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The Future of Seafarers and the Seafarers of the Future from the Perspective
of Human Resources Management

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DOI: 10.1108/978-1-80043-392-220201016

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Chapter 13

The Future of Seafarers and the Seafarers

of the Future from the Perspective of
Human Resources Management
Aziz Muslu

ABSTRACT
The rapid change in technology has begun to influence the maritime sector
with the effect of globalization. The impact of technologies is increasing
in shipping management; on the other hand, the importance of the hu-
man element has also increased. International Maritime Organization has
introduced regulations governing the training and social rights of seafar-
ers. MLC 2006 has been an important improvement for the social rights
of seafarers. Preventive measures for workplace bullying were started on
ships. The safety regulations of STWC Manila 2010 have brought some
improvements in the industry. The maritime industry will face some ab-
solute changes brought by Industry 4.0 such as IoT, artificial intelligence,
cloud technology and blockchain, although it is unclear yet what sort of
changes will occur in manpower labor markets. There are some countries
that carry on projects regarding unmanned ships presently. For example,
Norway has realized several trial voyages, as well as some other projects,
which were carried on by Finland and the EU. In spite of all these changes,
seafarers obviously will be needed in the maritime industry. The main pur-
pose of the study is to determine how, from where and how many seafarers
will be demanded onboard in the future. Prospects, futurists’ approaches,
opinions of sector representatives and research reports are evaluated, and
the future of seafarers is discussed in this study.

Keywords: Maritime business and management; human resource

management; seafarers; Industry 4.0; ship organization; Maritime 4.0

Contemporary Global Issues in Human Resource Management, 219–237

Copyright © 2021 by Emerald Publishing Limited
All rights of reproduction in any form reserved
doi:10.1108/978-1-80043-392-220201016
220    Aziz Muslu

Introduction
The most important element of international trade and globalization is maritime
transport. Providing quality and safe service in maritime transport is possible through
management of seafarers. The rapid increase in trade relations with the globalization
of the maritime sector has raised its significance day by day. The shipping business
is an exceptionally universal, multicultural and technical industry, and it faces solid
demand on monetary effectiveness and benefit (Hanzu-Pazara & Arsenie, 2010;
Ljung, 2010). The most economical transportation mode is maritime transport. As
a form of transportation, maritime is still important. In spite of all technological
advances and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the sector needs human-qualified
tasks. The importance of the human element is increasing by the day.
Today, human resources departments take duties and responsibilities related
to motivation, career planning, job satisfaction, organizational culture develop-
ment, training, performance evaluation, orientation training and communication
within the organization. Current developments have increased the importance of
human resource management in the maritime industry. It is clear that the impor-
tance of the philosophy of human resources management in the maritime sector
is increasing each day. Technological development has brought a new manage-
ment paradigm to the maritime sector. The new management paradigm is human
resource management in the shipping business for seafarers. Talent management is
getting more important in the Industry 4.0 era. With the flexibility to be created in
working life, the demand for seafarers will be directed to people who can use and
produce more specialized smart technologies. Maintaining these qualified seafar-
ers will depend on how much of the human resources management philosophy
can be achieved.
Human resources managers of shipping companies find the most effective sea-
farers for their ship organization, and to ensure its continuity, activities are defined
as a whole. Regardless of advances in innovation, somewhere in the range of 80%
of all mishaps are, as per examinations, brought about by human error. Ship mis-
hap factors, for example, weakness of crews because of tight calendars, conceiv-
able under-manning of ships, poor administration, inconsistent or low pay rates,
old or generally deficient hardware or innovation, the security culture of the organ-
ization and its enrollment arrangement, are, among others, factors that influence
the wellbeing at the sea from the group perspective that a solitary group or party
can barely, or by any means, change or impact. These hierarchical components are
frequently communicated; however, once in a while, they are really examined inside
and out (Berg et al., 2013). Human resources management’s (HRM’s) job is vital
to the general activity of the vessel. It is an organizing job that includes contact
between the specialized supervisor/shipowner and the seafarers (Anastasiou, 2017,
p. 75). Technical issues are intense in the training of seafarers, but limited training
is provided to improve management skills, which requires crew resource managers
to provide such kind of education and training. As mentioned above, the issues
that cause ship accidents are largely related to seafarers.
Human resources managers of shipping companies play an important role in
preventing ship accidents. Therefore, the human resources management philosophy
 The Future of Seafarers and the Seafarers of the Future    221

