Shipping’s next crisis could be crewing, not just trade routes, O’Neil says

Mark O’Neil, CEO of Columbia Group, has questioned whether the shipping industry is heading for a wider crewing shortage, as conflict in the Middle East, fuel disruption in the Philippines and rising repatriation costs place growing strain on global crewing.

In Mr O’Neil’s view, the industry risks focusing too heavily on freight, routing and insurance, while giving too little attention to a more immediate and potentially more serious issue: whether enough seafarers will continue to join...