CONNECTING THROUGH THE STORM

The Covid crisis brought opportunities as well as challenges as we adapted our work for the future. Now the Red Sea Crisis has made Ship Connect even more important for crew welfare.

As crews were stuck on ships for many months beyond their contracts while others were unable to board and work as planned, reports of suicide were on the rise and shipping companies were approaching us, greatly concerned about the welfare of their crews.

We launched Ship Connect, a partnership with shipping companies to offer the first virtual proactive support service for seafarers - and it has proved so popular and beneficial it is now a fixed part of our Wellness programme.

Our team makes regular calls to ships to check in with crews, getting to know them and identifying any welfare issues early on. They build relationships with seafarers through confidential group and one-to-one chats and sharing advice on how to deal with common mental health problems.

Through 2022, 2,180 seafarers received proactive mental health support on board their ships through our unique Ship Connect programme

"Seafarers can be very distressed - and in some cases suicidal - by the time they call a helpline. Sadly, we have been made aware of cases where some crew haven't reached out, with tragic consequences. With Ship Connect we can address any challenges they're facing before they spiral out of control, and, if they are struggling, they are more likely to reach out to someone they know and trust."

Johan Smith, Sailors’ Society’s head of wellness

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