plays a key role in the safe management of ships. This mission of human resources
management will increase in the future. The younger generation is looking for
equality, innovation, and first and foremost, a purpose that connects the crew
(Crew Connect Global, 2017, p. 6). This is because, in the future, ship operators
will have to employ more qualified seafarers than today. A ship manager needs to
ensure the organizational commitment of the seafarers, increase job satisfaction
and prevent seafarers from leaving their job. The job turnover rate in the maritime
sector is higher than those in other sectors. This undermines safe ship management.
Shipping companies become effective by focusing on the human element, for
which clear and determined human resource management policies are required.
These human resources policies, of course, should be planned for both land
and sea staff. The skill and stability of the seafarer’s experience should be given
importance by the human resources manager. Seafarers must gain different skills
and talents from today to the future.
The management of crew depends on the following: (1) an individual consid-
eration of obligation through high correspondence levels between experienced
ship and shore staff; building up a stage for beneficial cooperation with two-way
criticism; (2) drawing in a setup and respectable system of keeping an eye on
organizations; (3) securing the crew (alongside the land and property) from mari-
time risk; (4) observing their welfare by guaranteeing the accessibility of sufficient
protection covers and a wellbeing-oriented, honest condition both locally avail-
able and on the ship and shore; (5) giving persistent preparation to the upgrade of
shipboard execution and consistency with global quality standards (Anastasiou,
2017, p. 74).
Nowadays, development is simply a part of the procedure, seafarers’ skillsets,
jobs and roles will change along with the innovation of Industry 4.0. Esben Pouls-
son, who is the Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping, stated that

Nowadays, I surmise the enormous contrast is that we have a dis-

cernment that mechanical change will be faster in the following
20-30 years than in the last 30, and I surely accept that. The coming
of innovation and the models that we have seen of what it can do to
different ventures will not avoid shipping. (Esben Poulsson, 2018)

One of the most important impacts of Industry 4.0 is the decrease in employ-
ment rates. Frase stated that: The fear of automation is, perversely, a fear too
much: Shipping is a profoundly global, multicultural and technological indus-
try, and it faces solid requests on financial effectiveness and gainfulness. We are
going to need to think in a different structure than we do today (Esben P­ oulsson,
2018). The is an urgent intrigue particularly on that technological advances have
chopped down the number of crewmembers, from what used to be 40–50 to
around 20–25 even on mega carrier ships (Ljung, 2010).
The other big challenge is to predict future skills needs, especially between
now and the time of increased automation. We may be sure that the skillsets and
training need to be required in the immediate, medium-term and long-term future
of the shipping industry will be different than those of today. An additional
222    Aziz Muslu

challenge then might be that other sectors will be competing over the same skilled
people as the shipping sector. However, this is also an opportunity and shows that
future skill needs in the maritime sector may be useful elsewhere, providing flex-
ibility of individual career paths (The Maritime Executive, 2018).
Although there is an assumption that older generations are unwilling to learn
to use new technologies, Borromeo views this as a failure of communication
among various parts of the industry (Crew Connect Global, 2017, p. 11). This
shows us that the new generation of seafarers will be preferred more by enter-
prises in the future.

Background
The maritime sector is important as the most economical way of transportation
from the past to the present. The maritime sector is widely known as an important
mode of transportation. In this study, it is aimed to emphasize the importance
of human resources management in operating ships for maritime transportation
companies.
HRM, which is an important management approach for businesses, has been
ignored by maritime businesses. A number of mandatory regulations have been
introduced by International Maritime Organization (IMO) concerning seafarers
and human resources management. The rapid change in technology will make
it necessary for maritime businesses to invest in human resources. In this study,
seafarers who will be demanded in the future are examined in terms of previ-
ous studies and expert opinions. Industry 4.0 has been determined in the light
of the current developments in the maritime business and legal regulations. In
this context, it is important to examine why human resource management and
investment in human capital in the maritime sector are necessary for shipping
businesses.

Human Resources Management for Shipping

Ship Organization
Maritime and ship management were affected during the First, Second and
Third Industrial Revolutions. After the First Industrial Revolution, steamships
were introduced with increasing international trade transport. In the nineteenth
century, the engine department of ships has emerged. Cpt. Gündüz Aybar indi-
cated in his personnel management textbook that Ship Masters were disturbed
by engine workers. Masters forbade engineers and mechanics to be on deck and
complained that they did not know about maritime traditions and practices. It
is the first occurrence of a deck department – engine department conflict that
occurs sometimes even now.
In the nineteenth century, with the Second Industrial Revolution, mass produc-
tion based on electricity started. In 1840, the telegraph, and in 1880, the telephone
were invented. Division of labor and specialization has emerged in industrial mass
production. Taylorist and Fordist production processes started with the Second
Industrial Revaluation. In the maritime sector affected by these developments,
 The Future of Seafarers and the Seafarers of the Future    223

ships were functionally divided into sections and organized. Today, the organiza-
tion of ships still consists of two main departments: engines and deck. To date,
ships have been managed by a Taylorist style. Due to its maritime job culture and
structure, this industry has limited access to new management paradigms. In the
Third Industrial Revolution, there were no significant changes in the management
and organization of ships, despite automation and computers (Fig. 1).
Until the 1960s, shipping companies, for the most part, utilized crew from their
own nations, and the universities in maritime countries were all around subsidized
and upheld by legislatures. With the appearance of freedom to have the conveni-
ent flag and the opportunity to employ seafarers from any nation, the pivot of
the crew-providing countries moved out to developing economies. Universities in
these nations were neither well-financed nor upheld by legislatures (Chawla, 2015,
p. 4). During the period of 1970s, developed countries’ seafarers quit working in
the sea. In this period, to reduce ship operating costs, ships started to use free of
convenience flags of offshore countries which started with Hong Kong.
As there is a cost for preferred position that emerges with an expanded yield of
manufacturing and goods, for this situation, the issue is the seafarer. The unit cost
per seafarer is hypothetically diminished, and seafarers’ wages are brought down
as stock increments. The ship owner’s working costs are diminished, and earnings

Fig. 1.  Conventional Ship Organization Chart.

