Seafarer Salaries and Employment Benefits Survey Report

Despite the fact that shipping urgently needs to know the real thoughts of those serving on ships today, the modern merchant mariner is almost completely out of sight and mind. Regrettably, instead of dialogue and proper feedback, there has long been only speculation and second-guesses filling in for the unheard voices of those out at sea.

To counter this dearth of information online recruitment company Shiptalk Recruitment Limited has begun a human element research initiative to find-out exactly what serving seafarers think about their lives at sea. The initiative takes the form of five separate surveys running through late 2007, into 2008, and this 2 nd report in the series looks at "Salaries and Employment Benefits".

The findings make compelling reading for anyone looking to attract, retain or manage people at sea today, showing vividly how active seafarers view their the salaries they earn and the employment benefits they receive. The report provides essential information for anyone contemplating a sea-going career.

Money matters have featured frequently in Shiptalk's news articles over the years with stories about wage disputes, pay related crew strikes, underpayment by manning agents on the one hand and headlines such as 'Seafarers are only at sea for the money' or 'Seafarers earn as much as Presidents and Kings in their homelands' on the other.

In this survey the 2 nd in the series of our life at sea surveys we ask serving seafarers themselves for their feedback on salaries and employment benefits at sea today. What are seafarers own perceptions of how much they earn, do they feel valued and suitably remunerated? Has there been a significant change in seafarer's earnings over the years? What are the money issues that arise that are particular to a career at sea? How much is money a motivating, or de-motivating, factor in sustaining a career at sea?

The findings make compelling reading for anyone looking to attract, retain or manage people at sea today, showing vividly how active seafarers view their the salaries they earn and the employment benefits they receive. The report provides essential information for anyone contemplating a sea-going career.

List of Tables and Charts
Preface and Acknowledgements
Overview
How can you access and use this survey?

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 METHOD

3.0 SURVEY CHARACTERISTICS

4.0 SUMMERY AND OBSERVATIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION
4.1.0 Responder Profile
4.2.0 Salaries and Employment Benefits
-Actual Rates of pay
-Payment of Wages
-Seafarers Perceptions of their Salaries
-Wage Increases
-Overall Importance of Money
-Concluding Remarks

5.0 SURVEY RESULTS

5.1.0 RESPONDENT DETAILS
5.1.1 Gender
5.1.2 Nationality
5.1.3 Age
5.1.4 Experience
5.1.5 Rank and Department
5.1.6 Type of Vessel
5.1.7 Flag of Vessel

5.2.0 SEAFARERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR SALARIES
5.2.1 A Fair Wage?
5.2.2 Comparisons with shore based salaries

5.3.0 WAGE INCREASE
5.3.1 Wage increases during your time at sea
5.3.2 Wage increase in line with cost of living
5.3.3 Suggested wage increase

5.4.0 IS IT ALL ABOUT THE MONEY?
5.4.1 Importance of factors other than money
5.4.2 Three most important factors when deciding who to work for
5.4.3 The single most important benefit

5.5.0 PAYMENT OF WAGES
5.5.1 Practicalities
5.5.2 How is your salary paid?
5.5.3 Record of payment
5.5.4 What currency is your salary paid in?
5.5.5 The affect of the currency exchange rate
5.5.6 Tax payments
5.5.7 Retention of wages
5.5.8 Prompt payment of wages
5.5.9 Underpayment of wages
5.6.0 Non-payment of wages
5.6.1 Paid leave
5.6.2 Other benefits received
5.6.3 How much are you paid?

6.0 FURTHER RESEARCH

Capt Thomas Brown BSc (Hons) MNI

Following fourteen years of deep sea experience on all vessel types and in all ranks Capt Brown graduated from Plymouth University with a BSc (Hons) in Marine Technology and Maritime Law before spending seven years working at a senior level in the claims department of a leading International Group P&I Club.

As well as being the current Chairman of Shiptalk Recruitment Limited, Capt Brown is the Managing Director of Seacurus Limited a leading UK based marine credit insurance brokerage.

Capt. Brown was assisted by Emma Brown BA MA with the statistical analysis.