In an exclusive interview to SAFETY4SEA, Dr. Jason Zuidema , General Secretary of the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA) refers to the key drivers of crew happiness, highlighting that seafarers are not alone as there is a network for help to rely on.
Nonetheless, prompt crew change, availability of WiFi, and regular shore leave are vital for people onboard, hence, when it comes to crew welfare, there is need for planning, preparation and related training to show that we care in the best possible way.
SAFETY4SEA: From your perspective, what are currently the key challenges with regards to seafarers’ health and what is your organization’s approach towards?
Jason Zuidema: The pandemic and war in Ukraine have emphasized issues that were already present. A key issue in the last few years that has had an impact on seafarers’ well-being is the uncertainty of when seafarers would get crew change, how they would get a COVID vaccination, and whether they would get a new contract. ICMA member organizations have helped to advocate for more wellness resources, to facilitate COVID-19 vaccinations, and to push for more shore leave.
S4S: What are the key priorities in your agenda for the next five years?
J.Z.: As a network, we are continually adapting our work to meet the needs of seafarers that are not already being met by companies on board and communities back home. Our members have developed digital tools to better communicate with seafarers. A continual key priority is to push for more shore leave, as that is not just a nice-to-have for seafarers, but really important for the mental well-being of seafarers and is protected in the MLC,2006.
S4S: Are you satisfied with industry stakeholders’ response on the crew abandonment cases? Which should be industry’s key priorities towards that issue?
J.Z.: The abandonment of seafarers is a long-standing and terrible problem for seafarers. Though many governments, companies, labour organizations and other NGOs are seeking to find suitable solutions, seafarers are still falling through the cracks. ICMA was present at the IMO-ILO Joint Taskforce meetings on seafarer abandonment at the ILO in Geneva in December 2022. More emphasis on the tools available for port-states to resolve abandonment issues is important.
S4S: How does a happy crew onboard look like? What are the top 5 factors that define crew happiness?
J.Z.: So much of crew happiness is driven by good companies that treat their seafarers with respect and follow what is written in their contracts. One ICMA member, The Mission to Seafarers, puts out the quarterly Seafarers’ Happiness Index. Key drivers of happiness are workload, mental health impacts and the regular stresses of a difficult job. Prompt crew change, availability of WiFi, and regular shore leave all drive crew happiness.
S4S: Have you noticed any trends during the last years and a possible alarming trend for the years to come with respect to seafarer’s health?
J.Z.: One very understandable trend since the beginning of the pandemic has been the limitation of shore leave. We realized when COVID-19 was spreading that shore leave should be limited. That is no longer the case in most places. It is wonderful to see that shore leave is returning, but there are still very common reasons it is not granted. Combined efforts of companies, captain, terminal and port operators result in better availability of shore leave. Though company policy has been the key limiting factor for shore leave in the past year, ports and governments also have a role to play.
S4S: Which best practices would you recommend from your perspective to ensure good mental health onboard?
J.Z.: Many organizations like Sailors’ Society, ISWAN, and the Deutsche Seemannsmission have great programs dealing with Wellness at Sea, Social Interaction Matters and other similar programs. Whether at sea or on land, so much of mental health is wrapped up in our social interaction with others around us. Communicating regularly and spending time with other humans is so important. This is increasingly difficult with smaller crews, but something good ships prioritize.
S4S: What are the next steps/ trends in a post pandemic shipping with regards to seafarers’ wellbeing?
J.Z.: Ship visiting and shore leave need further reinforcement and encouragement. It does not only need to be seafarers’ missions involved in this work, but port terminals have so much to add to this conversation. Also, we watch with great expectation as Internet and WiFi provision becomes more commonplace on ships. This will allow an ever-greater opportunity for seafarers to communicate with others.
S4S: Do you have any projects/ plans that you would like to share with industry stakeholders?
J.Z.: Seafarers’ welfare work takes planning and preparation. This February 2023, we are together in Manila, Philippines with a group of 45 chaplains and ship visitors for our Ahoy! course learning how to better care for Filipino seafarers. This is one of several training courses that we offer our members so that we can care for all seafarers in the best possible way.
S4S: If you could change one thing from your perspective, what this one thing would it be and why?
J.Z.: I would like to see more seafarers have permanent contracts, so that they wouldn’t feel a sense of uncertainty throughout their careers.
S4S: What is your key message to industry stakeholders and people onboard to foster resilience in these challenging times?
J.Z.: You are not alone. There is a network of thousands of ship visitors to speak to and hundreds of seafarers’ centres you can visit if you need assistance. We all rely on the work of seafarers and shipping companies to fill our supermarkets with the essential goods we need. Seafarers can in turn rely on our network for help as needed.
The views presented hereabove are only those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
