Seafarers Happiness Index reveals a quarter of two halves as geopolitical conflict drives decline in International Shipping News 06/05/2026 The Q1 2026 Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) from The Mission to Seafarers has revealed a quarter of two halves. What began as an initial period of stabilisation was abruptly overturned by the outbreak of conflict in the Persian Gulf, leaving many seafarers with critically low necessities and in fear for their safety. The quarterly survey was tracking upward at 7.35/10 early in the quarter, before dropping to 7.01/10 in the weeks following the start of the conflict. This 4.6% decline represented an unusually rapid rate of deterioration. Even seafarers operating outside the immediate conflict zone reported heightened stress and fear, describing the pervasive sense of uncertainty as a “new pandemic.” The SHI is a quarterly survey conducted by The Mission to Seafarers, in partnership with Idwal and NorthStandard, and supported by Inmarsat, providing vital insight into the lives and experiences of those working at sea. The report paints a stark picture of conditions for seafarers stranded in the conflict zone. Respondents described watching drones and missiles fly at low altitudes and hearing fighter jets pass close to their vessels. Stranded crews reported critical shortages of basic necessities, with some forced to boil seawater for drinking and ration food to a single daily meal. Many felt trapped in what the report characterises as a form of “de facto detention”: fearful that requesting relief or repatriation could see them blacklisted by shipping companies and unable to secure future employment. Connectivity, usually a source of comfort, has become a further pressure point. Increased GNSS jamming made navigation dangerous and in the words of respondents, “terrifying” for captains, while internet blocking and communication blackouts in conflict zones severed seafarers from their families at moments of vital emotional need. Outsid