ABSTRACT
A seagoing career is an attractive prospect in many countries, however, it is still one of the most dangerous careers and seafarers face a difficult working environment, social isolation and stress. Industry usually talks openly about some of the physical challenges of working at sea but mental health and wellbeing is a topic usually left out of the discussion. One in four people experience a mental health problem in their lifetime and seafarers are no different. In particular, the high rates of accidents and fatal incidents at sea suggest that seafarers are highly likely to face issues related to post-traumatic stress exposure. Seafarer studies have found that up to a 1/3 of survivors of fatal accidents at sea may suffer with PTSD and high rates of mental ill health have been found in the survivors of piracy and their families. (Prof. Neil Greenberg, Managing Director of March on Stress and Professor of Defence Mental Health at King’s College London). There is good evidence that the risk of developing PTSD can be substantially diminished if organisations put in place measures to prevent the development of the condition and to detect the early signs of it early on and manage it actively to prevent it progressing. Trainings are one of the best tools to mitigate levels of distress in the future and to combat stigma which prevents many from addressing their mental health issues to specialists. Whether it’s general stress and anxiety, or feelings of depression, it can be hard to know for seafarers what to do and difficult to know who to talk to in such circumstances without proper training and that is why a comprehensive approach is likely to require a coordinated program that includes more developed pre-departure training, engagement with broader group of seafarers’ social surrounding including shipping companies HR & crewmanning agencies, maritime charities, ship visitors, state agencies and seafarers’ family members. Such a system, particularly in the area of pre-departure training, can also be a platform for providing more information about coping and resilience as a way to boost recovery from maritime trauma including maritime piracy. Expanding the content of pre-departure training to include psychoeducation and coping may provide seafarers with tools to increase resiliency not just in the face of piracy, but the other stresses of a maritime career.
