(NEWS) New Research Highlights Technostress Challenges for Seafarers

October

2025

New Research Highlights Technostress Challenges for Seafarers

A new research paper titled “Technostress at sea: understanding the technological burden on seafarers’ mental health. A call for adequate regulation” explores how emerging technologies—while improving operational efficiency—are also introducing new forms of psychological strain among seafarers, a phenomenon widely known as technostress.

The research sheds light on the growing mental health challenges faced by seafarers as the maritime industry becomes increasingly digitalized and automated. WMU’s Dr. Khanssa Lagdami, ITF Seafarers’ Trust Associate Professor of Maritime Labour Law and Policy, is the lead author of the paper, co-authored with Dr. Raluca Alexandra Stana of Roskilde University in Denmark.

The research identifies several key sources of technostress at sea, including continuous digital monitoring, overlapping of work and private life through connectivity, persistent system alarms, lack of IT support, and inadequate digital training. The research also highlights how the hierarchical culture of the maritime sector can exacerbate these challenges by discouraging open dialogue about stress and mental health.

“As maritime operations become more digitalized, seafarers are under increasing pressure to adapt quickly to new technologies,” said Dr. Lagdami. “Without proper training, IT support, and inclusive communication structures, digitalization risks intensifying stress rather than improving well-being. A just and human-centred transition is essential.”

The paper calls for the development of comprehensive training programmes, robust IT support systems, and regulatory measures that safeguard seafarers’ mental health. It further recommends that future research focus on the intersection between digital transformation and seafarers’ well-being to inform global, regional, and national policies for a fair and sustainable maritime future.

A portion of the paper draws on Dr. Lagdami’s earlier work featured in the ITF Seafarers’ Trust–supported report, “Transport 2040: Impact of Technology on Seafarers – The Future of Work” (WMU, 2019), further reinforcing WMU’s global leadership in research on the future of work at sea.

This latest publication underscores WMU’s continuing commitment to advancing knowledge on seafarers’ welfare, digitalization, and the human dimensions of maritime transformation.

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