China’s emergence as a maritime superpower has now also seen it become the most important supplier of labour to the shipping industry.

The country will play a key role in providing the manpower to make up a estimated 150,000 shortfall in officers in 2025, identified in a joint labour-supply survey by Bimco and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).

According to the joint “Manpower Report 2015”, while ratings are in surplus, the shortage of officers is only going to increase over the coming years.