“Seafarers want to feel acknowledged. They want to feel recognised. Still, the seafarers don’t have the same benefits as those working on shore. I urge you to listen to the seafarers.”

This was the message from International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez last week at the All Aboard Alliance high-level meeting in London, hosted by Philippa Charlton of Lloyd’s Register.

Covering topics ranging from transparency and accountability to the connection between crew welfare and financial incentives, the meeting provided an opportunity for the Alliance to reconnect for the first time since the 2030 strategy launch in October. During the day-long meeting, more than 40 participants helped workshop the shared direction of the All Aboard Alliance going forward.

Takeaways from the meeting included a reaffirmation of the importance of conversations with seafarers, the correlation between ships with strong crew welfare and off-hire days, and a reminder that small step-by-step improvements will generate real change.