224    Aziz Muslu

are increased (Anastasiou, 2017, p. 77). Shipowners aim to decrease the operat-
ing costs, and for this reason, some shipowners started to work with ship man-
agement companies for employment of foreign seafarers. Especially Philippines’
seafarers entered the employment the global shipping market rapidly. Crews were
usually employed from cadet seafarers. The job descriptions of seafarers con-
sisted of a legal seafarer certificate (Fig. 2).
Nowadays, crew management and third-party ship management have become
widespread all over the world. A ship management company might be depicted
as somebody answerable for and responsible for jobs crafted by others or some-
body who plays out the assignments of the executives whether the person in ques-
tion has any control over others (Dickie, 2014, p. 58). For the ship and the crew,
the executives incorporate the fascination, recognizable proof, determination,
enlistment, preparation and improvement, business, maintenance and execution
the board of seafarers in consistence with statutory and global regulations and
understanding with client prerequisites (Anastasiou, 2017, p. 73).
One of the most important problems of today is substandard ships and
seafarers on these kinds of ships. The most important reasons for decreas-
ing quality in shipping businesses are third-party ship management and free
of convenience flags. The MLC 2006 convention on port state controls was
particularly effective, especially in terms of combating substandard vessels
and their organization.
The rapid change in technology has shown an effect on shipping organiza-
tions. Seafarers need to enhance different abilities. This issue imposes further
responsibility on ship operators. In the procedure of ship management, the man-
ager is definitely not in a different capacity inside the association, however, iden-
tifies with every one of the exercises of the association. There might be numerous
divisions inside an association (specialized, operational, contracting and HR, for
instance) and every one of them will have executive capacities and their inward
administration structure (Dickie, 2014, p. 58). However, one of the most impor-
tant functions of HRM is crew training. Ship operators should pay attention to
crew training for successful ship organizations. The skills and knowledge required
by Industry 4.0 must be provided to seafarers with a comprehension of lifelong
continuing training. Unlike the functional division of the ship organization of
the future, it should have the ability to do all sorts of work on the ship with de-
jobbing. Seafarers must know software, robotics technologies and engineering

SHIP
SEAFARER ITF MANAGEMENT
COMPANY

Fig. 2.  Stakeholders in the Recruitment and Selection Processes of Seafarers.

 The Future of Seafarers and the Seafarers of the Future    225

skills. On all that will be reduced, all that is considered trivial, data that is already
accessible from other places will be exchanged automatically. So, I think that
ships and seafarers will shortly feel a change, and we will start to develop the
industry to a more paperless industry, so I would say that that is in the short
run (Nordseth, 2018). The maritime business is known to be a part of a high
pace of deadly wounds and a significant level of undertaking unpredictability.
Incomprehensibly, progression in computerization and innovation has extraor-
dinarily upgraded security, yet, it has likewise created new difficulties for coop-
eration among people and innovation. According to a few specialists (Lutzhoft
& ­Dekker, 2002), people talk about disruption, but I prefer to say a technology
jump. To me, a technology jump is something that completely changes that way
that we work (Nordseth, 2018).

Seafarers Global Supply and Demand Market

Frase will not make the supposition that was made by most financial special-
ists in the twentieth century: that even as certain occupations are disposed of by
motorization, the market will consequently produce all that anyone could need
for a new job to compensate for the misfortune (Frase, 2016, p. 24). This situa-
tion is the same in the maritime sector. Seafarers are employed as multination-
als in the same ship by many companies. The world’s shipping fleet continues
to grow fast. This growth increases the demand for new seafarers. It is stated in
the International Shipping Federation (ISF) Manpower reports prepared every
five years that seafarer demand is higher than seafarer supply. The global sup-
ply of seafarers in 2015 was estimated at 1,647,500 seafarers, of which 774,000
were officers, and 873,500 were different ranks (Manpower Report, 2015, p. 10).
The global demand for seafarers in 2015 was estimated at 1,545,000 seafarers,
with the industry requiring approximately 790,500 officers and 754,500 rankings
(Manpower Report, 2015, p. 10).

