The Philippines has once again maintained its position as the world's largest supplier of seafarers, according to the Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 jointly released by the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). The report underscores the country's continued leadership in supplying qualified maritime professionals who serve aboard merchant vessels engaged in international trade.

Among STCW-certified officers, the Philippines recorded the highest number worldwide with 203,179 officers, reaffirming its position as the leading source of qualified deck and engine officers. India ranked second with 140,718 officers, followed by China with 110,893, the Russian Federation with 85,816, and Indonesia with 72,304.

The Philippines also led the world in the number of STCW-certified ratings, totaling 256,968. China ranked second with 199,107 ratings, followed by India with 171,218, the Russian Federation with 153,541, and Indonesia with 110,940. Combined, these five countries account for 56.25 percent of the global seafarer workforce, highlighting their significant contribution to the international shipping industry.

Overall, the report estimates that the global supply of STCW-certified seafarers has reached 2,565,580, consisting of 1,048,980 officers and 1,516,600 ratings. Compared with the previous report released in 2021, the number of certified officers increased by approximately 22 percent, while the number of ratings grew by 47 percent, reflecting continued expansion of the global maritime workforce.

Data gathered from shipping companies also showed that Filipino seafarers remain the largest nationality serving aboard the world\'s merchant fleet. Filipinos ranked first in the overall workforce, while also leading both the officer and rating categories. They were followed by Ukrainians, Indians, Romanians, and Poles, demonstrating the continued strong presence of Filipino seafarers across the international merchant fleet.

On the demand side, BIMCO and ICS estimate that the global shipping industry requires approximately 2,547,790 STCW-certified seafarers in 2026. This includes 1,088,080 officers and 1,459,710 ratings, representing a 35 percent increase in overall demand compared with 2021. The report attributes this growth largely to the continued expansion of the global merchant fleet, now estimated at 85,148 vessels.

The report also presented the average age profiles of seafarers across different levels of responsibility. Among management-level officers, the largest age group was 31–40 years at 37.7 percent, followed by 41–50 years at 32.4 percent and 51–60 years at 19.6 percent. For operational-level officers, 43.4 percent were aged 31–40 years, while 34.7 percent were between 21–30 years. Among support-level ratings, the largest group was likewise 31–40 years at 38.5 percent, followed by 41–50 years at 25.0 percent and 21–30 years at 21.0 percent, indicating that the global maritime workforce is largely composed of experienced professionals in their prime working years.