Recent reports of seafarers stranded on cruise ships taking their own lives have highlighted the dearth of reliable information about suicides at sea.
Maritime welfare charities – many funded by Seafarers UK – continually strive to improve the mental health of seafarers on merchant vessels, by providing helpful sources of information and advice and in some cases pastoral support and someone to talk through their problems.
But with most crew changes prevented due to coronavirus restrictions,...
The Seafarers Hospital Society (SHS) has renewed its contract with Big White Wall for another year, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is one of the first major decisions taken since the appointment of new Chief Executive Officer, Sandra Welch, and reflects the current mental health crisis amongst seafarers. The announcement comes in time for International Day of the Seafarer, which this year focuses on seafarers as key workers, essential to shipping and essential to the world.
Speaking...
Protection & Indemnity (P&I) insurers American Club and Eagle Ocean Marine issue advice on key action points that can immediately make a difference in a video log entitled ‘Seafarer Mental Wellness – Five Things the Industry Can Do Now’.
Continuing their commitment to supporting seafarers and ship owners in the challenging times precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, American Club and Eagle Ocean Marine (EOM) has made available key advice on maintaining seafarers’ mental health via a video log...
RightShip, the world’s leading maritime risk due diligence and environmental assessment organisation, and the independent civil society charity, Human Rights at Sea, have signed a new long-term partnership agreement to help improve seafarer welfare, the organisations have announced.
Under the agreement, RightShip and Human Rights at Sea will partner to continuously raise awareness of the implementation and accountability of human rights provisions throughout the maritime environment with local,...
Leading maritime charity, The Mission to Seafarers has announced a major industry conference on the impact of technology on crew mental health and what this means for safety within the industry.
Taking place on 22 April 2020 as part of Singapore Maritime Week, this free-to-attend conference features two expert keynote speakers: Dr Grahaeme Henderson, Vice President, Shipping & Maritime, Shell and Nick Chubb, Founder of Thetius. They will speak alongside four expert panellists who will be...
The latest Seafarers Happiness Index report, published today by The Mission to Seafarers, has revealed that seafarer happiness continues to fluctuate – with improvements in connectivity at sea, but also continuing concerns regarding workload among the issues raised by seafarers.
The index, undertaken in association with leading P&I insurer the Shipowners’ Club, is a tool for measuring the experiences of seafarers across the global maritime industry.
In the latest report, overall seafarer...
A wide-ranging study by Yale University – commissioned by the ITF Seafarers Trust – has found dangerously high levels of mental stress among seafarers, and recommended how it can be reduced.
The study spoke to 1,572 seafarers representing serving seafarers of different ranks across the world, on a variety of vessels with different flags. It found that within two weeks prior to being surveyed:
A new training course will provide management-level personnel on shore and on board ships with an introduction to mental health awareness. The one-day course, provided by the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), is also suitable for anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of mental health at sea and how to support crew, including seafarers and those who support them.
Representation Image – Photograph by Delimajunel
Delegates can expect to gain a better...
ISWAN’s second self-help guide for seafarers, Psychological Wellbeing at Sea, is now available in five additional languages.
The guide is the second in our series of three Good Mental Health Guides for Seafarers, which was shortlisted in the Best Crew Welfare Programme/Campaign category of the Safety at Sea Awards 2018.
Using evidence from the field of Positive Psychology, Psychological Wellbeing at Sea provides seafarers with straightforward, practical tips on how to enhance their well-being...