Port-based welfare services for seafarers in Chinese ports: Their roles, changes and challenges

Abstract

Seafarers make a critical contribution to the entire civil society by moving over 80% of international trade. However, their welfare has not received sufficient attention in the maritime world. Working aboard on long journey often leads seafarers to feel socially isolated and depressed; sometimes even to feel suicidal. How to ensure seafarers have decent access to Port-Based Welfare Services (PBWS) or facilities is a critical concern of the international standards. In recent years, China has emerged as one of the dominant maritime players in the world. Being the largest port state in the world, the provision of port welfare services in Chinese ports is important not just for Chinese seafarers, but for all seafarers in the world who visit Chinese ports. However, most previous studies of PBWS for seafarers have paid little attention to the provision of these in China. Based on the existing knowledge and the data collected for a research project, this paper stands out as the first to provide a critical examination of PBWS and facilities in the Chinese ports.