Maritime charity column: charting a steady course for seafarer welfare by SHS CEO Sandra Welch

The Seafarers Hospital Society is renewing its commitment to seafarer welfare during a time of change for the industry, writes the charity's CEO Sandra Welch

2024 has seen significant changes at the Seafarers Hospital Society – not least, saying farewell to our historic Greenwich home. However, our commitment to the health and welfare needs of seafarers remains unwavering.

Collaboration remains central to our work. From supporting the SeaFit Programme with Trinity House, to working with the Fishermen's Mission and NHS partners to take high-quality health and welfare services to coastal communities, and our Fishing for Better Health initiative – a free GP clinic delivered at the quayside in partnership with the Fishermen's Mission and Compass House Medical Centre.

We continue to work with the Merchant Navy Welfare Board to improve the psychological health of seafarers, partnering with online services such as Togetherall, as well as with face-to-face counsellors in Cornwall and Suffolk.

Our welfare grants have been vital in these testing times, with £59,162.58 awarded to seafarers and their dependants this year, while our UK-wide physiotherapy network works with over 150 practitioners to provide free, fast-track physiotherapy treatment to seafarers.

Shipping's decarbonisation and a move towards greener fuels will have a profound impact on the design of ships and the working lives of seafarers. With academics, health professionals and industry stakeholders, we've developed a series of low-impact, cost-effective and viable measures that will help facilitate a culture of care throughout the shipping industry.

This incremental four stage toolkit of key performance indicators will encourage companies to progress beyond a basic level of compliance with relevant aspects of the ILO's Maritime Labour Convention, to a level of best practice in which they go above and beyond to implement policies which safeguard and promote seafarer health and wellbeing. 

In the second half of 2024, we look forward to launching an exciting new project – catering specifically towards the health and welfare needs of female seafarers, which are all too often overlooked at sea – while pledging to continue our mission to be a force for change on behalf of all seafarers.

The Maritime Charity Column is a regular feature in the Nautilus Telegraph. Submissions are invited from a range of organisations by the Telegraph editor.