Posted on: 23 April 2020
We are facing unprecedented worldwide lockdown and severe travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Several thousand seafarers have been asked to extend their contracts beyond their usual tour of duty.
Kunal Pathak, Loss Prevention Manager in Gard’s Singapore office, writes about maintaining the mental wellness of the seafarers during the current challenging times. Kunal is a Master Mariner and has particular insight into life at sea as he sailed for twelve years on oil tankers and bulk carriers.
Seafarers are no strangers to confinements. At times seafarers stay on board for their entire contract period with little to no possibility of shore leave. With very few crew members on board, the seafarers run a fully functional township making their own power, water, food, managing routine near misses and sometimes dealing with full-blown crises.
Life at sea requires mental resilience which most seafarers learn and get better at with experience. Every seafarer has his or her own coping mechanisms to deal with feelings of anxiety, loneliness, helplessness and depression. Seafarers just don’t talk about it because they have never been asked. It is only when their coping mechanisms are stressed beyond the breaking point we see cases of nervous breakdowns and mental illnesses being reported to our People Claims team.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented another crisis. A rather lasting crisis, which is already showing an impact on the mental health of the seafarers, not only during their time on board the vessel, but also after their signoff. It does not have to be this way. This Insight is the fourth in our series focusing on seafarers’ mental health. The aim is to provide time tested psychological tools that can help seafarers, in collaboration with their managers ashore, to sustain mental health through these testing times.
Seafarers and their loved ones
A seafarer’s mental fatigue or stress is a direct result of the environment that he or she operates in. Traumatic events, from natural disasters to war, can damage mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic is no different. It has created huge uncertainty about every aspect of life. Like so many of us, seafarers fear for their own safety and also the safety of family and friends but those working aboard ships must endure these fears separated from their loved ones back at home.
I recently interviewed a seafarer who is currently on board a vessel. His contract was extended by three months and thereafter there was no further communication from the crewing managers. The seafarer had been on board for over ten months and the vessel is calling ports which have high COVID-19 infection rates. The seafarers on board his vessel were worried about their own health and equally anxious about the health of their families at home where the country is under strict lockdown.
I also talked to the spouse of another seafarer who was asked to extend his contract. His wife’s response was inspiring.
“At first when this news about restrictions on crew repatriation was released, I panicked. Our country had just imposed a nationwide lockdown and there was no way my husband could have returned home from the ship. I tried contacting the crewing managers and I received very vague and indifferent responses.
The panic from this news was my first reaction which lasted for about 24 hours. Thereafter, I started focussing my attention on what I can control. I have small kids and elders to take care of at home and I had to shift my focus from problems to solutions. My second response to the situation was more measured and it is helping me manage my home, and more importantly my thoughts.”
When asked about what advice she would give to other spouses who are facing a similar situation, she responded: “We need to learn to help ourselves first before we can offer help or advise to others. Once this situation normalises, and it will normalise, we will know the people who we truly value the most.”
Follow this link to read the article in full.
