Filipino Seafarers Quit Their Job: Here are 8 Reasons Why

Deciding to go on board and leave his family behind is a tough decision a seafarer makes. However, there are also many reasons why, after some time, a seafarer decides to quit his job. Some of these reasons include the following:

They live unsustainable lifestyles.

Filipinos are known to be a race where keeping family ties is as essential as breathing daily. Being away from a seafarer’s loved ones is torture for him, and therefore, a Filipino seafarer finds it very uncomfortable and lonely to be away from his family. Thus, this is one of the many and most common reasons seafarers quit their jobs.

Strict maritime laws and hectic life onboard.

Tough maritime laws have made the lives of seafarers more and more stressful. Despite being known to be hard workers, several Filipino seafarers, especially those at the management level, choose to quit because the job has become unbearable and difficult. Upsurges in paperwork, advanced training guidelines, new codes, and more demanding safety and environmental laws have made the life of these seafarers extremely hectic onboard.

Politics at work.

Differences in opinions cause disputes and misunderstandings onboard a cruise ship, tanker, or bulk carrier. This makes it even harder for a seafarer as politics and conflicts make work more challenging and affect the socialization of the group of people on board for an extended period.

Inadequate social life.

Every single individual is brought up in a social environment, especially Filipinos. They are used to hanging around with numerous comrades. When these people are suddenly confined into the ship’s corners, adverse effects such as frustration, loneliness, and homesickness start to sink in. A sense of emptiness is felt, and lack of interaction and limitation in movement further make a seafarer’s life more miserable. Keeping a calm and focused mind takes a lot of courage and mental steadiness. The inability to cope with this kind of life is why many seafarers quit.

Health issues

For a seafarer to be able to go on board, he needs to meet stringent medical and health requirements. However, life on board the ship is not even close to healthy. Seafarers suffer erratic sleeping schedules, extreme working stress, unfavorable environment, inaccessibility to fresh foods, and inadequate medical facilities that affect a seafarers’ health drastically. Seafarers diagnosed with health conditions are obliged to quit sailing.

Better opportunities elsewhere.

If given a chance that he’d be able to provide for his family without having to travel frequently, then he would give up this job. Seafarers immediately choose to quit their job when offered a chance to work in a shipping company or allowed to work on land related to the shipping and maritime industry with a wage at par with that on the sea.

Reduction of crew members.

When an economic crisis occurs, companies utilize every technique possible to cut back expenses and overhead costs. One of the ways shipping companies came up with to cut off expenses is to reduce the number of crew members hired. This results in an increase in workload without any increase in remuneration.

Risks and hazards at work.

Seafarers transporting high-risk materials such as flammable liquids, explosives, radioactive waste, and similar types are often safeguarded with protective suits and other safety measures. Yet, accidents can happen. Those who ply routes where pirates prowl the seas, such as in the Arabian Sea near Somalia, may trigger fear and those who can’t take the risk to quit their jobs.

Conclusion

Life can be tough as a seafarer. The loneliness struggles at the workplace, and challenges that were not anticipated before boarding a ship can sometimes be unbearable. Therefore, families should extend a warm connection through simple communication, expressing gratitude for their hard work and inspiring them.