# Seafarer Training Gap: What Port Suppliers Should Sell > New STEER and OneOcean research shows training lags digital shipping. Here is the port-call sales work it creates for chandlers, agents and service firms. URL: https://vesselreach.si/blog/seafarer-training-gap-what-port-suppliers-should-sell | Published: 2026-11-05 | Industry news | Topic: Reaching decision-makers at ship managers ## At a glance - **What: What did the STEER Project report find?** The Nautical Institute and Lloyd's Register Foundation published initial findings showing technology benefits depend on how systems are designed, introduced, supported and used. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/seafarer-experience-must-shape-maritime-technology-initial-steer-project-report-finds/)) - **Who: Who conducted the research on the training gap?** OneOcean and Thetius commissioned research finding that 82% of maritime professionals say training does not prepare crews for digitally enabled operations. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/seafarers-face-widening-competency-gap-as-digital-shipping-accelerates-recent-research-finds/)) - **Where: Where is digital certification expanding?** India's Directorate General of Maritime Administration joined ISF Verify, bringing the platform within reach of countries representing around 30% of the global seafarer workforce. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/india-joins-isf-verify-bringing-trusted-digital-certification-within-reach-of-30-per-cent-of-the-global-seafarer-workforce/)) - **When: When were these findings published?** The STEER report and India's ISF Verify announcement were reported in November 2026; the OneOcean and Thetius research was reported in October 2026. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/seafarer-experience-must-shape-maritime-technology-initial-steer-project-report-finds/)) - **Why: Why does the training gap matter for suppliers?** Under-prepared crews need extra technical support, spares and commissioning help at port, which are purchases suppliers can win if they reach decision-makers before the vessel arrives. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/seafarers-face-widening-competency-gap-as-digital-shipping-accelerates-recent-research-finds/)) - **How: How are industry bodies responding?** Lloyd's Register launched a supply chain disruption advisory service to help governments and logistics companies improve trade resilience and respond to disruption. ([Seatrade Maritime News](https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/security/lr-launches-supply-chain-disruption-advisory-service)) Training is not keeping pace with the technology now on board ships. That gap is a sales opening for maritime service providers who can supply the support, spares and services crews need at the next port call. The STEER Project (a research project run by The Nautical Institute with Lloyd's Register Foundation) found that technology's benefits depend on how systems are designed, introduced, supported and used, according to [Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/seafarer-experience-must-shape-maritime-technology-initial-steer-project-report-finds/) (November 2026). Separately, research by OneOcean and Thetius found that 82% of maritime professionals surveyed say current training does not adequately prepare crews for digitally enabled operations, according to [Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/seafarers-face-widening-competency-gap-as-digital-shipping-accelerates-recent-research-finds/) (October 2026). ## What the research says The STEER report is an initial findings document, not a final standard. Its central point is that technology only delivers when the people using it are properly prepared. The OneOcean and Thetius survey puts a number on the gap: 82% of respondents believe training lags operational reality, with only 18% saying it keeps pace ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/seafarers-face-widening-competency-gap-as-digital-shipping-accelerates-recent-research-finds/), October 2026). A 2025 study in the *Journal of Marine Science and Engineering* on seafarers' acceptance of alternative fuels found that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness shaped attitudes, and that trust significantly increased behavioural intention to use new systems ([JMSE](https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13122308), 2025). In plain terms, crews adopt what they understand and trust. ## Why this matters commercially at the port call When crews are under-prepared for a new system, the consequences land at the port: extra technical support, replacement parts, commissioning help, or a superintendent flying in. Each of those is a purchase a supplier can win if it is in the conversation before the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival, the planned time a vessel reaches port). The same gap shows up in certification. India's Directorate General of Maritime Administration has joined ISF Verify, a digital certification platform run with the International Chamber of Shipping and Lloyd's Register OneOcean, bringing it within reach of countries representing around 30% of the global seafarer workforce, according to [Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/india-joins-isf-verify-bringing-trusted-digital-certification-within-reach-of-30-per-cent-of-the-global-seafarer-workforce/) (November 2026). Digital certification means faster verification of crew competency. For port agents, that can reduce friction in crew changes and documentation checks at short notice. ## The wider technology picture The training gap is not happening in isolation. Shipboard and shore-side systems are becoming more connected, and that raises security questions. A 2024 review in *IEEE Access* of cybersecurity challenges for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships found that data independence, integrity and connectivity are the main areas of concern, and that existing defences need scrutiny ([IEEE Access](https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2024.3357082), 2024). On the commercial side, Lloyd's Register has launched a supply chain disruption advisory service to help governments and logistics companies improve trade resilience and respond to disruption, according to [Seatrade Maritime News](https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/security/lr-launches-supply-chain-disruption-advisory-service) (November 2026). That is a signal that operators are buying advice on resilience, not just hardware. Newbuild activity adds to the pressure. Alewijnse has signed a contract with Piriou for electrical system integration on four additional sail cargo vessels with hybrid propulsion, according to [Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/alewijnse-signs-contract-with-piriou-for-four-additional-vessels-in-the-worlds-largest-fleet-of-sailing-cargo-ships/) (November 2026). Hybrid and alternative systems demand crew familiarity that generic training may not cover. ## What maritime service providers should do Treat training gaps as a buying signal, not a background trend. Ship managers and technical superintendents (the shore-side role responsible for a vessel's technical condition and repairs) are the people who approve support work and spares. 