Why do seafarers have to extend their contracts? Explore crew change problems, missing relievers, poor planning and the impact on seafarers and their families.

Why Do Seafarers Still Have to Extend Their Contracts?

I have been working on ships for more than 10 years and have completed more than 20 contracts. Out of all those contracts, I was able to sign off on time only once or twice.

But why?

Why can’t we join or leave ships on time?

Why do we have to extend our sea service contracts and stay onboard longer than agreed?

And why do almost all seafarers suffer from this problem?

Some seafarers cannot even attend their own weddings, see the birth of their children, or be with their families when a close relative passes away—even when companies are informed about these important events well in advance.

But what about seafarers from developed countries?

Do they face the same problems we do?

Do you think new generation GenZ onboard will be patient enough for this type of unexpected extentions

Is There Discrimination in the Shipping Industry?

Well, to be honest, after many years of working on different types of ships with people from different nationalities, I definitely believe there is a form of discrimination in the shipping industry.

Unfortunately, this is similar to what happens in many other parts of the world. If you do not have enough power to defend yourself or demand your rights, some people will use that weakness until the very last second.

There are many reasons for this situation, but I believe incompetent shore-based management and crewing agencies are among the biggest ones.

Seafarers have a very strange working system.

Normally, we work under a contract. When that contract ends, our salary also stops until we find another ship and start working again.

When we are ashore, we need enough savings to cover our expenses. At the same time, however, we cannot stay ashore for too long because our savings will eventually disappear.

So we have to maintain a very difficult balance.

If you save $10,000 and decide to stay ashore for three months, you might already start looking for your next job after one and a half months.

After two and a half months, you may start looking much more actively.

During this period, you might receive an offer from a good company. But if you accept it, your three-month vacation may suddenly become only two months.

If you reject the opportunity and do not find another job by the end of the third month, a dangerous period begins.

You start desperately looking for a ship.

And sometimes, you may even accept a lower salary or a position that you would normally reject simply because you need to start earning again.

Are all seafarers like this?

No.

I will come back to this point later because I believe there is also a form of discrimination in the shipping industry based on nationality.

The Dream We Had at the Beginning

At the beginning of our careers, almost everyone has the same dream.

“I will work for 10 months, save enough money, build some wealth, and leave the sea within five years.”

But here we are.

Many of us are still trapped onboard.

Even when inflation increases, salaries often do not increase at the same rate. Meanwhile, seafarers continue to face dangerous working conditions, vessel attacks, accidents and, in the worst cases, the deaths of crew members.

So for a moment, compare yourself with someone working ashore.

What if you were an Uber driver in Europe, a delivery driver in the UK, or an Amazon warehouse worker in the United States?

To be honest, until you reach Chief Officer level, a seafarer’s income is not always dramatically higher than some shore-based jobs. In some cases, ratings and junior officers may earn similar amounts—or even less—than workers in certain developed countries.

We are the people who keep global trade moving, yet we often struggle to receive even the basic things we ask for.

We stay far away from our loved ones.

We work through rough weather.

We accept responsibility for millions of dollars of cargo and equipment.

And when our contract finally comes to an end, we sometimes hear:

“Sorry, there is no reliever available.”

Or:

“The crew change has been postponed.”

How many of you have received a joining offer only 24 hours before you were expected to board a ship?

I have rejected two such offers myself.

They called me only 24 hours before joining.

Can you imagine being told today that you have to join a ship tomorrow, knowing that you may be away from your family for months?

Why Do Crew Changes Get Delayed?

There are many reasons.

Sometimes the port does not allow a crew change. This can happen in some ports, although it is not always a valid reason.

Sometimes the seafarer does not have the required visa.

Sometimes nobody thought about the visa requirement until the last minute.

Sometimes the reliever becomes sick.

Sometimes the reliever has a family emergency.

Sometimes the company wants to change several crew members at the same time to reduce costs.

And sometimes the company simply wants to wait for a cheaper port.

