The Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA) cordially invites members and your seafarers to participate in an important foundational research project with significant implications for the maritime industry and policymaking: the *Global Survey on Seafarers’ Physical and Mental Health and Labour Rights Protection*.

Funded by the China Merchants Foundation and led by Professor Shan Hongjun, president of Dalian Maritime University and his team, the survey aims to develop a systematic and objective understanding of the current state of seafarers’ physical and mental health and labour rights protection worldwide. It will also identify the principal risk factors affecting seafarers’ welfare and assess shortcomings in existing industry practices.

The Association attaches great importance to this research. We believe it will make a valuable contribution to establishing reliable industry baseline data, improving seafarers’ welfare, and supporting the development of more effective policies and industry standards.

The findings will be published in a Blue Paper, which is scheduled to be officially released by China Merchants Energy Shipping at the World Maritime Merchants Forum (WMMF) in November 2026. The findings will also be made available for reference by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Ministry of Transport and other relevant central government ministries and commissions, as well as international organizations, including the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), and International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) to support policymaking and the review of industry rules.

All information collected through the survey will be used solely for academic and research purposes, specifically for the preparation of the report on global seafarers’ physical and mental health and labour rights protection. The information will not be used for commercial purposes. The results will be presented only in aggregated and anonymized form. The research team has undertaken to keep all information relating to participating companies and seafarers strictly confidential.

To facilitate the distribution and collection of responses, both the company and seafarer questionnaires will be completed electronically. Once submitted, responses will be sent directly to the research team, thereby minimizing the risk of information leakage.

We kindly request your assistance with the following:

1. Distribute the Seafarer Questionnaire

Please share the questionnaire link below with seafarers currently managed, employed, or dispatched by your company, and encourage them to respond honestly based on their actual experiences.

To enhance the representativeness of the survey, we hope that participating seafarers will cover a broad range of vessel types, ranks, departments, nationalities, and genders, including the valuable perspectives of female seafarers.

Link of Seafarer Questionnaire:
https://v.wjx.cn/vm/r5z2YXT.aspx#

2. Complete the Company Questionnaire

The company questionnaire seeks information about your companies’ policies, institutional arrangements, and practical measures relating to seafarers’ physical and mental health and labour rights protection.

Each organization is requested to submit one response. If you are not the person responsible for these matters, please forward this circular and the questionnaire link to the relevant department or colleague responsible for crew management, occupational health, seafarer welfare, or human resources.

Link of Company Questionnaire:
https://v.wjx.cn/vm/mdeiHsJ.aspx#

Deadline for both questionnaires: 10 September 2026.

For enquiries regarding the survey, please contact the Dalian Maritime University research team:

– Associate Professor Zhao Zhiwei
Tel: +86 137 0009 2873
Email: zhaorui@dlmu.edu.cn

– Associate Professor Li Zhen
Tel: +86 159 4111 0556
Email: lizhen@dlmu.edu.cn

– Associate Professor Wang Huanxin
Tel: +86 189 0098 2535
Email: wanghxdmu@dlmu.edu.cn

Every contribution from your company will provide meaningful support for the welfare of seafarers worldwide. The Association sincerely appreciates your valuable assistance with this important industry research.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Association’s Secretariat.