The Mission to Seafarers writes:
“To the Editor:
We read your article of 15 May 2026, “Seafarers aren’t quite as unhappy as you might think” and felt it important to respond.
Constructive discussion around welfare data is welcome and necessary. No survey is beyond scrutiny, and we remain committed to ensuring the Seafarers Happiness Index continues to develop with transparency, integrity, and relevance. We have never made the claim that the survey is carried out in a formal, academic setting. Indeed, it is intentionally a snapshot of what seafarers think and feel at a particular place in time.
I found it quite extraordinary that the article should suggest that the lived experiences shared by seafarers should be regarded as less than credible because they are self-reported, or not easily reconciled to the headline averages.
The Seafarers Happiness Index exists precisely because seafarers are people, not simply operational variables within a global supply chain. Fatigue, stress, isolation, fear, burnout and morale are inherently human experiences and are almost always associated with casualties at sea. The only meaningful way to understand these things is to ask seafarers directly and to listen carefully to what they say. We have been doing that through the Index for the past decade, and a number of major companies, including some of those who are members of Shipping Australia, carry out bespoke surveys to benchmark their seafarers against the global survey.
Like many wellbeing indicators, the Happiness Index captures both quantitative scores and qualitative testimony. These are not contradictory. Numerical averages may show broad trends, but the real value is in the personal responses which often reveal the reality of life at sea, the systemic pressures and the difficulties being experienced which numbers alone cannot fully explain.
A workforce can appear broadly resilient, whilst individuals within it continue to experience significant hardship. Organisations like The Mission to Seafarers therefore have a responsibility not only to report averages, but also to ensure that difficulties are not rendered invisible simply because they may not represent the majority view.
I make no apology for giving a platform through which seafarers can speak honestly about life at sea. That includes both the positive experiences, along with the frustration, exhaustion, anxiety and distress which they experience. To amplify reassuring narratives undermines the purpose of the project.
When we ask seafarers how they feel, we are not collecting ornamental sentiment. We are making a promise: that their experiences matter enough to be heard, even when it is inconvenient and complicates the narratives we prefer. Even if many feel happier, those who do not still need a space to speak. Their truth does not erase the positivity of others. It stands beside it.
Kind regards
Ben Bailey
Director of Programme
The Mission to Seafarers
Shipping Australia comment: you can read our critique of the Seafarers’ Happiness Index here.
