New Guides on Wellbeing at sea

The UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency publishes new guides on wellbeing at sea for organisations, leaders and seafarers.

In todays’ current climate, wellbeing has become a joint responsibility between employer and employee, however there are limits to what seafarers can achieve onboard. It’s up to the company to create an environment and culture that keep their crew healthy and safe. Investing in the well-being of their workforce, will help improve health and increase productivity.

Recognising that little guidance existed to support this important matter, a stakeholder group of like-minded shipping organisations was formed to structure and develop this title. The need to have such guidance in the maritime industry was emphatic and provided the motivation and basis to develop this title and the accompanying pocketbook for seafarers.

Topics have been selected including managing organisational culture at sea, as well as covering major physical and mental health issues, for example, obesity, depression and anxiety, diet, hydration, tiredness and fatigue, managing climate conditions, drug use, fitness, relationships, sexuality and the law, bullying and harassment.

To accompany this guidance for organisations, Wellbeing at sea: a pocket guide for seafarers, has also been created to directly address practical issues that seafarers face at sea. Written simply and full of bulleted lists and graphics, this guidance offers solutions to promote physical and mental health at sea. 

The guides have been written by Georgina Robinson and Connie Gehrt from CONOVAH.

The guides are expected to be published by the end of May and can be ordered here.