The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the global shipping industry. Global recession has led to a fall in charter rates, with earnings on some routes dropping by over 80% to five-year lows. Shipping companies are focusing on ensuring the safety of crews through measures like providing PPE, training on COVID-19, and facilitating crew changes and medical care. Looking ahead, the pandemic underscores the need for improvements in areas like the mental health of seafarers, regulation that can better address new technologies, and developing technology-savvy crews while maintaining human performance and oversight of automation.