MarTrust, a subsidiary of Marcura, and the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) have announced a partnership aimed at enhancing mental health and financial wellbeing support for the maritime workforce, which includes over 150,000 seafarers globally. ISWAN is a non-profit organization that provides 24/7 helplines and various welfare resources for seafarers and their families.
The collaboration focuses on increasing awareness and access to critical support services in the maritime sector. To kick off the partnership, MarTrust has made a financial contribution to ISWAN, which will aid in the development of welfare and outreach initiatives, including a new Power BI Dashboard. This dashboard will aggregate data from ISWAN’s helplines, identifying pressing wellbeing themes such as financial challenges, fatigue, isolation, and contractual issues. By leveraging this data, shipowners and managers can gain insights into the specific pressures faced by their crews and implement proactive measures to enhance support.
Many seafarers face considerable challenges, particularly due to long durations at sea, which limit their connectivity and awareness of available help. This issue is especially prevalent among younger crew members, who often seek support through digital means. In response, ISWAN’s resources will be integrated into the MarTrust crew app, providing seafarers with easy access to guidance and support options.
This partnership is seen as crucial for addressing both emotional and practical issues faced by seafarers. ISWAN’s CEO, Simon Grainge, pointed out that while the organization receives approximately 450 new contacts monthly, this figure represents just a fraction of those in need. The collaboration aims to expand reach and connect more crew members to essential support when they need it most.
Financial anxiety is a significant source of stress both onboard and at home, according to Stuart Gregory, CEO of MarTrust. By joining forces with ISWAN, MarTrust aims to link seafarers to trusted support, thereby alleviating some of the daily stresses experienced at sea. This initiative combines MarTrust’s digital platform with ISWAN’s expertise to create meaningful improvements in seafarer wellbeing on a global scale.
Both organizations view this partnership as the foundation for ongoing collaboration. Beyond the immediate integration of welfare resources, they plan to explore methods to raise awareness of crew welfare support, co-develop future digital tools, and foster increased industry engagement through shared data insights. This long-term collaboration seeks to adapt and respond to the evolving needs of the maritime workforce to ensure comprehensive wellbeing support is accessible to all seafarers.
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