<![CDATA[This study aims to determine the interpersonal communication strategies of seafarers in maintaining long-distance family relationships while working at sea, identify communication problems, and explain the seafarers' efforts to overcome them. This study applies a descriptive qualitative method through data collection methods in the form of in-depth interviews via telephone and audio documentation. Informants consisted three persons of AB (Able Bodie) as primary informants, one person second officer and one person family member as supporting informants. Data analysis used the Miles and Huberman model through data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. This study applies Joseph A. DeVito's Interpersonal Communication theory which includes openness, empathy, supportiveness, positive attitudes, and equality, as well as the Relationship Maintenance theory from Canary and Stafford. The results show that openness is a dominant communication strategy in maintaining trust and reducing misunderstandings. Empathy, supportiveness, positive attitudes, and equality play a role in maintaining emotional closeness. The main obstacles include limited internet signal, work pressure and busyness, and time differences. Seafarers overcome this by implementing communication time adjustments, maintaining openness, and providing emotional support to their families. The findings indicate that effective interpersonal communication strategies help seafarers maintain harmonious family relationships even in long-distance relationships.]]>
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