These are some of the most common reasons why seafarers are forced to extend their contracts.

But do you know what I believe is one of the biggest reasons?

Poor planning.

Where Is the Professionalism?

As numbers of seafarers increasing globally according to latest numbers

During my career, I have rarely seen a crewing operation that I would describe as truly professional and well-organized.

Think about your previous crewing agencies.

Do you really trust them?

Do you really believe every email they send regarding your contract extension?

Why do so many seafarers onboard automatically become suspicious when they receive an email saying that their contract needs to be extended?

Because, unfortunately, there have been too many situations involving poor communication, excuses, disorganization and, sometimes, simple lies.

Imagine the responsibilities onboard.

As a Captain, you cannot simply say:

“I couldn’t prepare the pre-arrival forms on time.”

As a Chief Engineer, you cannot say:

“I couldn’t complete the fuel oil changeover.”

As a rating, you cannot say:

“I couldn’t prepare the pilot ladder on time.”

If these jobs are not completed, there can be serious consequences.

But when it comes to the office side, crew changes sometimes seem much easier to postpone.

There is a lack of professionalism in some parts of this process.

And there are two sides to the story.

If the head of a crewing department has a strong seafaring background, they usually understand what contract extensions mean to people onboard. They know how difficult it can be for a seafarer to remain onboard for another two or three weeks.

But someone without a seafaring background may see the situation differently.

Crew Changes Are Also About Money

If you run a vessel, you know approximately how much fuel the ship will consume at a certain speed.

You calculate your voyage based on those figures.

You cannot simply tell the Chief Engineer:

“From now on, use half the fuel.”

Fuel is a necessary operating cost.

Crew changes are also a cost.

But unlike fuel consumption, there is sometimes a certain flexibility with crew-change dates.

Now imagine a company with a fleet of 20 vessels.

If every crew change is extended by an average of 15 days, the company may potentially save a significant amount of money over the course of a year.

That saving goes directly into the owner’s pocket.

And for a crewing agency, it can become an opportunity to show the owner:

“Look how much money we saved on crew changes.”

But what happens when a crew member stays onboard too long?

Motivation decreases.

Mental fatigue increases.

Patience becomes shorter.

People become angry and frustrated.

And eventually, the risk of human error increases.

A single mistake caused by an exhausted or demotivated seafarer can cost millions of dollars.

In the worst case, it can even result in the loss of a vessel or human life.

Companies usually prepare financially for bad-case scenarios. They have insurance, emergency procedures and contingency plans.

But somehow, the consequences of prolonged contract extensions are often underestimated.

The “Office Worker” Mentality

Unfortunately, some crewing agencies are a very good example of what I would call the “office worker mentality.”

On paper, everything looks perfect.

The documents are complete.

The schedules look organized.

The spreadsheets are updated.

But sometimes the people managing the process are not fully aware of what is actually happening onboard.

They wait until the last moment.They start making calls,discover that a visa is required,realize that a certificate has expired,discover that the reliever is not available.

And suddenly, the easiest solution is:

“Let’s extend the crew onboard.”

I believe that a large percentage of contract extensions are caused by poor planning, incompetent management or a lack of organization within the crewing process.

Imagine a crewing department with a fixed monthly budget for crew changes.

Suppose they have planned 10 crew changes.

If they find a cheaper port or cheaper crew-change option, they may wait for that opportunity because the company will be happier with the lower cost.

Unfortunately, cheaper does not always mean better.

In some countries, crewing agencies may also have closer relationships with government authorities or other institutions. This can sometimes make it more difficult for seafarers to complain or demand their rights.

A seafarer may simply be expected to say:

“Yes, sir.”

And this is how shipowners can gradually create an environment where they have a large pool of workers who are willing to accept almost anything.

When Personal Connections Matter

I have also seen situations where personal connections make a big difference.

For example, I once knew an officer who had a close friend working in a crewing agency.

