Looking back on the first half of 2023, I and the entire VIKAND team are deeply proud of the impact we are making on the maritime industry. With the maritime labour market tighter than ever, industry decision-makers are beginning to view seafaring from a human sustainability perspective, validating the “crew asset management” approach we’ve championed for years.  

Many maritime leaders now agree that if our industry is to thrive long-term, they must focus on improving working conditions, reducing illness and injury rates, improving retention rates, and limiting the number of people leaving the maritime workforce because of failed Pre-Employment Medical Examinations. 

The launch of Seafarer 2050, International Chamber of hipping (ICS) industry’s flagship conference for seafarers, is a clear sign that our industry is devoting more attention to labour conditions at sea. The event – held in Manila, home to a quarter of the world’s seafarers – brought together regulators, shipowners, managers and other leaders to discuss the needs of seafarers over the next 25 years. 

If we look at the state of seafaring today, there is only one conclusion to draw: business as usual is no longer working. It is time for change. It is time to condition, incentivize and retain talented seafarers. The humans who power our industry are not dispensable. They are not a liability. They are critical to every maritime operation and worthy of proactive investment and long-term protection. 

This ethos drives VIKAND’s entire ecosystem of services and solutions. I encourage you to explore this edition of Pulse, where we: