Each month, we will be sharing a discussion piece written by a member of the maritime industry who can offer a unique or interesting perspective on an aspect of seafarers’ welfare. You can join the conversation on our social media channels – Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

This month, seafarer and researcher Bin Dong discusses how work-induced sexual abstinence can influence a seafarer’s psychological wellbeing and what can be done to minimise its impact.

Bin DONG is a first engineer at China COSCO Shipping Corporation Ltd. He has worked as a seafarer for more than 12 years. He received his Master of Science degree in maritime safety and environment management from the World Maritime University and has published several academic articles on the subject of seafarer welfare. His research interests include human factors and seafarer rights.

Have you ever imagined how you would feel if you were isolated from your loved ones for months? Nervous, worried, or depressed? Have you ever considered the potential emotional toll of consistent lack of sexual satisfaction? Anxious, agitated, or irritable? Unsurprisingly, this is a common reality for seafarers. The working environment they endure is highly unique. Seafarers, separated from shore life and their families, encounter numerous workplace challenges, including sexual abstinence.

Currently, most attention in the shipping industry is focused on safety management, examining manning, operations, and technology. Human factors are also a prevalent topic in maritime research. Yet, very few studies address the rights of seafarers, apart from fatigue problems and living conditions on board. Scarce research emphasizes the sexual needs of seafarers, a fundamental physiological requirement closely linked to psychological wellbeing. Long periods away from home result in seafarers experiencing sexual abstinence. For many seafarers, this can significantly impact their psychological health, potentially influencing behavior, work performance, and even participation in risky sexual activities, thereby posing threats to ship safety. Therefore, research analyzing the relationship between seafarers' psychological health and sexual abstinence is imperative. Simultaneously, an urgently needed comprehensive management framework should effectively address sex-induced safety issues and better protect seafarers' rights.

In 2022, I was part of a research team linked to the World Maritime University who conducted a study using a questionnaire-based survey among 617 active Chinese male seafarers who experienced sexual abstinence on board. Our research aimed to investigate the relationship between work-induced sexual abstinence, psychological health, and perceived job satisfaction. The study not only filled a crucial research gap but also provided a platform for seafarers to voice their needs and rights.

Our research proved that prolonged sexual abstinence can lead to significant psychological health issues for seafarers. Homesickness, suspicion, and anxiety were the most common issues reported by participants. Homesickness, an emotional response to being away from home for extended periods, particularly intensifies in the absence of sexual intimacy, causing seafarers to miss their spouses and family life. Suspicion and anxiety, widely discussed in relation to seafarers' psychological health, were recognized as major concerns. While various factors can trigger suspicion and anxiety, our research indicated that sexual abstinence is a significant cause due to a lack of intimacy and hormonal changes. Additionally, participants reported other symptoms related to psychological health, including loneliness, sleep problems, depression, sadness, and hostility, all stemming from sexual abstinence.

Our study also revealed a strong correlation between seafarers' job satisfaction and their tolerance of sexual abstinence. Overall job satisfaction, perceived working environment, constraints in other job opportunities, personal choice of being a seafarer and camaraderie among co-workers positively correlated with the ability to tolerate sexual abstinence. Conversely, perceived job responsibility, i.e. excessive workload and stress, showed a negative correlation. Hence, increasing job satisfaction and reducing work stress could be potential solutions to mitigate the psychological impacts of sexual abstinence.

Ships operate in remote isolation from shore, making a certain level of sexual abstinence inevitable. The crucial question is how to normalize it while minimizing its adverse effects on sea workers' health. Based on our study's results, proposed management strategies aim to safeguard seafarers' psychological health and enhance operational safety, requiring consideration from ship owners and relevant maritime stakeholders.

Except for pre-identified 'mental, cognitive, or behavioral disorders,' psychological and psychiatric assessments of seafarers are not mandatory during pre-sea medical examinations. Given that sexual abstinence can destabilize isolated seafarers, our research suggests that medical practitioners issuing pre-sea certificates should be trained to identify individuals at risk. Additionally, at-sea monitoring and psychological support would benefit workers. While preventive measures ensuring a healthy workplace are vital, once potential problems surface, employers should deploy psychological interventions, consultations, and support, possibly removing the seafarer from the ship to protect their health and ensure workplace safety. Our research also strongly supports the effectiveness of psychological consultations in minimizing the negative psychological impact of sexual abstinence on seafarers.

Furthermore, comprehensive sex-related education contributes to the acceptance of abstinence. Thus, the international framework governing seafarers' competencies should include sexual awareness regarding the effects of abstinence and measures to mitigate them.

While the tolerance level of sexual abstinence varies individually, our research underscores the critical role of working environments in individual psychological health. Therefore, regulators should enhance crew welfare facilities on board and reassess regulations that adversely affect accommodation and entertainment facilities.

Adjusting periods at sea and access to shore facilities would enhance seafarers' wellbeing, alleviating psychosocial pressure caused by sexual abstinence. The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) could consider modifying maximum continuous periods at sea and minimum vacation periods. Shore leave, a right of seafarers as free workers, often faces limitations due to security constraints, short port stays, and intense work. Measures to facilitate this right during unforeseen events, like pandemics, are necessary. Additionally, ship companies should take actions to enhance seafarers' perceived career identity by improving work benefits and social recognition.

Lastly, to alleviate sex-induced psychological pressure, shipping companies should embrace gender diversity without bias against newcomers. While no direct research supports male seafarers performing better when working with female seafarers, evidence from this study suggests that having mixed-gender crews could mitigate some negative psychological impacts of sexual abstinence. However, it is important to recognise that women face unique challenges on board and have been found to be more likely to experience sexual harassment than men, so companies have a responsibility to ensure the workplace is safe and inclusive for all.

This study's significance extends beyond shipping, applying to other industries where employees work in closed environments, away from loved ones for prolonged periods, such as offshore workers, fishers, or astronauts. Replicating these findings among other seafarer samples and workers in safety-critical industries should be a focal point for future studies. Sexual abstinence remains a universal problem for seafarers, demanding a multidimensional approach involving regulators, private companies, maritime education and training institutions, and workers. Collaboration among these stakeholders is crucial to minimize the negative impacts of sexual abstinence and better protect seafarers' health and operational safety.