THE FIRST event in a series of global wellness conferences for cadets has been lauded as “an overwhelming success” for its turnout of 1600 aspiring seafarers.
More than 96% of the cadets polled at the conference said wellbeing training should be mandatory for maritime students.
The first of the four conferences was tailored to students in India and Sri Lanka. The following three conferences will be targeted to regional audiences in Africa, the Philippines and Greece.
The 2022 conferences are being held in collaboration with maritime schools and are sponsored by global satellite communications company Inmarsat.
Peter Broadhurst, senior vice president safety & regulatory at Inmarsat, said several high-profile incidents including the crew change crisis had drawn attention to the difficulties facing seafarers, such as shore leave and repatriation.
“We recognise that staying connected with friends, family and the outside world is a necessity for seafarer welfare – a fact that is now recognised in the recent amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention – and we continue our efforts towards improving seafarer welfare and connecting crew isolated at sea,” Mr Broadhurst said.
The first conference featured talks from maritime industry and wellness experts who spoke on topics such as being a seafarer in a time of war and staying mentally strong at sea.
The charity said keynote speaker Harjeet Kaur Joshi, former chairwoman of The Shipping Corporation of India, addressed the topic of diversity and women in maritime, commenting, “If women can go to space, they can go to sea”.
Sailor’s Society CEO Sara Baade said cadets told the charity they felt the conference had better prepared them for life at sea.
“Our events equip cadets with the tools to manage their own wellbeing and knowledge of how to access help should they need it, as well as how to support their crew mates,” Ms Baade said.
“Seafaring is an amazing career but presents its own set of unique challenges, so it’s vital that crew wellness is cared for right from the start of their careers.
“These events will equip cadets with the tools and knowledge not only to understand their own but others’ wellbeing, as well as how to access help should they need it.”