Because of that connection, he could arrange certain visas or documentation much more easily than other seafarers.

This creates another problem.

If some people can solve their problems through personal connections while others have to wait weeks or months, the system is clearly not equal.

The people working in the office may benefit from these relationships, while the seafarer’s personal life and mental health become secondary considerations.

And if you have a Captain onboard who always says “yes” to the office, never challenges the crewing department and is willing to accept every extension request, that Captain may become very valuable to the company.

But is that good for the vessel?

I don’t think so.

Most Crew Changes Can Be Planned in Advance

Let’s imagine that a crewing agent calls you today and says:

“You will join a vessel within 10 days. The vessel is going to the United States.”

The first questions should be simple:

Do you have a US visa?

Are all your STCW certificates valid?

Is your medical certificate valid?

Is your seaman’s book valid?

Is your passport valid?

If everything is confirmed, the company already knows that you are ready.

The only uncertainty may be the exact crew-change location, such as whether the vessel will be at anchor or alongside.

The same applies to Europe.

If you have a valid Schengen visa and the vessel is expected to call at a European port within the next 10 days, the company can plan accordingly.

If the vessel is going to Singapore and everyone knows that crew changes are planned there, why wait until the last day to call the seafarer?

The Captain sends the ETA months in advance.

The information is available.

The documents can be checked.

The flights can be arranged.

The reliever can be prepared.

So why does everything sometimes happen at the last minute?

Poor organization on the shore side creates unnecessary problems for everyone.

What About Seafarers From Developed Countries?

Now let’s look at another important question.

What happens to seafarers from developed countries?

Are they facing exactly the same problems?

In many cases, their situation can be very different.

If you are a citizen of a developed country, you generally have stronger legal protections and access to government systems that can help protect your employment rights.

You may pay a lot of taxes, but you can also expect a certain level of protection from the system.

For example, imagine a US citizen working under short-term contracts.

A contract extension may not be treated as something that can simply continue indefinitely. The company may have to plan the employment period much more carefully.

Even if the seafarer is not working in US waters, the company may arrange the contract around the vessel’s schedule so that the seafarer can finish the agreed period and leave the vessel at a suitable port.

Some contracts can be only four to eight weeks long.

The vessel may leave China, cross the Pacific and eventually reach the United States, where the seafarer signs off.

The same can be true for German seafarers working on German-flagged vessels.

Depending on the employment arrangement, some may have long-term contracts similar to shore-based employment, with schedules such as two months onboard and two months off, or other rotational systems.

They may continue receiving a salary throughout the year.

Imagine finishing two months onboard, travelling home, spending your time with your family, and already knowing when and where your next assignment will begin.

You know your joining date.

You know your sign-off date.

You can plan your life.

For many seafarers from other countries, this level of certainty is still a dream.

We Accepted the Job—but Did We Accept Everything?

Contract extensions are a headache.

Missing relievers are a headache.

Cancelled flights are a headache.

Cancelled family holidays are a headache.

Missing weddings, birthdays and important family events can be heartbreaking.

And losing the opportunity to be with your family when someone passes away is something you can never get back.

Some people will say:

“That’s part of the job.”

Maybe it is.

We chose this profession,accepted that we would spend months away from our families challange rough weather,difficult working conditions high responsibility.

But did we accept being treated as if our personal lives do not matter?

Did we accept unlimited contract extensions?

Did we accept poor planning?

Did we accept being informed at the last minute?

I don’t think so.

We accepted the responsibility of being seafarers.

We did not give up our right to be treated professionally.

Until we become financially independent, many of us will continue to depend on this industry.

And sometimes, that means accepting things we should not have to accept.

Maybe the only thing we can do for now is remind ourselves:

Our time matters too.

Because behind every contract extension is not just a name on a crew list.

There is a husband.

A wife.

A father.

A mother.

A son.

A daughter.

A family waiting at home.

And they are waiting for their seafarer to come back.