Recruiting in the maritime and shipping sectors is not getting any easier. With ongoing skills shortages, an ageing workforce, and increasing global competition, many businesses struggle to attract and retain top talent. Add to that the complexities of hiring across multiple regions, compliance challenges, and rising recruitment costs, and it is clear that traditional hiring methods aren’t always enough.
If your recruitment efforts are falling short, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) could be the game-changer you need. An RPO provider acts as an extension of your business, managing all or part of your recruitment process to improve hiring efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
So, how do you know if RPO is right for your maritime business? Here are five signs that it might be time to make the switch.
1. Your Hiring Process is Slowing Down Your Business
Are key vacancies taking too long to fill? Are project deadlines slipping because you don’t have the right people in place? A slow hiring process can cause:
Project delays due to understaffing.
Increased costs from lost productivity or interim hires.
Frustration among hiring managers who are constantly chasing candidates.
An RPO solution streamlines your entire recruitment process, from sourcing to onboarding, using specialist technology, market insights, and a proactive hiring approach. This means faster placements without compromising on quality.
2. You are Facing Talent Shortages and High Competition
Finding qualified hydrographic surveyors, marine engineers, superintendents, and naval architects, amongst others is becoming more challenging. The industry is experiencing:
A shrinking talent pool due to an ageing workforce and fewer new entrants.
Fierce competition from other sectors like offshore wind, oil & gas, and defence.
Skills mismatches, with candidates not meeting evolving industry demands.
An RPO provider can help by building talent pipelines. Engaging with passive candidates, improving employer branding, and using data-driven strategies to attract the right people before you need them.
3. Your Internal HR Team is Overwhelmed
Your HR and recruitment team is already handling payroll, employee relations, training, and compliance. Adding high-volume or specialist hiring to their workload can:
Lead to burnout and high staff turnover.
Delay hiring decisions, impacting business growth.
Result in poor candidate experiences, damaging your reputation.
RPO provides dedicated recruitment specialists who take over the heavy lifting, whether it is managing the entire hiring process or just handling hard-to-fill roles. This allows your HR team to focus on strategic initiatives while ensuring your hiring stays efficient and effective.
4. You Struggle with Global Hiring and Compliance
Maritime recruitment often involves cross-border hiring, where each region has its own:
Labour laws and contract requirements.
Work permits and visa restrictions for international hires.
Taxation and payroll complexities when employing foreign workers.
If compliance is becoming a headache, an RPO provider with international expertise ensures you stay compliant while hiring the right talent in multiple locations—reducing risk and administrative burdens.
5. Your Recruitment Costs Are Spiralling
Traditional recruitment methods—such as high agency fees, long time-to-fill rates, and poor retention can drive up costs significantly. If you are spending too much on hiring but not seeing a return, it could be time to rethink your approach.
An RPO solution can:
Lower overall recruitment costs by improving hiring efficiency.
Reduce reliance on multiple agencies.
Improve retention rates, leading to fewer costly bad hires.
With an RPO provider on your side, you get a scalable and cost-effective recruitment model that aligns with your hiring needs, whether you're growing rapidly or facing a hiring slowdown.
Is It Time for RPO?
If any of these challenges sound familiar, it might be time to explore how RPO can transform your maritime recruitment strategy. Whether you need support with volume hiring, niche talent acquisition, or global workforce solutions, an RPO partner can help you:
Reduce time-to-hire and secure talent faster.
Access a larger pool of skilled maritime professionals.
Ensure compliance with international hiring regulations.
Improve cost efficiency and long-term workforce planning.
RPO isn’t just about outsourcing recruitment—it’s about gaining a strategic partner who understands the maritime industry and helps your business thrive.
Would you like to discuss how RPO could work for your business?
Speak to an RPO expert:
