Op-Ed: Lowering barriers to nutrition at sea

By Oren Saar, CEO, Agwa

Crew shortages are intensifying, younger generations are less willing to accept outdated conditions, and expectations around seafarer wellbeing are rapidly evolving. Nutrition sits at the heart of this shift: what crews eat on board directly affects their health, morale, safety, and willingness to stay in the industry.

A 2024 study in Occupational Medicine found seafarers often face calorie-heavy but nutrient-poor diets. Almost all respondents (98.8%) considered a healthy diet important for their wellbeing, while over 85% of ship cooks welcomed digital tools to support daily tasks. This aligns with guidance from the ITF, ISWAN, and P&I clubs such as UK, Britannia, and NorthStandard, who disseminate healthy eating tips and highlight the link between poor diets and low morale as well as increased risk for preventable illnesses. The World Maritime University’s Food4Seafarers ongoing research project takes it a step further, calling for systemic reform in food provisioning and training.

Yet, despite this growing chorus of advice, little has changed. Fresh produce loaded at port typically spoils within 10-14 days, leaving crews dependent on frozen, tinned, or processed foods for the remainder of long voyages. This challenge now carries regulatory weight too: amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention explicitly require meals on board to be fresh, varied, balanced, and culturally appropriate.

The adoption challenge

If the need for fresh food is so clear, why the inertia? One reason is procurement. For many shipowners, justifying large upfront welfare investments can prove challenging. That’s why many managers budget welfare improvements through OPEX. Catering companies and large fleet operators, in particular, often prefer predictable monthly costs over one-off CAPEX, even for modest investments.

The recent formation of the Global Maritime Procurement Council (GMPC) shows how procurement is shifting from a transactional function to a driver of industry-wide change. With a mandate for harmonization, sustainability, and efficiency, the council reflects a growing recognition that procurement decisions shape not just costs, but also safety, welfare, and environmental standards across fleets.

Agwa’s updated pricing structure follows the same trend. Instead of requiring a significant upfront purchase, the company now offers two- to five-year terms with lower initial costs and a monthly fee that covers the device and its growing pods. The approach shifts onboard produce systems into an operating expense that fits within existing galley budgets, rather than a capital request competing with other shipboard projects.

And this is not about spending more. Ships already allocate budget for vegetables within their existing food spend. With onboard growing, the same expenditure delivers fresh, chemical-free vegetables throughout the voyage. For many operators, it is effectively cost-neutral or even cost-saving once reductions in waste, packaging, and logistics are factored in.

Practical benefits for operators

Welfare gains matter in their own right, but they also deliver measurable business outcomes. Healthier crews are more alert, focused, and less prone to fatigue-related errors – critical in a sector where decision-making under pressure carries high stakes.

Crew members describe harvesting as the highlight of their day. In a confined, industrial environment, the simple act of growing and eating fresh produce boosts morale and fosters a sense of autonomy. These benefits influence turnover, with operators using Agwa’s system reporting 5-10% improvements in retention. That translates into lower recruiting and training costs, stronger onboard cohesion, and more resilient operations.

Environmental impacts are also part of the discussion. Producing a share of fresh greens on board reduces reliance on port-supplied produce, along with the packaging, cold-chain transport, and last-mile logistics associated with it. According to Agwa’s estimates, each device can avoid roughly 10 tons of CO₂ emissions and about 8,100 gallons of water per year. While modest individually, these numbers can add up across a fleet and may help operators meet ESG reporting expectations from charterers and investors.

A smarter standard for welfare

Crew welfare has too often been treated as a “soft” issue. But with a global shortage projected to reach 90,000 seafarers by 2026, the ability to attract and retain talent is now a competitive differentiator. Providing fresh, high-quality food should be the baseline, not a perk.

Lower CAPEX barriers make this possible. Onboard growing is no longer the preserve of early adopters—it is now a viable option for mainstream shipping companies, catering providers, and a wide range of vessel types.

The technology is designed to be straightforward rather than complex. Agwa’s units operate with basic inputs—water, electricity, and Wi-Fi—while an automated system monitors and adjusts growing conditions in the background. The AI-based “Virtual Agronomist” oversees these adjustments, reducing the need for crew involvement or specialized knowledge. The reusable growing capsules can be harvested multiple times, providing a steady supply of leafy greens and herbs with relatively little hands-on work.

As decarbonization, digitalization, and automation dominate the maritime agenda, it is worth remembering that shipping ultimately runs on people. The 1.9 million seafarers who power global trade deserve conditions that support not only their work, but their wellbeing.

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