Seafarers are struggling with stress, fatigue and fears of criminalisation as they implement new fuels and technologies for decarbonisation, reported the UK's Seatrade Maritime News.

An International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) survey found crews feel they are being asked to adopt systems that have not been adequately tested.

ISWAN chief executive Simon Grainge told the Seatrade Maritime Crew Connect Global event in Manila that the negative impacts include heavier workloads, rising stress levels and technostress. Engineers reported greater mental health impacts than deck officers, with 34 per cent citing problems compared with 25 per cent.

One seafarer likened the situation to "being a test pilot on a new aircraft that hasn't flown yet." Mr Grainge said regulatory compliance was among the biggest challenges and called for harmonisation of regimes.

He stressed the need for seafarers to voice concerns without fear of consequences, urging employers to seek input from crews to better understand the effects of new technologies.

Mr Grainge said rapid adoption of regulations is harming wellbeing and being overlooked. Suggested remedies include recognising extra efforts, moving away from short-term contracts and adopting human-centred systems.

"All too often seafarers feel overlooked and undervalued," Grainge said, adding that listening to their concerns could turn them into drivers of decarbonisation rather than push them out of the industry.