LR, OneOcean and the Lloyd’s Register Foundation played a central role in supporting the inaugural Seafarer Social Summit in Manila, which brought together more than 800 Filipino seafarers to celebrate the country’s maritime heritage and discuss the realities of life at sea.
The Summit was created to give Filipino seafarers a platform to share their experiences, discuss challenges and help shape conversations about the future of the profession.
A history of seafaring
Hosted at Manila’s newly opened maritime museum, Museo del Galeón, the event guided attendees through key moments in Philippine maritime history, from the ancient balangay vessels and the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade to the modern seafarers who power global commerce. Against this backdrop, discussions explored themes seafarers identified as priorities, including mental health, family life, financial literacy, recruitment, employment and the impact of emerging technologies.
Representing OneOcean, Catherine Logie, Head of Learning and People Strategy, delivered a keynote address highlighting the need to support seafarers throughout their careers.
“The maritime industry is undergoing profound change, but one thing remains constant: shipping depends on people,” said Logie. “Technology can enable better ways of working, but it is seafarers who make global trade possible every day. Technology needs to be developed to serve seafarers effectively.
“Events like the Seafarer Social Summit are important because they create space to bridge the distance between ship and shore, East and West, companies and crew. We are present here because we value listening to seafarers’ experiences and we want to ensure that their voices are heard and considered in decision-making” she said.
Throughout the day, LR and OneOcean colleagues spoke to seafarers, contributing to discussions focused on welfare, professional development and skills they will need in a rapidly evolving sector.
Changing life at sea
One of the most valuable elements of the Summit was a session dedicated to changing life at sea, career development and the opportunities and challenges shaping the profession. Hosted by LR and OneOcean the session brought a group of 30 seafarers of all ranks together for an open and honest conversation.
Participants shared their personal experiences about connected ship operations, access to learning, the realities of extended periods away from home, the changing expectations placed on modern crews and their hopes for the future.
“Too often, decisions are made about seafarers based on assumptions, without enough direct engagement with seafarers themselves,” said Logie. “The workshop gave us the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with the people who experience these challenges firsthand. Their perspectives are invaluable in keeping up to date, checking our assumptions and contributing to our QA feedback loops.
“Our User Experience and Professional Services teams from Manila recorded several seafarers then summarised and exchanged the insights they gained. These reflections will help shape our learning content, digital design and influence our strategy for how we continue to support crews both on board and throughout their professional journeys.”
Collaboration
The Summit also showcased the importance of collaboration in maritime. Organisations from across the industry contributed their expertise on topics ranging from connectivity and wellbeing to recruitment, financial planning and emerging technologies. Discussions around artificial intelligence, automation, digital certification and the changing nature of shipboard operations flagged both the opportunities and concerns that many seafarers navigate today.
Logie said, “These themes resonate strongly with the work being undertaken by LR, OneOcean and Lloyd’s Register Foundation to support the industry's digital transformation. As vessels become increasingly connected and data-driven, ensuring that seafarers have the skills, confidence and support needed to thrive in this new environment is becoming more important than ever.”
The involvement of the Lloyd’s Register Foundation reinforced the broader commitment to improving safety and wellbeing for maritime workers worldwide. Contributions from the Foundation’s Ocean Centres lead Yrhen Balinis helped connect discussions about seafarer welfare with wider conversations about sustainability and resilience of the maritime sector.
“The real value of the Seafarer Social Summit was in the conversations it made possible and the opportunities created to listen directly to seafarers. It gave them a platform to be heard, recognised and celebrated, while giving the industry a valuable opportunity to learn directly from those at the heart of global shipping,” concluded Logie.
