Oren Saar

By Oren Saar, CEO of Agwa

The maritime industry is investing heavily in digitalization, decarbonization, and operational efficiency – and rightly so. But there’s a quieter, yet well-known issue playing out across thousands of vessels: limited access to fresh, nutritious food, and the toll this takes on the wellbeing, performance, and morale of the seafarers who power global trade.

Most commercial ships spend anywhere from 15 to 30 days at sea between port calls, depending on the route. On deep-sea or long-haul voyages, that number can stretch to 45 days or more, particularly on transoceanic routes with fewer stops.

During that time, access to fresh produce becomes increasingly scarce. While ships are typically stocked with fruits and vegetables before departure, refrigeration limits and spoilage rates mean that fresh food supplies often only last up to two weeks at best. After that window, crews rely on frozen, tinned, or preserved goods for the remainder of the voyage—a reality that leads to limited dietary variety, nutrient loss, and reduced morale.

According to the latest Seafarers Happiness Index, limited access to fresh food at sea contributes to declining crew satisfaction. Seafarers often cite poor food quality and variety as key concerns, especially on longer voyages or when supplied with near-expiration items. These issues are frequently linked to budget constraints, limited storage, or dissatisfaction with vendors, prompting calls to reassess procurement standards.

Further research indicates that seafarers have limited influence over the quality and quantity of food available on board. These limitations, combined with the repetitive nature of meals, have been linked to reduced energy, decreased mental clarity and overall wellbeing, as well as health issues like obesity and metabolic syndrome.

This isn’t just a welfare issue; it’s an operational one. Nutrition plays a central role in cognitive performance, decision-making, fatigue management, and teamwork. The longer the voyage and the more limited the diet, the higher the risk of diminished focus, increased stress, and avoidable errors.

AI-Powered Onboard Farming

At Agwa, for example, we are addressing this challenge with a practical, cost-neutral solution: AI-powered onboard farming.

Our autonomous vegetable growing system enables ships to grow fresh, chemical-free produce anywhere in the world using only water, electricity, and Wi-Fi. The system is fully self-managed by an AI agronomist, which monitors and adjusts growing conditions without the need for crew expertise. Units can be scaled to suit different vessel sizes and operational needs, and the output includes leafy greens, herbs, and nutrient-dense vegetables, with new crop varieties continuously in development.

Importantly, this solution costs no more than what ships already spend on vegetables, and sometimes even less. The difference? Reduced spoilage, continuous access to fresh produce, and vegetables harvested when needed, not weeks before. By reducing the time from harvest to consumption, crews benefit from meals with higher nutritional value, as nutrient quality naturally declines with each day post-harvest. 

Vessels operated by leading owners including Maersk, Synergy Marine, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Capital Ship Management, and more, have already adopted this technology, citing improvements in crew morale, meal satisfaction, and operational resilience. In parallel, operators benefit from measurable reductions in food waste, emissions, and last-mile logistics, supporting their ESG goals and compliance with the updated Maritime Labour Convention standards on nutrition.

Crew feedback reinforces the technology’s value: seafarers describe harvesting as a highlight of the day, a small but meaningful act of control, normalcy, and connection amid the routines of maritime life. It’s a reminder that care and innovation don’t need to be complex to be effective.

At its core, this is about building a more sustainable, resilient, and human-centered maritime industry. Improving access to fresh food at sea is no longer a luxury—it’s a responsibility. And with scalable, intelligent systems, it’s also an opportunity.