When IMarEST ran its annual membership survey earlier this year, mental health stood out as a top priority for the next three years. There is a growing recognition that seafarers' mental health and wellbeing needs to be improved.

The Covid-19 crisis was especially trying for seafarers. A Lloyd's Register survey in June 2020 – soon after the first peak of the pandemic – revealed that they felt undervalued in their roles, unhappy, in poor spirits, and unable to focus on their work.

While many others in different sectors shared similar feelings and concerns, seafarers faced a somewhat unique challenge that likely added to their poor wellbeing. Unable to leave the ship due to restrictions, a third of respondents at sea during the survey were on ‘Covid-19 extended contracts’, pushing the total time they had spent on board without time ashore beyond the 11-month limit set by the Maritime Labour Convention. As a result, by June 2020, some reported they had been stuck on board for longer than 17 months.

Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a heightened focus on the mental health and wellbeing of seafarers. In 2021, IMarEST hosted the 1st Global Conference for Seafarer Mental Health & Wellbeing, which brought a range of stakeholders together to discuss practical solutions. The Seafarer Mental Health and Wellbeing Special Interest Group was also launched in the aftermath of the pandemic.

However, as the conference and SIG highlight, seafarer mental health issues aren’t purely a Covid-19 phenomenon. In 2017, a Seafarers International Research Centre report on changes in seafarer health noted reductions in sleep quality, mental health, and a possible increase in psychiatric disorders between 2011 and 2016. In 2019, IOSH, a UK-based chartered body for safety and health professionals, presented evidence that recent-onset anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion, and burnout were all on the rise amongst seafarers.
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