Seafarers working onboard cruise ships and ferries are the unhappiest in the shipping industry, the latest Seafarers Happiness Index report reveals for the second quarter of 2019. Overall, seafarer happiness has slipped this quarter, down to 6.27/10 from 6.31.
Senior leadership from the hospital ship USNS Comfort, along with host, US diplomatic and partner nation representatives attended an opening ceremony to mark the start of the vessel’s medical mission stop in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, on July 23.
Injury or death due to oxygen deficiency is a common hazard in the maritime industry. An oxygen-deficient atmosphere has less than 19.5% available oxygen (O2) and any atmosphere with less than 20.8 % oxygen should not be entered.
Deep sea mining seems to be in the spotlight; Yet, there is no detailed information on its potential impacts. Thus, companies and their investors are supported by governors and programs that are in favour of developing a ‘responsible’ sea bed mining regulations. The report ‘Why the Rush’ supports that deep sea mining will be another weight on the already polluted oceans.
The Panama Maritime Authority issued a marine circular concerning medicine chest and medical equipment, towards the shipping industry, highlighting the importance of seafarers having easy and fast access to medicine, when needed.
The American Club recently experienced an increase in illness claims regarding heat exposure. In order to supply a loss prevention response to this trend, the Club collaborated with Wise Health Inc. Seafarer Outreach to produce guidance to improve seafarers’ awareness of measures to avoid such illnesses. The guidance describes heat-related illnesses, and discusses proactive measures to prevent them.
As the Gard Club informs, seafarers carrying the European Health Insurance Card benefit from access to medical treatment free of charge or at reduced cost in all EU/EEA countries. The European Health Insurance Card presents that seafarers are members of the national health insurance scheme in their respective home countries and makes it more easy to access healthcare services during temporary visits abroad.
Greenpeace launched ‘In Deep Water’ report to highlight the fatal impacts deep sea mining has in the marine environment. Deep sea mining is severe and potentially irreversible to environmental health, both at the mine sites and beyond. The deep ocean’s biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is barely understood and robust risk mitigation is not possible.
As part of its Crew Health Advice series, the UK Club issued guidance for sepsis, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition which is caused by the body’s overreaction to an infection, and affects the organs and tissues, leading even to death.
British seafarer welfare charity Mission to Seafarers announced the launch of its new WeCare Social Communications and Financial Literacy training programme, a training initiative aiming to address rising levels of stress among seafarers brought on by financial pressures and the misuse of social networking platforms.
