SeafarerHelp Assisted Over 6,400 Seafarers in 2013
ISWAN have just produced the2013 Annual Review for SeafarerHelp. During 2013 the SeafarerHelp team dealt with problems involving over 6,400 seafarers and their families.
There was a35% increase in the number of new cases handled by the SeafarerHelp team, and anincrease of 47% in the number of seafarers assisted compared to the previous year.
The most common problems seafarers faced were upaid wages, problems with repatriation, contractual problems, sub-standard conditions on board and health issues.
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In 2013 the SeafarerHelp team:
- Dealt with 1,257 cases involving 6,473 seafarers and their families
- Helped seafarers of 72 different nationalities calling from 98 different countries
- Had over 36,000 incoming and outgoing contacts by telephone, email, SMS,Live Chat and Skype
- Provided assistance free of charge, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year andoften in the seafarer’s own language.
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Facts & Figures
- Compared to 2012, there was a 35% increase in the number of new cases handled and an increase of 47.5% in the number of seafarers assisted
- On average 3.4 new cases came to the SeafarerHelp team each day
- The average number of seafarers involved in each case was 5.2
- There has been a significant increase in the number of cases coming to the teamfor each of the last three years, and the evidence from the first part of 2014 is thatthis is set to increase further
- In addition to new cases the SeafarerHelp team was working with approximately 250 ongoing cases at any given time
- The most common problems seafarers raised were in relation to unpaid wages, repatriation, contracts, health and seeking employment. It is interesting to note that the first three issues have remained the same for many years
- Of the 72 different nationalities assisted, the largest number were Filipinos, followed by Ukrainians, Indians and Russians
- We were contacted by seafarers from 17 different Commonwealth countries. The largest number were from India, followed by Pakistan, United Kingdom, Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia and Mauritius
- Seafarers from 15 different European Union countries contacted us during the year
- The contacts that we received came from 98 different countries, of which 27 are inThe Commonwealth
- Although many cases involved more than one referral agency, we referred most tothe ITF Inspectors, followed by the ITF Maritime Operations Section, the Mission toSeafarers and the Apostleship of the Sea
- The initial contact to SeafarerHelp was usually by telephone or email; however, theuse of Facebook is increasing and the use of SMS texting is decreasing.
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Further information may be found by reading the 2013 Annual Report
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