Seafarers should report mental health issues and access the support available
By Captain Pradeep Chawla
The pandemic exacerbated ongoing causes of seafarer mental health and helped bring the issues into the foreground. Responsible companies have made steps to improve provisions for crews, including gr
eater access to the internet on board. However, we cannot become complacent. Mental health should be treated by our industry and its leaders with the same level of importance as physical injury, and more steps are needed to resolve ongoing challenges.
There is a pressing need for leaders to create a culture that encourages seafarers to report their mental health concerns and supports them to seek help. It must be seen as a sign of strength to speak up. Seafarers should educate themselves on their company’s policies and procedures and know how to access the various support mechanisms available. There are also free resources and services provided by the wider maritime community, including charities.
Fatigue continues to be an ongoing challenge. Due to commercial pressures, it has sadly meant that minimum manning hours have often become the maximum. As such, complying with rest-hours regulations is often impossible. Extended fatigue impacts wellbeing and can lead to depression and anxiety.
Crews not only need mental health resources to cope with the usual demands of the role but for additional stressors such as geopolitical tensions and impending changes of new fuels entering the scene. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) websites are good resources for understanding what steps are being taken to protect crews from being in the crossfire of geopolitical conflict and the resources and provisions being made for
Captain Pradeep Chawla
them regarding working with new fuels. ISWAN supports seafarers and their families with free helpline services, educational resources, relief funds and humanitarian support. Their 24-hour helpline provides confidential emotional support for seafarers in such challenging situations.
Overcoming stigma
Crews must unfortunately still contend with the stigma attached to mental health. Responses to seeking out help such as “sea life is a tough profession, get used to it” must cease. If not, this only prevents the crew from reporting their issues until they grow worse, impacting their own safety or that of their fellow crewmates.
If faced with these attitudes, there are still resources available. Togetherall, funded by the Seafarers Hospital Society, provides an online peer-support community moderated 24/7 by fully trained mental health professionals and led by an on-duty clinical team.
Seafarers may think twice about reporting mental health issues if it will affect their future career prospects. There are unfortunately crewing agents who have been reluctant to rehire crew over concerns that they are not ‘better’ and will need further repatriation again soon or cause themselves harm when aboard. Unions such as Nautilus International and The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) as well as organisations such as CHIRP and Human Rights at Sea International can support you in such situations.
Digital training and resources have also become vital tools to support crews’ wellbeing. Easily accessible micro-learning modules and videos can provide important health and safety information in engaging short formats of 1-7 minutes. Supporting seafarers with their mental health is important to us at MarinePALS and we are looking at releasing custom-built videos on this topic soon.
While positive steps have been taken to address seafarers’ mental health challenges, fundamental issues remain. It is essential to break the stigma on mental health and create a safe environment for seafarers to report mental health issues without fear of repercussions and proactively solve their underlying causes. There are many resources, charities and support mechanisms for seafarers, and you do not have to suffer alone.
Captain Pradeep Chawla, CEO of MarinePALS, has more than 50 years of professional experience in the maritime industry.
