Seafarers and the land based jobs market: The present UK situation

Concern has existed for some time that the decline of the British shipping industry is resulting in the UK economy losing its maritime skills base. The effects of this loss could extend beyond the shipping industry because former seafarers are employed in other maritime related businesses ashore besides shipping. A study undertaken during 1995 and 1996 identified the economy’s requirement for people with seafaring experience in land based jobs and assessed the implications of a shortfall in supply of seafarers to fill such jobs. This paper is concerned with the demand aspects of that study.