Notoriously more adaptable than its oil and gas counterpart, marine energy looks set to face a huge wave of demand, as it works in tandem with the growing renewables industry.
Gone are the days of crew members sitting at home waiting for work.
As we enter 2023, marine candidates have the upper hand, and businesses should be looking to overcome obstacles and setbacks to secure the best talent to fulfil their global energy projects.
But this only scratches the surface.
So, as leading recruiters set their sights on the maritime sector, WRS has put together a list of things to look out for in 2023.
Challenging crew shortages
This isn’t breaking news by any means, in fact, people were expecting crew shortages to have significant ramifications in the future. But this year, it will have a real impact on the maritime hiring process, particularly due to an increased demand in offshore energy projects.
Posting jobs and waiting for candidates to come to you won’t be as effective. Instead, businesses might have to put forward competitive rates to marine workers, in a bid to encourage them to join their energy projects.
Emerging into the US – where many renewables projects are going to take place over the next few years – will be particularly tricky, as organisations try to navigate compliance with the Jones Act, despite a depleting generation of maritime talent.
Growing offshore projects
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down the development of global energy projects. But now, businesses are starting to shift things up a gear.
The motivation behind a growing number of renewables projects – especially in the West – transcends reaching net-zero targets, and is now driven by energy security too. This desire is likely to propel these projects even further in the coming year and beyond.
Wind farms could be particularly dominant. The World Economic Forum cites an expected increase in global capacity from 34 GW in 2020 to 330 GW in 2030, across 24 countries.
Increasing autonomous vessels
Autonomous vessels are nothing new, but as technology continues to advance, we may see even more unmanned ships in our international waters.
Fortune Business Insights explained that the autonomous ship market ‘is expected to grow from USD 6.55 billion in 2021 to USD 12.07 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 9.13%.’This is despite a drop in demand for these vessels during the pandemic.
Growth in this market will support marine projects to a degree, as fewer people look to embark on a career in the sector – yet it will be vital to upskill and reskill marine workers, enabling them to take on new roles as the industry evolves.
The reality of autonomous vessels means there’ll be a significant reduction in the number of crew members onboard, with some contractors living at on-shore stations, ready to be drafted in if needed.
Need talent for your marine project?
Whether you’re seeking a new ROV pilot or an officer, WRS has extensive experience matching the right talent with your project. Our team consistently secures new roles for both junior and senior positions across the marine industry, taking care of the entire process from start to finish.
To find out more about our end-to-end recruitment solutions, get in touch with us today.
Or if you’re a candidate seeking a new challenge, take a look at our latest marine vacancies.
