Synergy group provides tailor-made Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to female seafarers on more than 60 vessels. The gear was designed by textile engineers in conjunction with female seafarers and maritime safety experts.
PPE is of the utmost importance for the safety of seafarers. All personnel must be provided with fitting equipment in order for accidents to be avoided. As shipping strives to be more inclusive, PPE for women must be tailored according to their physique and circumstances. CHIRP’s, Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme, survey in 2019 showed that female seafareres have ill-fitting, inadequate and uncomfortable gear.
Synergy Group, one of the world’s leading ship managers with a diverse fleet of over 540 vessels, is providing new tailor-made Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to its growing number of female seafarers. Synergy, which employs over 20,000 seafarers, commissioned Hercules Safety to manufacture the new gear to the highest specifications.
The PPE was designed by textile engineers in conjunction with female seafarers and maritime safety experts to ensure the final cut maximised comfort and versatility for crew deployed in a maritime work environment where the highest standards of protection are required.
The material consists of 100% soft and durable cotton, with seams reinforced in high stress areas to ensure both safety and comfort over extended periods of time. The PPE is also highly visible with 3M reflective strips designed to maximise visibility in all maritime working environments.
The new Hercules Safety PPE is currently being distributed to all female crew as port rotations allow. The roll-out takes in on over 60 Synergy-managed vessels worldwide on which female seafarers are currently deployed.
These new coveralls are a great fit and super-functional: breathable, weatherproof, lightweight and comfortable. The fabric is suitable and protective for the bridge and for the engine room where it gets hot. It’s also resilient, just like our seafarers; a quality we are happy to celebrate as International Women’s Day draws near.
…said Captain Radhika Menon, winner of the 2016 IMO award for exceptional bravery at sea and a mentor to Synergy’s young female seafarers.
Reshma Murkar, Chief Officer, said the commission of the new PPE sent a positive message about equality to the maritime community. She stated that to be completely work fit, they need the best fit, and that is what they have now.
Third Officer, Noopur Mohire, commented that many seafarer products were designed with only men in mind, rendering them ill-fitting for women. He claimed that the new PPE is very comfortable to wear as female seafarers were consulted during the design process by Hercules Safety.
Synergy’s progressive policies on diversity, inclusivity and equality have enabled women employed by Synergy, as well as the company itself, to grow and prosper. Synergy’s commitment to encouraging women to become seafarers now includes its own Chakra Scholarship which enables 14-15 years old students to begin training to join the maritime industry.
Synergy’s CSR team is also active at major maritime outreach events in India, with Chennai-based SEVALAYA and a municipal school run by Muktangan in Mumbai amongst its NGO partners.
As Captain HS Swaminathan, COO Crew Management of Synergy Group, commented, they want women to at home and safe in their place of work. So they made sure that they have comfortable PPE designed to the highest safety and functional standards.
