UK Seafarer Statistics: 2007

The latest annual National Statistics on seafarers produced by the Department of Transport were released on 19 June 2008 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

In 2007, about 23,500 UK nationals were seafarers working regularly at sea, consisting of:

• 12,000 certificated deck and engine officers (assuming a retirement age of 62)
• 800 uncertificated technical officers
• 1,000 uncertificated 'hotel and other' officers
• 4,000 deck and engineroom ratings.
• 4,100 catering/hotel ratings and
• 1,400 trainees in training

Of these, about two thirds held qualifications related to handling ships of their engines ('deck' or 'engine' officers and ratings), while the remainder were employed for other duties (e.g. technical or hotel staff), or were trainees.

The total number of UK seafarers active at sea in 2007 was about 9 per cent lower than in 2002, the earliest year for which estimates are available for all groups, and about 13 per cent lower than in 2006.

The number of certificated officers in 2007 was 15 per cent lower than in 1997. However, the certification system for deck and engine officers has been expanded in recent years, and if the newly eligble groups are excluded, the overall decrease since 1997 is 21 per cent.

The number of certificated officers was 11 per cent lower in 2007 than in 2006, but this difference may be exaggerated by a surge in certificate revalidations prior to February 2002, the deadline for certification under STCW95. (Certificates are valid for 5 years, and if not renewed, certificates issued in this period will have expired by June 2007)

In 2006/7, there were around 730 new entrant officer cadets, the highest number since the current system began in 1999. Provisional figures for new starts in 2007/8 are higher again, standing at 800.

The number of uncertificated technical officers has remained fairly steady, at about 700 to 800, since 2003. The number of uncertificated officers with hotel and other specialisations is more variable, and decreased from 1,700 to 1,000 between 2006 and 2007.

The overall number of UK ratings in 2007 was about 14 per cent lower than in 2002. The number of deck and engineroom ratings was 18 per cent lower, and the number of catering/hotel ratings was 6 per cent lower.

In 2007, over two thirds of certificated officers were aged over 40. The pattern for deck and engineroom ratings is similar.

Projections have been made to 2023 of the number of UK certificated officers, based on assumptions about wastage rates, retirement age and cadet intake. The number is projected to decline by more than 40 per cent by 2023, largely due to the high average age of officers currently in employment.

Notes

1. The seafarers information comes from several sources and estimates and assumptions have been made in the process of compiling the aggregates. The year-on-year changes, especially in the earlier years' data, are less robust than the longer term trends.

2. The groups which fall within the expanded scope of the UK certification system since 2004 (under the STCW95 system), who would not have been recorded in 1997, include UK nationals with Certificates of Equivalent Competency (i.e. relevant overseas qualifications), and officers with endorsements relating only to tugs and inshore craft or to yachts. There were about 1,070 such officers in 2007.

3. UK Seafarer Statistics was produced for DfT by London Metropolitan University, in association with the UK Chamber of Shipping and the Institute for Employment Research, Warwick University. It is the latest in a series of annual reports bringing together all the information currently available on UK seafarer numbers. The main data sources are the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the UK Chamber of Shipping and the Merchant Navy Training Board, and the majority of the latest statistics relate to June 2007. Previous editions have appeared under the title UK Seafarers Analysis.

4. Paper copies of the report will shortly be available, free of charge, from: Centre for International Transport Management, London Metropolitan University.

5. Also announced today are new arrangements for publishing international sea passenger statistics monthly.

Publication details

Published on 19 June 2008 by Transport Statistics.

Email maritime.stats@dft.gov.uk for queries concerning this report.

For information about the release of this product see National Statistics Online.