Shore leave is a fundamental part of life at sea. It has been for centuries.

The modern seafarer can spend up to 11 months on board a vessel during a contract, so getting on to dry land whenever possible can be an important form of rest and recuperation.

But this custom is under threat.

A recent report by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust showed that a quarter of seafarers surveyed said they did not get any shore leave during the entirety of their contract. For those that did manage to get ashore, nearly half said they spend less than three hours ashore.

From visa requirements, a simple lack of time, or even the prohibitive cost of a ride to the port gate, seafarers face many barriers to getting shore when one of the very limited opportunities presents itself.

Can anything be done to halt the extinction process?

Joining Joshua on this week’s podcast are:

Tim Hill, chief executive, Stella Maris

Ben Bailey, director of programme, Mission to Seafarers

Several serving seafarers aboard vessels across the world