For thousands of trained Kenyan seafarers, the promise of a career at sea remains out of reach even as the global shipping industry faces a shortage of qualified workers.

Veteran seafarers in Mombasa say projections show that the industry faced a shortfall of about 89,000 seafarers by 2026. Yet, many trained Kenyans remain unemployed or trapped in exploitative working arrangements. They blame weak policies, poor governance and a lack of political will for failing to connect local talent to available opportunities.