Seafarers push to shape the ships they sail

From ergonomics on the bridge to social spaces below deck, seafarers are urging shipowners and yards to listen to their lived experience — and rethink what makes a well-designed vessel. The final chapter in our bumper Seafarers magazine.

It remains one of the most common rants among the world’s seafarers – why aren’t they more engaged in the design of ships, the very places they live, breathe, and work for months on end?

Carl Martin Faannessen, CEO of crew manager Noatun Maritime, doesn’t hesitate. “It remains a mystery why this is not part and parcel in every program to design a new vessel-type or a newbuild-program,” he says. “Many owners do take the crew into the projects, but there is room to improve on this across the industry.”

That call for better integration of seafarer insight into naval architecture is echoing louder than ever across the industry.

From the bridge to the engine room, those who know ships best argue they should have a seat at the design table — not as an afterthought, but as an essential part of how ships are conceived.

The idea that ships are designed and built without user input seems utterly ridiculous

For Steven Jones, founder of the Seafarers Happiness Index, the logic is obvious. “From performance to living conditions, the idea that ships are designed and built without user input seems utterly ridiculous,” he says. “From ergonomics to functionality, to the testing conditions of crew living and working together — we can do better. We must do better, and that will need experiential insights. The kind that can only come from those who sail.”

Captain Tanuj Balani, director at Indian compliance specialist Stag Marine, agrees. “Designers sitting in offices often overlook ergonomics, workflow, and situational awareness that only seafarers experience,” he says. “It’s one thing to see a bridge layout on paper; it’s another to live with it during a storm.”

This growing frustration stems from a simple truth: too many ships are still built for cargo, compliance, or cost — not for the humans who operate them.

At V.Group, one of the world’s largest shipmanagers, Allan Falkenberg, the firm’s chief operating officer of HR marine, says the benefits of involving seafarers are tangible. “Crew live and breathe every aspect of a vessel and have invaluable insights on how ships can be better designed for both comfort and performance,” he says.

He lists the issues that can make a huge difference to life at sea — “operational considerations around noise and vibration levels impacting sleep, cabin size, layout, and the availability of shared spaces to socialise.”

“Some forward-thinking owners already recognise this and are investing in spaces that genuinely enhance safety and wellbeing,” Falkenberg continues. “Examples of human-centred ship design can include minimising crew exposure to hazardous areas when operating future fuels, through remote monitoring and automated systems. Onboard gyms, sports facilities, cafés and recreation rooms can also create comfortable environments where crew can relax and connect with peers, helping ease stress and build camaraderie.”

He adds that as the ship design debate becomes dominated by decarbonisation and digitalisation, it’s often “the simpler things that make the biggest difference.”

“With our female cadet programme launched with a key customer, we are ensuring that input from our seafarers has been taken into account when designing specific spaces for female cadets,” Falkenberg notes. “When crew are spending months onboard in the same environment, these lived experiences matter.”

Few owners have taken this issue as seriously as Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS). The Singapore-based giant has been rethinking shipboard life through its Life-at-Sea Programme, which CEO Cyril Ducau says is “designed to close the gap between sea and shore.”

“We are already setting new benchmarks in living conditions onboard,” Ducau says, pointing to state-of-the-art gyms, padel courts, pool tables, table tennis areas, saunas, and hydroponic systems designed to promote wellness, recreation, and connection . EPS accommodation is pictured in this feature.

“As we grow our 7,000-strong workforce, we are continuously enhancing all aspects of wellness and connectivity at sea — wellness encompassing both physical and mental wellbeing, and connectivity encompassing digital and human connections,” he explains.

EPS has gone as far as redesigning accommodation, gyms, communal spaces, and galleys with the direct input of ex-seafarers. “Our design teams are guided by crew insights, practicality, and functionality to enhance life onboard,” Ducau says.

He notes that reliable internet connectivity has become just as important as gym space. “Every EPS vessel is equipped with high-speed satellite internet, and data allowances and connectivity packages are regularly reviewed to ensure that our seafarers remain connected to their families, shore colleagues, learning platforms, and the wider world.”