1. **Map the systems on board before the call.** A vessel with a hybrid or electrical installation has different support needs from a conventional one. Check the vessel's recent port history and any published technical details. 2. **Target the role, not the company inbox.** Technical superintendents, fleet managers and procurement leads own different parts of the decision. A generic email to a ship manager's info address rarely reaches them. 3. **Offer a concrete support package.** Commissioning assistance, spares kits, or on-board familiarisation sessions are easier to approve than an open-ended service contract. 4. **Follow up on the same channel the buyer used.** If a superintendent replies on WhatsApp, continue there rather than switching to email. ## Where the demand is strongest Demand is not evenly spread. Ports with a high concentration of newbuild deliveries, hybrid or dual-fuel vessels, and frequent crew changes will see more of this work. The [gap between alternative-fuel ships and port readiness](https://vesselreach.si/blog/alternative-fuel-ships-outpace-port-readiness) is one example of where crews and suppliers meet unprepared. For chandlers, the opening is in technical stores and spares that support new systems. For repair yards, it is in commissioning and troubleshooting work. For marine service companies, it is in training-adjacent services that help crews use what is already installed. ## How VesselReach helps VesselReach turns vessel movements into conversations with the people who approve this work. Its AI identifies the right company behind each vessel and finds decision-makers by role, including technical superintendents and procurement leads. Outreach runs across email, WhatsApp and phone, with automated follow-ups that stop when a prospect opts out. That means your team reaches the right contact before the ETA, not after the vessel has sailed. Book a VesselReach demo to see how it works on your ports. ## Frequently asked questions ### What did the STEER Project find about maritime technology? The STEER Project's initial report found that technology can improve safety and efficiency, but its benefits depend on how systems are designed, introduced, supported and used. The Nautical Institute published the findings with Lloyd's Register Foundation in November 2026. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/seafarer-experience-must-shape-maritime-technology-initial-steer-project-report-finds/)) ### How large is the seafarer training gap? Research by OneOcean and Thetius found that 82% of maritime professionals surveyed say current training does not adequately prepare crews for digitally enabled operations, while only 18% believe training keeps pace. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/seafarers-face-widening-competency-gap-as-digital-shipping-accelerates-recent-research-finds/)) ### Which roles should suppliers contact about training-related support? Technical superintendents, fleet managers and procurement leads typically own decisions about technical support, spares and crew familiarisation. Reaching them by role before the vessel arrives is more effective than a generic company enquiry. ### Does digital certification affect port call work? Yes. India joining ISF Verify brings digital seafarer certification within reach of countries representing around 30% of the global workforce, which can speed up crew documentation checks at short notice during port calls. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/india-joins-isf-verify-bringing-trusted-digital-certification-within-reach-of-30-per-cent-of-the-global-seafarer-workforce/)) ### How can VesselReach help suppliers act on this? VesselReach detects vessels near your target ports and expected arrivals, identifies the company behind each vessel, finds decision-makers by role, and runs staged outreach across email, WhatsApp and phone with automated follow-ups and human handoff. ## Sources 1. [Seafarer experience must shape maritime technology, initial STEER Project report finds](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/seafarer-experience-must-shape-maritime-technology-initial-steer-project-report-finds/), Hellenic Shipping News, 2026-11-04 2. [India joins ISF Verify, bringing trusted digital certification within reach of 30 per cent of the global seafarer workforce](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/india-joins-isf-verify-bringing-trusted-digital-certification-within-reach-of-30-per-cent-of-the-global-seafarer-workforce/), Hellenic Shipping News, 2026-11-04 3. [LR launches supply chain disruption advisory service](https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/security/lr-launches-supply-chain-disruption-advisory-service), Seatrade Maritime News, 2026-11-04 4. [Alewijnse signs contract with Piriou for four additional vessels in the world’s largest fleet of sailing cargo ships](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/alewijnse-signs-contract-with-piriou-for-four-additional-vessels-in-the-worlds-largest-fleet-of-sailing-cargo-ships/), Hellenic Shipping News, 2026-11-04 5. [Seafarers face widening competency gap as digital shipping accelerates, recent research finds](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/seafarers-face-widening-competency-gap-as-digital-shipping-accelerates-recent-research-finds/), Hellenic Shipping News, 2026-10-23 6. [Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships: A Review of Cybersecurity Challenges, Countermeasures, and Future Perspectives](https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2024.3357082), IEEE Access, 2024-01-01 7. [Understanding Seafarers’ Acceptance of the Transition to Alternative Fuels in Shipping Through the Technology Acceptance Model](https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13122308), Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute), 2025-12-04 ## More on this topic Seafarer training is falling behind the technology now on board, and that gap creates port call work for maritime service providers. Research by OneOcean and Thetius found 82% of professionals say training does not prepare crews for digital operations. The STEER Project report says technology benefits depend on how systems are introduced and supported. For chandlers, agents and repair yards, this means technical support, spares and commissioning help are needed at the port call. Reaching technical superintendents and procurement leads before the vessel arrives is the key sales move. --- VesselReach, built by CatalystIQ. CatalystIQ Data Classification and Analysis Services, Al Qusais, Dubai, P.O. Box 129882, United Arab Emirates. info@catalystiq.ae, +971 58 599 7894. Book a demo: https://vesselreach.si/#demo. Pricing: contact us for a quote (https://vesselreach.si/pricing).