Following the activities in New Zealand with Dr Maria Borovnik, over the past few weeks, Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Johanna Thomas-Maude has been conducting face-to-face and online interviews with international seafaring organisations – in Europe and other parts of the world.  These conversations, held between May and July, offer a snapshot of the perspectives and activities of those who were strongly involved in supporting seafarers through the COVID-19 pandemic.  Initial themes that came through during these conversations point to important insights about the challenges and possibilities of crisis response in the international maritime sector, which could be observed on these different national and international levels.  Some of these are listed below.

Crisis as a Catalyst for Collaboration

The pandemic prompted unprecedented levels of inter-organisational and cross-sector cooperation.  Welfare organisations, unions, port authorities, shipping companies, and intergovernmental agencies worked together, both formally and informally, to address critical issues such as crew changes, vaccination access, and welfare services.  Some of these networks have since evolved into more sustained coordination mechanisms, although an opportunity remains to formalise some of these partnerships in preparation for future crises.

Persistent Invisibility of Seafarers

Despite their crucial role in global supply chains, the conversations also underscored how seafarers themselves remained largely invisible in mainstream national and international discourses.  Even as global attention focused on supply chain disruptions, the people ensuring those chains kept moving, often working months beyond their contracts, received limited recognition.  The designation of seafarers as “key workers” by international bodies was seen as a positive step; however, in practice, this did not always translate into consistent legal recognition or practical protections at the national level. 

Improved Connectivity

Many participants described how the pandemic accelerated efforts to improve connectivity for seafarers at sea.  Access to SIM cards, port Wi-Fi, and satellite broadband services such as Starlink helped to reduce isolation and improve communication with families.  These changes, driven by necessity, have begun to reshape expectations around communication for seafarers, and many organisations are now working to embed them into standard practice.  Improved connectivity was generally seen as beneficial for the mental health and wellbeing of seafarers overall, although this may also contribute to other forms of stress onboard.

Emerging Protections, Ongoing Gaps

Regulatory frameworks have undergone continuous updates during and since the pandemic (e.g., the Maritime Labour Convention was updated in April 2025). These important amendments include new provisions aimed at strengthening protections for seafarers during future public health emergencies.  Despite these changes, even now, many of the day-to-day services that supported seafarers during the pandemic, such as food delivery, connectivity services, and emotional support, are mostly provided by charitable organisations and dedicated volunteers.  This reliance on goodwill, rather than robust systems of accountability, remains a significant concern in such a globally fragmented industry.

Our Next Steps

Further interviews are scheduled as we keep progressing with the research.  These will help build a more comprehensive picture of how maritime governance, welfare, and accountability operated under crisis conditions, and what this means for preparing for future global disruptions.  Our thanks goes to all participants who have generously shared their insights so far.