The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has unveiled its comprehensive “Seafarer Statistics in the EU 2024” report, offering a vital snapshot of the maritime workforce supporting the European shipping industry. This insightful analysis, drawing on data up to December 31, 2024, reveals key trends and figures concerning seafarers holding valid qualifications across EU Member States, Iceland, and Norway.
**A Robust Maritime Workforce**
According to EMSA’s latest findings, a substantial workforce of nearly 314,000 masters and officers was available to serve on EU Member State-flagged vessels by the close of 2024. This figure comprises 177,378 masters and officers holding Certificates of Competency (CoCs) issued directly by EU Member States, alongside an additional 136,660 whose CoCs from non-EU countries were recognized through Endorsements attesting Recognition (EaRs) by EU Member States.
**Leading Nations in Seafarer Certification**
The report highlights the significant contributions of various nations to the EU’s maritime talent pool. The top five EU Member States issuing CoCs in 2024 were Norway, Poland, Croatia, Italy, and Romania. For EaRs, the leading five were Malta, Cyprus, Portugal, Norway, and Denmark. Furthermore, non-EU countries with the most recognized CoCs included the Philippines, Ukraine, the Russian Federation, India, and Türkiye, underscoring the global nature of the maritime profession.
**Decade of Trends: Growth, Disruption, and Recovery**
A review of data spanning 2014–2024 illustrates a dynamic period for the maritime workforce. The number of qualified masters, officers, and ratings saw steady growth between 2016 and 2019. However, this upward trajectory faced disruption from 2020 to 2022, primarily due to the combined impacts of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. Encouragingly, the sector has since shown signs of recovery, with modest increases recorded in both 2023 and 2024, indicating resilience within the industry. Despite these fluctuations, the overall demographic profile of seafarers has remained remarkably stable.
**Demographic Insights: Age, Gender, and Nationality**
EMSA’s report delves into the demographics of the EU’s seafarer population:
* **Gender Distribution:** Women continue to be a minority within the officer workforce, representing approximately 2.83% of masters and officers with known gender. Most female officers (87.57%) are qualified to serve in the Deck Department. While efforts to promote maritime careers for women are ongoing, the pace of change remains gradual, with women unlikely to exceed 2% of the global pool of masters and officers on EU-flagged vessels in the near future.
* **Nationality:** Beyond EU nationals, 2,054 individuals from 89 non-EU countries held valid CoCs issued by EU Member States, with 66.80% of these non-EU nationals originating from European countries.
* **Age Profile:** The average age of masters and officers holding valid CoCs was 43.8 years. While the under-25 age group accounted for 6,292 individuals, other age groups showed a relatively uniform distribution. Notably, 80.03% of officers certified under Chapter VII (“Alternative certification”) of the STCW Convention were younger than 35.
This comprehensive report from EMSA provides crucial data for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and aspiring seafarers, highlighting the stability and evolving dynamics of the European maritime labour market.
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