Seafarers face the perfect storm when it comes to challenges on their mental health. The face-to-face support of Stella Maris chaplains is often a lifeline.
Find out more in our Life at Sea report.
Life at Sea: Mental health and the human touch
Resource type: Life At Sea Report
Life at Sea 2022: Kindness amid conflict
Less than two months into 2022, the shipping industry was rocked by the outbreak of war in Ukraine. From the start of the war, Stella Maris has been on the ground supporting seafarers and their families facing an unprecedented crisis.
Find out more in our Life at Sea report.
Life at Sea 2021: Light in the darkness
The Centenary Emergency Fund was launched in 2020 to mark 100 years of Stella Maris. The aim: provide crisis support to men and women of the sea. In 2021, the Fund rescued seafarers and families around the world.
Find out more in our Life at Sea Report
Life at Sea 2020: a world in lockdown
We’ve truly seen a humanitarian crisis over the past 18 months. Hardworking men and women of the sea have paid a high price to keep us supplied with food, medical equipment and vaccines during the global coronavirus pandemic.
But our chaplains were there when it mattered. A lifeline in the crisis. As you’ll see in this report, our unique, global network of support wrapped around seafarers everywhere, providing everyday kindness and vital care.
Download the Life at Sea report
Now, as we slowly emerge from this crisis, we must focus on three areas to ensure seafarers are supported in the coming years.
- We must not neglect the vital importance of personal, human connection. One of the cruelties of Covid-19 was that it kept people apart at a time when they most needed support. Our experience in 2020 showed that, while wellbeing apps, programmes and initiatives to support seafarers are good, nothing can replace the face-to-face, everyday friendship and care provided by our chaplains and ship visitors.
- We must build on the strength of our global network. Stella Maris is the world’s largest ship-visiting charity, with more than 1,000 chaplains and volunteers in 334 ports in 60 countries. This global coverage puts us in a unique position to provide sustained support to seafarers as they move from country to country.
- We must grow our Centenary Emergency Fund to ensure no seafarer faces a crisis alone. This special fund, launched in 2020 to mark our 100-year anniversary, will support bereaved or stranded seafarers or help in medical emergencies. By building up this fund now, we can respond rapidly when a crisis occurs.
We have an opportunity today to shape the future for seafarers. We can step up to put welfare first. Together, we can make a profound difference to improve the lives of seafarers and fishers everywhere.
Life at Sea 2018/19
Life at Sea Report 2019: the tip of the iceberg
Over the last year, we helped more seafarers and fishers in crisis than in the previous 12 months. Whether it was hospital visits, dealing with abandoned crews or helping resolve contract issues, we supported seafarers everywhere through some of the toughest times of their lives.
The fact that our crisis caseload increased shows we are making progress. The greater awareness and closer relationships of trust between Stella Maris, seafarers and shipping companies, means that more seafarers are getting vital support, when and where they need it.
But it’s still only the tip of the iceberg.
For every ship’s crew in crisis supported by Stella Maris last year, we believe there were up to 20 crews who needed our help. Perhaps they were too scared to escalate a problem, or maybe they weren’t aware of the support our chaplains provide.
There are two things we can do to reach even more seafarers in crisis with the help they need:
1) We must work together. By working with partners in the industry, including ship managers, owners, P&I clubs and flag states, we can act quickly and effectively to deal with issues. We’ve seen it over the past year; now we need to expand those partnerships.
2) We must raise awareness of the support on offer. Seafarers access the practical, emotional and pastoral care provided by Stella Maris when they have the confidence to seek help. Together, we can raise the profile of the global Stella Maris network – and ensure seafarers see us as a dependable, trusted friend in times of crisis.
Seafarers play a vital role in our global economy and their welfare must be at the heart of the shipping industry. This report shows the impact of working together, and the profound difference we can all make to improve the lives of seafarers and fishermen around the world.