(SEATTLE) — The University of Washington invites mariners from all segments of the U.S. maritime industry to take 10 to 15 minutes to anonymously complete the 2025 Mariner Mental Health & Well-being Survey by clicking here or by scanning the QR code.
Who is eligible to participate?
We want to hear from sailing, credentialed mariners who work on U.S.-flagged vessels – including licensed and unlicensed mariners, cadets and pilots. Participation from a wide range of mariners across the industry is critical to understanding the ongoing needs of the maritime workforce.
What topics are on the survey?
This confidential survey asks mariners about mental health, well-being, job satisfaction, and experiences aboard vessels. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
What if I don’t want to answer questions on the survey?
With the exception of the screening criteria questions, all questions are optional. You should skip any questions you don’t feel comfortable answering, or don’t want to answer.
Will individual data be linked back to me?
No identifiable data (such as name, employer or vessel) will be collected. Individual responses will be kept confidential and securely stored at the University of Washington in accordance with the ethics review board. Individual data will not be shared, we will only look at data summarized by groups that is not identifiable.
Who is conducting this survey?
This survey is being conducted by the same research team that led the 2021 Mariner Mental Health Survey during the COVID-19 pandemic. You may be familiar with that earlier effort. This 2025 followup survey aims to understand how mariner mental health and well-being have evolved since COVID-19. The survey is being conducted independently by Dr. Marissa Baker, associate professor, University of Washington. This survey was reviewed by representatives from SOCP, MarAd, AWO, NOAA, maritime institutes, and CMTS.
How will the data be used?
Survey findings will be shared with vessel owners/operators, mariner unions, maritime training institutions, seafarer welfare organizations, and MTS stakeholders to help develop effective, evidence-based solutions that benefit mariner mental health and well-being. We will also write a report which will be publicly accessible.
How can I help this effort?
We would appreciate you sharing the link to this survey with your shipmates, employees, training institutions, industry associations, unions, or anyone else who could contribute to this effort to improve the well-being of U.S. mariners.
What if I have more questions?
For more information on this survey, click here. Email any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this mariner survey to Dr. Marissa Baker and team, University of Washington, at marinersurvey@uw.edu.
