The physical and mental well being of seafarers must be given priority by ship managers – said InterManager Secretary-General Capt Kuba Szymanski to mark Day of the Seafarer.
As June 25th marks the IMO's annual celebration of seafarers, InterManager, the international trade association for third party and in-house ship managers, is happy that focus is being placed on the well being of seafarers, as good mental health can lead to fewer accidents and increased productivity.
In line with this ethos, InterManager has been supporting a year-long project being carried out by Solent University in Southampton in examining seafarers’ welfare which focuses on mentoring seafarers.
The Mentoring Seafarers’ Project is looking at what the industry is offering in terms of mentoring provision, including both formal and informal schemes, and highlighting how these can help to combat issues faced at sea in order to improve the well being of seafarers.
Capt Szymanski said: “It is vital that we support our seafarers to ensure they are healthy and happy while out at sea. We must appreciate the challenges that come with being a seafarer such as loneliness, unsociable hours, and in some case high stress and fatigue levels. To ensure out seafarers are doing the most effective job, it is important they are given the necessary support to overcome these.
“However, it is important to remember seafaring is a very rewarding and fulfilling job. Similar to other industries, mental health is a challenge that must be supported and not ignored. I welcome the IMO’s excellent campaign this year."