Tanker Summit – Stormy seas, steady hands: A powerful look at seafarer welfare and workforce resilience
30 May 2025
The third session of the 2025 INTERTANKO Tanker Summit, “Stormy Seas, Steady Hands: Building a Resilient Maritime Workforce in a World of Geopolitical Change”, brought the human face of tanker shipping to the fore, tackling the mounting pressures seafarers face amid rising global instability.
Kindly sponsored by Tsakos Shipping and Trading, the session began with sobering examples of the poor treatment experienced by seafarers, as presented by Edwin Lampert, Executive Editor of Riviera Maritime Media.
Moderated by Dr Phillip Belcher, INTERTANKO Marine Director, the discussion covered urgent safety concerns with operations in high-risk zones such as the Red Sea, as well as the psychological toll of modern seafaring – highlighting mental health challenges, limited shore leave, and the isolating effects of constant connectivity.
The panellists represented a strong cross-section of operational and human resources leadership, including Isabelle Rickmers, Founder & CEO of TURTLE GmbH; Carsten Brix Ostenfeldt, Chief Operating Officer of Anglo-Eastern; Venetia Kallipolitou, Chair, Human Element in Shipping Committee (HEiSC) and HR & Training Manager of Tsakos Shipping and Trading and Jo Even Tomren, Chief Executive Officer of Norwegian Training Centre.
Together, they explored strategies to protect and support seafarers in today’s risk-laden environment – from evolving shipowner responsibilities and flag State obligations to recruitment pipelines and career sustainability. The challenges faced by seafarers and those who employ them were brought into the context of both geopolitical issues and specific challenges to individuals.
Extensive discussions involved both the panel and the highly engaged audience.
The honest and solutions-focused session provided clear insights into the collective efforts required to safeguard global trade, and possible solutions on recruitment and retention were also highlighted.
The discussion also addressed connectivity, which was still the number one issue for those working with seafarers, as well as ensuring clear, corruption-free career paths, considered critical aspects, along with quality education delivered by professionals.
Contact: Events@intertanko.com
