Psychosocial effects of the corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine on the living and working environment of seafarers on board
In commercial shipping, men and women generally work under high psychological pressure. A high degree of responsibility for the ship, the cargo and above all for the crew, the constantly increasing demands of the authorities and administration, the special challenges of shipping such as weather conditions and climate, long absences from home and family, daily time shifts, fatigue, loneliness and monotony. In addition, there is the particular psychological stress caused by extraordinary events such as accidents, especially those resulting in death, people overboard, pirate attacks or, more recently, involvement in war.
The psychosocial factors have increased significantly for seafarers with the coronavirus pandemic and, since February of this year, the war in Ukraine. Both crises have a concrete impact on the lives of people on board. This impulse paper, the result of an intensive working and coordination process involving various experts, describes the additional psychosocial stress factors and their sometimes dramatic consequences that have arisen for seafarers as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. It is intended to help reduce the psychosocial stress factors for seafarers in future crises and, if possible, avoid them.
In this paper, the Vocational Training and Social Affairs Working Group of the Standing Technical Committee of the German Nautical Association has divided its discussion of the topic into six sections, each of which is dedicated to a specific aspect. The "Training" aspect, in view of its importance for the future of German shipping, is dealt with in somewhat greater detail. The main impulses are as follows:
Global crew change crisis
We recognise that the pandemic is a difficult time for the global community and understand that governments are primarily focused on the immediate health emergencies. However, this must not be at the expense of seafarers, their health and therefore the safety of ships, our coastal waters and global supply chains. With this in mind, we appeal to the international community to follow the calls of the highest UN bodies and the example of many governments to leave ports open, allow crew changes and exempt seafarers as key workers from restrictions.
Breaches of the duty to provide medical care
We welcome the planned amendments to the MLC, 2006 and call on all port states to implement them in each individual case and to provide seafarers with the medical care they need without delay.
Shore leave
We welcome the great efforts and commitment of the port medical service, the competent authorities, shipping companies, agencies and seafarers' missions to provide seafarers with up-to-date vaccination protection. At the same time, we urge all those responsible in the authorities, shipping companies, agencies and ship's commands to offer their seafarers the opportunity to exercise their right to go ashore whenever and wherever possible.
Internet access on board
We welcome the recommendation on the MLC Convention, which should enable seafarers on board to have unrestricted internet connectivity in future, where this is possible and practicable. We expressly support the recommendation to port states to expand the infrastructure to enable seafarers in port and at anchor to access the internet. If seafarers are charged for this, it should be cost-neutral.
The war in Ukraine
We welcome the great commitment of the many shipping companies and their employees to support their Ukrainian colleagues. Many seafarers and their families have thus been provided with safe accommodation and a new (at least temporary) home. With regard to the situation on board, we recommend minimising the potential for conflict and separating Ukrainian and Russian citizens on board, unless expressly requested otherwise.
Impact of the pandemic on training and young talent
The coronavirus pandemic poses similar challenges for trainees, pupils and students - as well as teachers and others involved in training young people in the maritime sector. However, this analysis has shown that the number of dropouts from studies, school and training is not above the average of recent years. The working group cannot make any significant statements regarding psychosocial stress, as this has hardly been observed. Training on land has been severely affected by the pandemic at times, but not as much as under the conditions at sea. However, no cases have been reported here either, as people are only indirectly involved in seafaring and work on land. According to this analysis, a loss of attractiveness of the maritime professions cannot be recognised either, as many efforts have been made to organise training as well as possible and, as already mentioned above, the drop-out rate is not above the average of recent years. On the contrary, the maritime industry is once again attracting greater public attention, as the supply chains are then highlighted more strongly in the media when problems are to be expected. This is shown by the examples of closed harbours in China. Global trade was invisible for a long time, now it can be recognised again and with it global networking. Perhaps this will also help to further increase the attractiveness of maritime professions
The impulse paper "Psychosocial effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine on the living and working environment of seafarers on board" will be presented to the public on 27 September by Dirk Obermann from the German Seamen's Mission, head of the "Vocational Training and Social Affairs" working group in the Standing Technical Committee of the German Nautical Association. This will take place as part of the 16th Bremen Shipping Congress, which is being organised this year in cooperation with the German Shipping Day. The complete impulse paper is already available on the website of the German Nautical Association and on the website of the German Maritime Congress www.deutscher-schifffahrtstag.de available for free download under the heading "News".
Acknowledgement
The Board of the German Nautical Association would like to thank the experts of the working group in the Standing Expert Committee, headed by Dirk Obermann from the German Seamen's Mission, for preparing the impulse paper.
Contact:
German Nautical Club of 1868 e.V.
Chairman Captain Christian Suhr
Tempowerkring 6
21079 Hamburg
English 
German
0 Kommentare