarers

In addition to providing a fast and transparent access to leading shipping companies, promoting gender diversity and fighting illicit activities, various other aspects can further empower seafarers during the recruitment process. These include:

• Online mentoring programs

Implementing online mentoring programs to provide guidance and support to seafarers, especially those who are new to the industry or seeking career advancement opportunities. Experienced professionals can share their insights, knowledge, and advice to help seafarers navigate their career paths more effectively.

• Access to salary benchmarks

Providing seafarers with access to salary benchmarks and industry standards to ensure fair and transparent compensation. This information can help seafarers negotiate better terms and conditions with potential employers and make informed decisions about their career opportunities.

• Sharing success stories on social media

Utilizing social media platforms to share success stories and testimonials from seafarers who have found employment through the platform. These stories can inspire and motivate other seafarers, showcase the benefits of using the platform, and increase awareness about the opportunities available in the maritime industry.

• Community involvement and support

Engaging with the seafaring community through various initiatives and events to build a strong and supportive network. This helps seafarers connect with each other, share experiences, and learn from industry experts.

• Rating of employers

It’s beneficial to provide seafarers with the opportunity to rate and share their experiences with employers they’ve worked for or companies they’ve been in contact with. This feedback loop not only empowers seafarers by allowing them to voice their opinions but also benefits the maritime industry as a whole by fostering transparency and accountability.

Future plans to further empower seafarers

Various endeavors are currently underway to expand these aspects and further empower seafarers in the future.

TURTLE is committed to continuously improving and enhancing its platform to better serve the needs of seafarers and shipping companies alike.

The views presented are only those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.

source : safety4sea