UK Cadets struggling with safety, rights and reporting in a digital era, suggests new data

The latest Sailors' Society cadet report, which focuses on connectivity at sea, online harassment and social media pressure, paints a stark picture of the troubles faced by the new generation of UK and European seafarers.  

UK and Europe made up a significant 29% of the 9,138 participants across 30 countries in the First Digital Seafarer Generation report – the society's fourth in a series of industry insights on cadets and ratings. In the UK and Europe region, 70% were cadets, 16% trainees, 7% officers, and 3% ratings.  

The report found that, while European cadets are entering the industry highly aware of wellbeing, digital pressure and mental health, they also report the lowest trust of any region in the systems meant to protect them.  While technical and operational training is thorough, the report says evidence shows that legal literacy, reporting confidence, and awareness of rights remain patchy globally. 

Only 15% of UK and European respondents say they understand their rights 'very well', and fewer than half feel confident that reporting bullying or harassment will lead to action. Many fear retaliations or believe those rights would not protect them if they spoke up.  

Cadets in this region were also the most likely (54%) to turn to YouTube or music digital devices if they were feeling mentally unwell. UK/Europe cadets spend more time online (75%) than any region except China. While 61% have felt some level of device addiction, and more than 50% have experienced or witnessed negative online behaviour such as cyberbullying – the mental wellbeing impact of the internet was still seen as mostly neutral to positive, with 54% reporting access has a positive effect.  

Other concerns expressed by participants in the survey closely mirror those documented in a 2021 cadet report by Nautilus International, which revealed widespread inconsistency in sea time experiences, a lack of clear accountability among training providers, and significant variation in the quality of supervision and onboard learning. The Sailors' Society report not only echoes some of these findings but underlines how little has improved, with young officers still struggling to trust reporting mechanisms and still facing uncertainty over whether their training experiences will prepare them for safe, confident work at sea. The Nautilus report urged stricter enforcement of sponsor obligations – especially where companies benefit from UK tonnage tax – and called for greater use of modern simulator training to meet emerging technological demands.  

Together, these industry reports tell a consistent story: today's cadets are committed and capable, but the structures around them are not keeping pace with their expectations for fairness, safety and high-quality training. 

This lack of progress underscores why independent support through a professional body such as a union is essential, says Nautilus cadet lead Rachel Lynch: 'For new UK and European seafarers, joining a union provides exactly what the data shows they need most – credible protection, trained advocates during sea time, and a safe, independent channel for raising concerns.'  

Sailors' Society head of wellness Johan Smith, said the charity's report shows that while a new generation of 'digitally connected, emotionally aware, deeply committed seafarers' is reshaping the industry, they are also navigating unprecedented pressures: 

' The future of safe shipping will not be defined by technology alone; it will be defined by how well we protect, empower, and connect the people at sea.' 

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