“These efforts reflect our belief that a fulfilling life at sea goes beyond safety and pay — it is about dignity, comfort, and community,” Ducau stresses. “By reimagining shipboard life through physical, mental, and digital wellbeing, we aim to make every EPS vessel a true home at sea.”

Dutch owner Karin Orsel, CEO of MF Shipping Group, fully agrees. “Those who operate the vessels daily have invaluable insights into usability, ergonomics, safety, and efficiency,” she says. “Incorporating their feedback leads to safer, more practical, and higher-performing ships.”

At Stella Maris, a leading maritime welfare charity, CEO Tim Hill views seafarer input as a moral as well as operational necessity. “Listening to those who use ships every day should be standard practice,” he says. “Input from crew can improve ergonomics, safety, comfort, and social spaces. These are factors that directly affect wellbeing and morale. Taking these perspectives into account benefits both the company and the crew.”

From a shipmanagement standpoint, Manpreet Gandhi, marine director at Ishima, the d’Amico Group’s in-house manager, says his teams are already doing it. “Gathering seafarer feedback is an integral part of our approach, particularly when it comes to the design and layout of machinery spaces and other key operational areas,” he says. “Prioritising human-centric design not only enhances efficiency but also plays a crucial role in reducing the risk of accidents and improving overall safety onboard.”

At NSB Crewing Solutions, vice president of crewing operations Simon Frank described seafarers as the “superusers” of ships. “They provide the best and most detailed experiences on how they are working, the accessibility of hatches, valves, bridge layout, etc.”

From the Philippines, Marlon Roño, president of Magsaysay People Resources Corporation, reinforces the same point. “Seafarer input should be incorporated in ship design,” he says. “They can immediately provide practical insights that can resolve common ergonomic challenges and enhance safety and efficiency onboard. Seafarers are the end-users and frontline operators, and since the vessel serves as their second home, their insights are vital in creating a safer and more livable environment.”

At RINA, the Italian classification society, Brian Yam, a director, says the value of this collaboration is measurable. “Seafarers’ operational insights are invaluable,” he says. “Feedback from seafarers has influenced the ergonomic design of bridge consoles and the integration of smart monitoring systems. By bridging technical standards with frontline experience, we help shipowners build vessels that are safer, smarter, and more commercially resilient.”

For Wiebke Schuett, vice president for marine personnel at Wilhelmsen Ship Management, the logic is equally clear. “It’s always valuable to get the end-user perspective,” she says. “Ships are primarily designed for terminals, ports, and cargos, but incorporating the insights and needs of seafarers — the people operating these vessels daily — can greatly improve safety, efficiency, and overall crew well-being.”

Eva Rodriguez, director of HR marine at Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, believes such involvement builds more than just better ships. “Incorporating seafarer input into ship design is vitally important to ensure practical relevance and to reflect the realities of daily life on board,” she says. “This not only results in more functional and efficient vessels but also fosters a sense of belonging and recognition among those who work at sea.”

Simona Toma, chief of maritime HR at Columbia Shipmanagement, adds that seafarer-informed design also supports retention. “Features such as improved recreational spaces, gym facilities, and social areas can greatly enhance life on board,” she says. “This approach supports morale, retention, and operational performance while aligning ship design with real seafaring experience.”

Looking ahead, Andrew Airey, managing director at Highland Maritime, offers a technological path forward. “It is now much easier to do this with the use of 3D digital design modelling and VR – virtual reality immersion, observation and testing of vessel design, provided you actually utilise current sea staff in the process,” he explains to Splash.

That last point — actually using seafarers — may be the simplest and most powerful design principle of all. For decades, the industry has refined hull forms, propulsion systems, and emissions control, but the human element has too often been an afterthought.

Now, with digital tools, welfare awareness, and a younger, more vocal generation of seafarers, that imbalance can finally be corrected.

source : splash247