Triton 2025 - Magazine - Page 9
PANEL DISCUSSION
Powerful
messages
of struggles
at sea
Seafarer wellbeing depends on good
leadership, healthy food, regular exercise,
security and an onboard environment in
which they feel safe to speak up. However,
while employers can provide the framework,
seafarers must also play their part.
The maritime industry has long understood that the
wellbeing of seafarers is vital – but it has not necessarily
understood why. “Now ship owners and managers are
moving beyond simply acknowledging the issue and
are implementing best practices that support seafarers’
resilience and foster a psychologically safe atmosphere,”
said Phil Parry, Chairman of Spinnaker Global.
“We now know that companies that take proactive measures
to support their crew can expect improvements in morale,
retention and safety performance. It is not just the right thing
to do, but good for business as well.”
Each of 昀椀ve speakers presented their individual perspectives
on seafarer wellbeing and mental health: Simon Grainge,
CEO of ISWAN; Tim Ponath, CEO of NSB Group; Captain
Ann Pletschke; Professor Neil Greenberg of King’s College
London; and Charles Watkins, CEO of MHSS.
The harsh end
All had powerful messages but Capt Pletschke’s very
personal account of life at sea and the struggles she had
encountered were particularly hard-hitting.
Describing the ‘harsh end of what happens at sea’, she
described cases of seafarers being on ships for three years
straight, sharing cabins, without internet connections and
not able to go home. Many seafarers don’t return home for
two years and don’t even get shore leave in that time, she
said.
Pletschke said she had masked her own mental health
struggles for the 25 years. She described ‘wandering hands’
and assaults and said: “The age-old challenges to seafarer
wellness are bullying, fatigue and isolation. Outside the cabin
bulkheads, I probably didn’t seem too distressed; seafarers
are generally good at masking. But we all have our baggage
that we carry around.”
Seafarers who have struggled can have empathy and
understanding for others: “Many of us have experienced
trauma and dif昀椀culties and struggles but are perfectly safe
and competent professionals.”
Describing the additional pressure on masters, and how
weeks of working six hours on/off watch can be punctuated
by nightmares or a struggle to get to sleep, she questioned
the ef昀椀cacy of PEME screenings. While the mental health
questions are designed to identify those who are un昀椀t to sail,
in fact there is a danger that they will disqualify those who,
through their own experiences, are best placed to empathise
with and support seafarers facing distressing situations at
sea. She emphasised that what can be seen as weakness in
fact translates into a greater understanding of the challenges
faced by crew.
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