Is there a mental health crisis among seafarers?

Issues such as isolation, extended periods of time away from family and friends, and demanding work conditions have always been a part of seafaring. But over recent years, many have seen a growth in stressors, including increased workloads and pressures to adapt to new technology. 

“The pandemic further exacerbated existing challenges, with many seafarers facing prolonged contracts, restricted shore leave and heightened anxiety,” notes Danny McGowan, head of international relations at trade union and professional association Nautilus International. 

“These compounded factors have led to a notable increase in reports of anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns.” 

There’s a strong correlation between seafarers’ mental health and the level of safety and efficiency on a vessel. People with low mood may struggle with self-care and are more likely not to be eating or sleeping well. These physical manifestations of mental health issues can in turn become a safety hazard, as Georgia Allen, projects and relationships manager at the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) explains. 

“The person may be tired and low in energy, so not performing their best. This can result in poor performance, mistakes, and possibly accidents and injuries. Distraction and loss of concentration due to a seafarer’s mind being elsewhere can also have dangerous consequences.” 

Poor mental health has the potential to impact crew in myriad ways. They might find it harder to take in information and make timely decisions, or rely more on their colleagues for support – especially if they are not fully confident about the best actions to take. This can impact how teams work together and put extra strain on certain individuals, according to Stephanie McLay, senior human factors consultant at Lloyd’s Register. 

It also has the potential to lead to conflict situations on board, she adds, as someone struggling may be more prone to emotional outbursts or display responses colleagues wouldn’t expect. 

In response there has been a growing emphasis on mental health awareness within the industry. This has included organisations like Nautilus International, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) pushing stronger protections and support for seafarers including the incorporation of mental health training into standard maritime education and promoting open discussions to destigmatise mental health issues. 

For example, mental health, psychological safety, and gender and cultural diversity are among the 22 specific areas to be addressed in the ongoing comprehensive review of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Convention and Code. 

“This review aims to adapt the STCW framework – which establishes international requirements and standards for training, certification, and watchkeeping for seafarers – to reflect new trends, developments, and challenges in the maritime sector,” says Natasha Brown, Head of Outreach and Communications at IMO. “Integrating relevant mandatory requirements related to mental health for inclusion in the STCW framework would also set a robust foundation for further actions.”

Listening to the wider industry, shipping companies have also begun to implement comprehensive mental health policies and provide resources aimed at supporting crew wellbeing. 

This includes using the Seafarer Happiness Index to get a better understanding of crews’ physical and mental health, providing anonymous helplines with multilingual support, and initiating more social activities and opportunities for interaction onboard. 

Support tailored specifically for seafarers is based on an understanding of maritime psychology, which is still in its infancy, notes Stephanie McLay, senior human factors consultant at Lloyd’s Register. However, she’s happy to see that changes are taking place. 

“The industry has been rolling out a lot of awareness training and exploring different types of leadership, to encourage open conversations and for people to come forward if they want help,” says Mclay.  

“Some ship owners have introduced ‘wellbeing’ champions or officers, so crew have a point of contact – it’s all about breaking down the barriers, including that of perceived stigma.” 

But while there appears to be a growing willingness among seafarers to seek assistance and speak more openly about their mental health challenges, many report that access to mental health support while at sea remains a significant challenge. 

“Clearly there’s more work to be done, as despite the progress made in raising awareness and openness, barriers such as limited connectivity, lack of onboard resources, and residual stigma continue to prevent those in need from seeking help,” notes McGowan. 

Allen adds that access differs widely across the industry, dependent on a number of interrelated factors, including but not limited to regional differences, shipowners, union membership, and nationality. Furthermore, while there is a greater level of understanding of the issues and many different initiatives to combat them, there’s not a great deal of coordination taking place.  

“This isn’t surprising given the complex international nature of the industry and the many stakeholders involved,” Allen says.

So, can technology play a role in improving the mental health of seafarers when connectivity is an ongoing issue? 

Views differ on how much it can help, but that isn’t stopping organisations from embracing tech. ISWAN developed a free mobile app in partnership with the Shipowner’s Club, for example, which includes a direct line to SeafarerHelp when there’s a phone signal or connectivity, and health and wellbeing resources that you can continue to access offline. 

AI tools are also being considered as a means of monitoring and managing mental health trends. 

ISWAN’s latest Social Interaction Matters (SIM Project) research shows how technology can be used to understand mental health at sea and the factors affecting it. 

“To understand the impact of social interaction on crew wellbeing, we partnered with PsyFyi – which provided its data collection technology SeaQ – so that crew could answer one wellbeing-related question each day through their chosen messaging app,” says Allen.  

“The crew members also wore Fitbit devices to track the impact of social activities and other key influencers on their overall health. We plan to publish the results soon, but we’re already seeing incredible results from these data collection methods.” 

Both McGowan and McLay flag one issue that must be addressed when any technology is used to capture data or monitor outcomes. Privacy, safety, and the security of any personal health data must be carefully considered in these scenarios. 

“There are privacy and ethics considerations to be made. Are you collecting any irrelevant personal data? What are you planning to do with this information once you have it? You have to think about this and ensure that crew members understand what their data will be used for and that they have the option to opt-out,” explains McLay. 

“You’ve also got to ensure that any technology is carefully reviewed for use at sea. For example, if an app provides advice or recommendations to improve their health and it’s something they’re unable to do while at sea, this could lead to increased frustration.” 

The maritime industry has made progress in addressing seafarers’ mental health, but there will always be room for improvement. 

Greater collaboration, better access to support and ethical technology use will improve the situation moving forward, but the positive impact that the shift toward prioritising seafarers’ mental wellbeing is having shouldn’t be overlooked.