The International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) has shared insights into the mental health challenges seafarers are reporting to its helplines, following a number of calls reporting abuse and harassment at sea.

Among those who contacted SeafarerHelp with mental health issues at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, being stranded on board for long periods of time was a key factor for 39% of seafarers, while 14% said they were suffering from fatigue.

Simon Grainge, chief executive of ISWAN, commented, “The pandemic brought the issue of seafarers’ mental health into sharp focus, and whilst the challenge of COVID-19 might be fading in our memories, the mental wellbeing of seafarers remains a concern.”

While the proportion of messages to SeafarerHelp linking mental health with fatigue has declined since 2020, another mental health challenge has emerged as a significant problem. In 2022, 15% of all seafarers contacting SeafarerHelp with mental health issues reported experiences of abuse, bullying, harassment or discrimination, up from 8% in 2021.

Grainge continued, “Seafarers are just as susceptible to the impacts of abuse, bullying, harassment and discrimination as the rest of us, but they face the additional challenge of experiencing these in an environment which serves as both their workplace and their home, often for long periods of time.”

SeafarerHelp has received multiple calls from junior crew being bullied, threatened and…