International 24-hour helpline SeafarerHelp, operated by the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), has experienced a surge in demand as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affects seafarers worldwide.
In April 2020 alone, ISWAN’s SeafarerHelp handled over 600 new cases – more than triple the number in the same month last year. Many of these cases involve seafarers experiencing issues as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. In fact, up to 1 May 2020, the helpline...