Much may be followed back to the mega changes that occurred in

the business in the mid-1980s. At first, the ship proprietors kept on
utilizing senior officials from customary maritime countries, but
they utilized less expensive junior officer and cadets. This brought
about a practically complete break in the progression of informa-
tion to seafarers who they accepted would take their occupations.
(Le Goubin, 2010, pp. 96–97)

There is a strong interest worldwide in an emerging number of crew management

offices, and furthermore, an improvement of seafarers’ wage pay rates as of late.
Examination of the favorable circumstances and hindrances of worldwide crew is
of developing interest (Pyne & Koester, 2005). Being a seafarer is still regarded as a
prestigious profession especially in the Far East. Frase stated that, regarding these
issues, even when we hate our jobs, sometimes, we still lean on them as sources of
identity and social worth. Many cannot imagine a world beyond work as anything
but one of dissipation and sloth (Frase, 2016, p. 30).
226    Aziz Muslu

Seafarers’ recruitment has become a significant issue for shipping companies

(Ljung, 2010). It is consequently fundamental to have a basic comprehension of
the different components and conditions influencing the demand and supply of sea-
farers while investigating ship segments. Exceptionally modern vessels and new-age
engine structures have an undeniably more appeal for the specific group, bringing
about supply limitations and a deficiency of prepared and instructed seafarers both
at shore and onboard (Anastasiou, 2017, p. 73). Horck underlined in a few examina-
tions comprehension of English which is demonstrated to be better among Filipi-
nos (Wu & Sampson, 2005) than among different nationalities, for example, Eastern
Europeans (barring crews from Western Europe and normally the United States).
The absence of language competence has experienced one of the significant obstruc-
tions for Chinese seafarers to pick up work on foreign ships (Fan et al., 2017, p. 143).

Legal Regulations and Amendments for Seafarers

The duties and responsibilities of seafarers are determined according to three
main sources:

1. Legislation (Law, Regulation)

2. Company Manuals
3. Maritime Traditions (Aybay, 1997, p. 27).

Seafarers get their testaments as per the IMO STCW Convention. The Inter-
national Convention and Code on Standards of Training, Certification and
Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) is one of the significant foundations of sea
enactment. The STCW Code is divided into two sections as Part A: mandatory
arrangements to which explicit reference is made in the addition to the STCW
Convention and which give the base gauges required to be kept up by parties so as
to give full and complete impact to the arrangements of the STCW Convention
and Part B: prescribed direction to help gatherings to the STCW Convention and
those associated with actualizing, applying or authorizing its measures to give the
STCW Convention full and complete impact in a uniform way (Dickie, 2014, p.1).
With the advancement of enactment, innovation and dramatic developments
in the maritime sector, the definition and comprehension of seafarers and seafar-
ers’ social rights keep on evolving (Zhang, 2016, p. 9). It is seen that many mari-
time organizations carry out studies on management of seafarers. In this regard,
IMO, the EU has introduced many new regulations. The most important global
regulation is MLC 2006 (Zhang, 2016, p. 9). It is seen that numerous maritime
associations do have considerations in regard to the executives of seafarers. In
such a manner, IMO, the EU has presented numerous new guidelines. The most
significant worldwide guideline is MLC 2006 (International Labour Organization
(ILO), 2019). These endeavors to orchestrate crafted by the ILO and the IMO are
most welcome and forecast well for the stability and security of global maritime
labor law (Christodoulou & Pentsov, 2008).
The reason for the International Safety Management (ISM) Code is to pro-
vide a global standard to the protected administration and activity of ships and
 The Future of Seafarers and the Seafarers of the Future    227

counteractive action against contamination. The Code’s starting points go back

to the late 1980s when there was mounting concerns about poor administration
norms in the shipping business. In 1994, the ISM Code was officially received and
incorporated as a piece of the SOLAS Convention, while later in 1998, it became
required for oil tankers and bulk ship carriers, general cargo ships to pursue by 2001
(ISM Code: Latest Updates, 2019). The Electronic Chart Display and Information
System (ECDIS) frameworks have been normally installed in ships since 2009. The
electronic sea mapping and ship navigation system ECDIS has improved security;
however, it has presented new dangers that require thought (Fig. 3).

Machines have numerous characteristics, yet sound judgment is

not one of them. Moreover, the presence of the mind is deficient in
such a large number of seafarers today. The Master has an essen-
tial supervisory job of the help of the Duties of officer on watch,
and this job is being disregarded by the requests of the “office” on
the Master’s time (Le Goubin, 2010, pp. 96, 97)

The expansion in automation, digitalization and mechanical multifaceted

nature in the maritime business has enormously improved security, yet it has cre-
ated new difficulties for group association Dekker (2006, p. 111) or what counts as
“loss of powerful crew asset.”

Current Developments Concerning Seafarers in the Maritime Sector

and Autonomous Ships
In early 2014, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology professors Erik
­Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee published the Second Machine Age: Work,
Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies. They surveyed a
future in which computer and robotics technology replaces human labor not just
in traditional domains such as agriculture and manufacturing but also in sectors
ranging from medicine and law to transportation (Frase, 2016). So, I think it will
influence seafarers’ working lives and everyday operations, but I also think, at
the same time, it will become much more interesting (Nordseth, 2018). There are
many disrupted conventional industries by presenting new plans of action with
start to finish value chains and might focus on the maritime business (Global
Maritime Issues Monitor, 2018, p. 14).
One of the most important current developments in maritime is the trial pro-
ject of unmanned ships. Unmanned ship operations together with issues such as

ITF ISF

IMO

SEAFARER SHIPOWNER

Fig. 3.  Maritime Legal Regulations and Amendments Stakeholder.

228    Aziz Muslu

global sulfur limit, low energy vessel navigation, innovation and renewable energy
will bring fundamental changes to the maritime sector.
In 2014, the British luxury car manufacturer Rolls-Royce announced that it
would build autonomous ships. The Autonomous Ship Technology Symposium
held in 2016 in Amsterdam, they shared the details of their work on this issue.
Rolls-Royce, who heads the consortium Advanced Autonomous Floating Appli-
cations, including Finferries, Tampere University of Technology, Brighthouse
Intelligence and ESL Shipping, plans to implement this project by 2020.
Another of the earliest research projects on Autonomous Ships was the
European venture named the “Maritime Unmanned Navigation through Intel-
ligence in Networks (MUNIN)” project (2018). MUNIN, co-subsidized by the
European Commission under its Seventh Framework Program, set forward
another idea for an autonomous ship with the possibility to handle probably
the most testing issues in the field of self-sufficient marine transportation, for
example, noteworthy increment in transport volume, developing ecological pre-
requisites and a deficiency of seafarers (Zereik, Bibuli, Miškovi’c, Ridao, &
Pascoal, 2018, p. 365).
With the agreement signed between Rolls-Royce and Google, it will increase
the safety of existing ships, developing intelligent awareness systems that will
enable autonomous ships to come to actualize (Journal of Maritime Trade, 2017,
p. 74). Computerized innovation may be a huge empowering effect of develop-
ment and advancement. However, its capacity is not just to improve, yet also
disturbing. With the exponential digitalization of our reality, it should not shock
anyone that advanced disturbance is one of the consuming issues all pieces of the
society look at (Global Maritime Issues Monitor, 2018, p, 14). The agreement
signed between Rolls-Royce and Google on October 3, 2017 aims to develop intel-
ligent awareness systems that will increase the safety of existing ships and enable
autonomous ships to be implemented.
Norway is another country working on this issue. Although they started their
work later than the United Kingdom, they take the race ahead. Norwegian-based
Wound and marine technology company Kongsberg had come together for the
electric autonomous cargo ship project.
Autonomous ships will certainly create a reduction in employment. On the
other hand, it is a fact that the need for seafarers with other skills will emerge.
One of the most important expectations of unmanned ships is to close the gap of
a seafarer. There is no international regulation for the operation of autonomous
ships [Shore Control Center (SCC)]. It is unclear what the SCC’s responsibility
will be. Will the SCC be able to bear the responsibilities of the captain? There is
uncertainty in this matter.

Autonomous does not mean unmanned. As vessels become

increasingly electric, advanced and associated than at any other
time, ABB may furnish seafarers with existing arrangements that
expand their ranges of abilities. Along these lines, we are upgrad-
ing the ship security of shipping operation. Juha Koskela, Manag-
ing Director at ABB’s Marine and Ports unit (Marpro, 2018)
 The Future of Seafarers and the Seafarers of the Future    229

It is seen that the operation of unmanned ships may be realized in restricted

regions and on a limited level. Ship organization structures based on past func-
tional divisions of the department will change completely. Issues such as emer-
gency management, maintenance and repair are still controversial in discussions
about unmanned vessels and still unclear.
Autonomous ships, robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are viewed as the
greatest innovation dangers confronting the business in the following five years,
albeit 38% of seafarers saw unmanned ships as an opportunity (Crew Connectiv-
ity, 2018, p. 8).
Another important development concerns the social rights of seafarers in
maritime. The vessels are equipped with the latest technology communication
facilities to meet the needs of seafarers. Communication opportunities affect the
well-being of seafarers with socialization.
Social media tools that are used extensively by the new generation of employ-
ees should be used in a way to increase work efficiency. Human resources man-
agers should continuously develop innovative reward and incentive systems to
increase employee motivation. Industry 4.0 puts more responsibility onto Human
Resources departments. Mechatronics engineers will need IT engineers and spe-
cialized human resources in repair and maintenance of these ships.

Maritime 4.0 and Future of the Seafarer

Programable machines, which were developed for the first time in 1968, became
the preparers of the 3rd Industrial Revolution. With this period, Fordism in pro-
duction was replaced by post-Fordism. While programable machines were devel-
oped and turned into industrial robots, the companies and countries of this period
were able to show the flexibility to respond to diversified consumer preferences.
The Industrial Revolution shows that a new paradigm has emerged in production
(Alçin, 2016, p. 47).
The Fourth Industrial Revolution will inevitably have a major impact on labor
markets and workplaces around the world. It does not mean we are going to face
a machine-like dilemma (Schwabin, 2016, p. 49). The fundamental supposition
will be that the pattern toward expanding automation will proceed in all areas of
the economy (Frase, 2016, p. 24).
Today, as a result of the developments in technology, it is seen that the smart
industry process called Industry 4.0 has started. In the process of industry 4.0,
also referred to as Industry 4.0, traditional transportation and industrialization
will be replaced by a form of maritime industry equipped with computer and
software support. Therefore, Industry 4.0 will bring about a series of changes
in the maritime sector’s labor relationships. This event in the maritime sector is
known as Maritime 4.0. Along with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, there will
be improvements in issues related to working relationships such as flexible work,
lifelong employment, job attitudes and motivation techniques. This study inves-
tigates how the relations of the seafarer and the ship owner will be shaped in the
forthcoming process of the intelligent industrial revolution. What will the Mari-
time 4.0 issue bring for seafarers and ship-owners in terms of working relations?
230    Aziz Muslu

This is ambiguous. It is clear that, in the Industry 4.0 era, the importance of the
human resources management philosophy is getting higher for the maritime sec-
tor more than today. Industry 4.0 brings more responsibility for human resources
managers to train and educate seafarers to respond to this new form of the ship-
ping industry.
In the longer run, we are talking about the next generation of seafarers, or the
coming generations, I think we will see a change in the working functions. Very
traditionally, we have three categories of seafarers. We have the deck department,
we have the engine department, and we have the catering department … and
I think these departments are facing a dissolution, and it will dissolve into more
of a multi-flexible thing where in the future, if you were a seafarer, you would be
able to do everything (Nordseth, 2018).
One of the most important jobs conducted by the HRM department is job
analysis. These analyses determine what job requirements and job descriptions
are. In the age of Industry 4.0, job analysis needs to be re-performed in mari-
time businesses. According to the needs created by Industry 4.0, job descriptions
should be created by creating new job requirements.
Present-day ships are getting exceptionally computerized and are progressively
subject to programing-based control frameworks. Propelled programing and
reenactment abilities will bring about progressively complex frameworks being
constrained by programing, while continuous assessment potential outcomes will
be accessible, joined by proposals for restorative activities by the crew and giving
the inventory network the executives’ choice help. Expanded digitalization and
accessibility of high-unwavering quality, programing-controlled, digital-physical
frameworks will take into consideration progresses in autonomous and remotely
controlled tasks (Digitalization of Shipping, DNV-GL, 2018). We often get com-
plaints about paperwork, a Captain aboard any given ship spends a lot of his
time on paperwork, and I think we will see that, soon, this will change (Nordseth,
2018).
While we work with worldwide relationships of various kinds, as GlobalMet,
Intertanko, BIMCO, ISF, NI, and so on in our endeavors to contribute in the field
of instruction, preparation and human variables influencing the general ability
of these, we accept that there is an earnest requirement for the maritime business
to concentrate on different components of crew skill. It should further be valued
that, thinking about the quick advances in innovation, there is a requirement for
an extra arrangement of capabilities when contrasted with the decades that have
passed by (Chawla, 2015, p. 5)
In the age of Industry 4.0, more communication skills will become more
important than ever for the safety and quality of ship management. English will
remain valid as the maritime language. English-speaking seafarers will be pre-
ferred in hiring. Many other ship accident factors to be improved are procedures
for communication, better selection of personnel and improved design of mari-
time equipment and technology, including means for communication (Pyne &
Koester, 2005). In addition to the obligations arising from technology and inte-
gration, these have also brought stringent obligations to seafarers in terms of
sustainable maritime transport.
 The Future of Seafarers and the Seafarers of the Future    231

Qualifications of the Seafarer to be Demanded in the Future and Skill

Management
The turn of the century has brought new opportunities and challenges for the
shipping industry. One of the toughest challenges concerns the supply of good
quality seafarers, and in many ways, it is at its lowest point presently. Having
exhausted traditional supply sources, ship-operators are looking at alternative
manning sources (Sharma, 2003, p. 18)
In terms of sociology, Peter Frase stated in his book Four Futures that: “At
Oxford University, a research unit released a widely publicized report estimating
that nearly half the jobs in the United States today are vulnerable to computeri-
zation” (Frase, 2016, p. 7). The maritime sector is experiencing a similar change.
With the increasing digitalization and automation of the shipping industry,
the future seafarer must master new technology, as well as being a good seafarer.
The ships of the future will be based on advanced technology on all levels and
require different and more technically advanced knowledge and expertise than
today’s shipping – be it onboard or onshore. The developments of increasing digi-
talization and automation may offer different and improved job opportunities for
the modern seafarers, as instead of staying at sea for months, they can have a job
onshore. New kinds of jobs onshore might also give women more opportunities to
pursue a career in the shipping industry (The European Community Shipowners’
Association, 2018).
Over the past 50 years, business examples have changed drastically. The two
solid difficulties seafarers’ calling faces today (and considerably more so later on)
are: (1) a lack in the inventory of gifted seafarers worldwide and (2) anticipating
future abilities needs because of digitalization. There is a requirement of proceed-
ing with endeavors to put resources into the abilities required for the changing
needs of the ships later on. A great deal of weight is put on the present and future
sea instruction and preparing. It ought to be high-caliber and unmistakable to
draw in great understudies, produce graduates with fitting and required skills and
simultaneously have the option to react to new and changing preparation needs
fast (The European Community Shipowners’ Association, 2018).
In shipping companies, where machines and robots will lead ships, the need
for human resources will be reduced. In this context, instead of human resources
based on muscle and body strength, a seafarer that can use the power of intel-
ligence and knowledge will be employed by the Maritime sector which will have
a demand for seafarers to work with intelligent machines and unmanned ships.
Especially the marine humidity environment will cause problems in the operation
of sensors, smart ship vehicles and IoT. The seafarer who can cope with these mal-
functions and failures will be the preferred person for employment. Conventional
training models do not provide these skills to seafarers. Ship-operators have to
take additional responsibilities in terms of investment in human resources.
On account of seafaring, which can be portrayed as being expertise-based, high-
danger and high-duty, the employability aptitudes and characteristics of seafarers
incorporate topic knowledge, correspondence ability, adjustment to a multi-social
conditions, critical thinking ability, awareness of other’s expectations, initiative
232    Aziz Muslu

and collaboration expertise, inexhaustible soul, judiciousness and foreknowledge,

situational mindfulness ability and physical wellness (Kabir, 2014, p. 117). On an
intelligent ship, seafarers, engines and navigation equipment must be in deep inter-
action with each other. Even in a system of unmanned ships, leading creative sea-
farers are a must. Especially in the future world, the advanced senior seafarer with
creative and leadership characteristics will be one step ahead. The expansion of
innovation onboard ships has broadened the requirement for especially training
on nowadays’ ships. Seafarers have had profited today by the quick advancement
of innovation. Numerous new ships have been operated with cutting edge gear,
great offices and sufficient living spaces (Zhang, 2016, p. 9). A consciousness of the
benchmarks expected of the aptitudes of other pro-specialized zones and recep-
tion of a more extensive and longer-term perspective on the ability necessities of
present-day maritime business is required. These sort of labor issues emerge from
the prerequisite of specialized capabilities of seafarers (Tsai & Liou, 2017, p. 38).
In a report of research by Futurenautics assembled from a great 6,000 seafar-
ers, it was noted that 47% of seafarers said they had cruised on a vessel that had
been the object of a digital assault. Just 15% of seafarers had received any type
of cybersecurity preparation. Most of preparation as of now given to seafarers is
by maintaining and keeping an eye on offices before the seafarer leaves on his/her
next agreement (Crew Connectivity, 2018, p. 8).
For a technical division to be viable, it must be set up with the correct mix of
abilities, experience and frame of mind – individuals with a solid assistance attitude,
customer center and sympathy for the crew ready. This is a difficult assignment, par-
ticularly while enlisting from a seafarer pool, where solid administration attributes
onboard may not be suitable for the individual positions at the shore. It is regularly
the situation that seafarer staff with just a short period in an established senior
job is increasingly fit to the executive’s positions aground as they can more readily
adjust to an office domain. This way, great communication with the HR office is
fundamental for giving the essential mastery to exact evaluations, enrollment, abil-
ity pipeline advancement and progression arranging, just as for the departments’
staff proficiency improvement (Furnival & Crispe, 2017, p. 107). All functions of
human resources management will become more important in the future. Investing
in smart seafarers to manage smart ships will be the future. Maritime enterprises
investing in human resources will be able to gain a competitive advantage in the
market. Nowadays, many practices about the welfare of seafarers have increasingly
been adopted by many institutions. A seafarer’s organizational and ship commit-
ment gains importance in maritime companies. Talented seafarers will be recruited
at shipping companies, and increasing their organizational commitment and job
satisfaction will gain more importance. The findings of the study by Tsai and Liou
showed welfare and opportunity are the most significantly effective factors on com-
mitment, while they likewise apply a huge impact on work performance and work
attitudes (Tsai & Liou, 2017, p. 38). The crew is currently entrenched all through the
administration practice and has gotten built up inside the maritime setting, as con-
firmed by the appropriation of bridge crew and the executive courses for ship per-
sonnel. Viable groups are, for instance, seen to decrease pressure and deal with the
procedures of progress superior to anything by people working in disengagement.
 The Future of Seafarers and the Seafarers of the Future    233

Nonetheless, administration of groups is not simple, and an incapable and unco-

operative group may have a very negative impact on assurance (Dickie, 2014, p.
156). It is a rundown of best work on preparation dependent on non-specialized
talents skills, for example, teamwork, situation awareness, communication, leader-
ship, assertiveness, workload management and decision-making.
Focused seafarers are all around prepared and generally safety-oriented. These
are possible by great quality preparation. Preparation guarantees that a ship keeps
up an exclusive requirement of activity, and it upgrades the security culture onboard
a ship (Barsan et al., 2012, p. 91). Audits are satisfied in accordance with the organ-
ization’s quality administration framework and key execution markers (KPIs). A
Key Performance Indicator (KPI), as characterized by Oxford (2016), is “a quantifi-
able measure used to assess the achievement of an organization, worker and so forth
in meeting goals for execution.” A case of a KPI is the “retention rate of seafarers.”
Because of the global character of shipping, Maritime English has demon-
strated to be an important piece of future official preparation. On the off chance
that an official is not accustomed to communicating in English, to start with,
it might be hard to convey what needs be done. A paper composed by Popescu
et al. (2010) proposed that improvement of the standard Maritime English would
support youthful understudies to convey, thus, to maintain a strategic distance
from mishaps that occur because of human blunders brought about by poor cor-
respondence (Berg et al. 2013, p. 31).
As of late, the transportation business has experienced significant changes.
Internationalization and the expansion of mechanical instruments onboard ships
have changed the business a lot. To keep up the degree of wellbeing, the crew
should be prepared, which requires a preparation framework equipped for adjust-
ing to the progressing, rapid changes. This creates difficulties for the instruction
framework. For instance, the degrees of encouraging English are not improving
enough yet (Hanzu-Pazara & Arsenie, 2010).
According to Ding and Liang (2005), competence includes knowledge, skills
and understanding in terms of communication, with emphasis on issues such as
fluency in English. Competence also includes physical and psychological atti-
tudes, including attitudes toward seagoing safety and health standards.
Ding and Liang (2005) stated that fitness incorporates learning, abilities and
comprehension as far as correspondence, with an accentuation on issues such as
knowledge of English. Skill also incorporates physical and mental demeanors,
including dispositions toward seagoing safety, security and health standards.
It underscores the significance of the so-called silent knowledge including
unwritten jobs and frames of mind of the maritime culture. Furthermore, abil-
ity is an integration of social and technical skills and a spot where phrasing and
jargon are underestimated (Lane, 1999). All of these capabilities are sought in
seafarers for safe ship management in the future.

Solutions and Recommendations

Safety is the most important determinant of quality in maritime businesses. It
is known from the studies of IMO that marine accidents are caused by human
234    Aziz Muslu

elements. Advancing technology in maritime complexes makes it easier. On the

other hand, it makes it a necessity to employ skilled workers. In addition to being a
capital-intensive business, all the staff and the quality of seafarers, today’s maritime
businesses take part in human resources management in order to compete interna-
tionally. Implementation of a system by enterprises has become an inevitable neces-
sity. Increased maritime accidents and safe manning of ships necessitate realization
of business stakeholders. Safe ship management cannot be achieved only by investing
in technology. Lack of skilled officers in the maritime sector is the most important
reason for the early departure of senior officers due to lack of management motiva-
tion, career planning, organizational culture and a suitable organizational climate.
Future maritime businesses must invest in human resources. The duties of human
resources management need to be properly performed. Reducing maritime accidents
regarding function and communication both onboard and within the organization,
reducing labor turnover rate and increasing the motivation of the employees, all of
these are dependent on gaining development of human resource management in a
maritime company. In the age of Industry 4.0, safe and quality ship management
depends on fulfillment of the functions of human resource management.

Future Research Directions

Interaction of seafarers with technology will be a very important issue in the
future. All functions of human resources management are topics that need to
be analyzed by researchers studying in this field. Human resource management
functions, human resource planning, job descriptions, recruitment and place-
ment, training and development, performance evaluation, career planning and
development, employee motivation and salary management, employee health and
safety and industrial relations increase the importance of lifelong in-company
education in maritime businesses. The welfare and well-being of the seafarer is
gaining importance today. For safe and high-quality ship management, focusing
more on human resources areas is required.

Conclusion
Human resource management functions, human resource planning, job descrip-
tions, recruitment and placement, training and development, performance
evaluation, career planning and development, employee motivation and salary
management, employee health and safety and industrial relations are areas that will
become even more important in the next century. Therefore, the methods and poli-
cies discussed in terms of human resources management will gain more importance.
The changes brought by Industry 4.0 for shipping will lead to the emergence of
what is considered as Maritime 4.0. A complete change in the management and
organization of ships is inevitable. The qualities that will be expected from sea-
farers in this period will include software coding knowledge, computing literacy,
flexibility, mindfulness, awareness and safety culture.
Although automation will increase each day, there will always be a need for
seafarers. From programing to maintenance of the robot and engine, the human
 The Future of Seafarers and the Seafarers of the Future    235

being is the leading actor. It will be necessary to employ qualified seafarers with all
these qualifications to prevent them from leaving the job and increase their moti-
vation and job satisfaction. These issues, which are important responsibilities of
human resources departments, will become more important in the age of Industry
4.0. Ship operators who cannot invest in human resources will not be able to man-
age their ships by conventional methods. Ship management will become a more
technical business in the future. Demand for third-party shipping companies will
increase. Ship management companies capable of managing talent, overcoming
complex technical tasks and managing ships safely will be the indispensable insti-
tutions of the maritime industry in the age of Industry 4.0. The success of these
organizations will depend entirely on human resources management.
The Fourth industrial revolution, whether positive or negative, is a concept pro-
posing a future where robots have become an inevitable part of the maritime busi-
ness, and these seafarers and robots must act together and be managed in harmony.
Labor markets in the maritime sector are changing in the process with the
effects of political, economic and conjectural change. However, with Industry
4.0, it is clear that the number of employees will decrease, while the demand for
qualified and trained seafarers in the market will increase.

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KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

ECDIS: The Electronic Chart Display and Information System
IMO: International Maritime Organization
ILO: International Labour Organization
ISF: International Shipping Federation
HRM: Human Resources Management
ITF: International Transport Workers’ Federation
OOW: Duties of Officer on Watch
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