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Measuring and sustaining the UK maritime skills base: A review

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Abstract

Numerous factors over the past three decades have contributed to a major decline in the number of seagoing staff in the United Kingdom. These include shipping companies opting for other flags, as well as the profession itself becoming less and less attractive for school leavers. This decrease in numbers is not only significant for shipping companies, but also for the allied services which used to get supported from seafarers coming ashore in search of a new career. It is now recognised that changes in the maritime skills base will affect both the seagoing as well as the shore side of the industry.

This paper examines the decline in number of the UK Merchant Navy officers and cadet from glory of the past. Also the idea of a massive shore industry habitually employing former officers: therefore these can be seen as a core resource in the maritime labour market.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maritime Research Centre, Southampton Institute, UK

    Sean Tarver

  2. World Maritime University, UK

    Malek Pourzanjani

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  1. Sean Tarver
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  2. Malek Pourzanjani
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Tarver, S., Pourzanjani, M. Measuring and sustaining the UK maritime skills base: A review. WMU J Marit Affairs 2, 5–15 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03195030

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