OneCare Group supports the psychological, physical and professional wellbeing of seafarers through its member companies, Mental Health Support Solutions (MHSS), OneLearn Global, WellAtSea and Marine Medical Solutions.
Mariana Charalambous, Managing Director of MHSS, said that recognizing lived experience is particularly important when considering why some seafarers remain reluctant to seek psychological support.
“Having a mental health service available does not automatically mean somebody will feel comfortable using it,” she comments. “We need to understand the barriers from the seafarer’s perspective: confidentiality, stigma, cultural attitudes, hierarchy onboard or concerns about their career. Listening to those experiences helps us create support that people actually trust and use.”
Gisa Paredes, Managing Director of WellAtSea, added: “Seafarer wellbeing cannot be addressed through generic initiatives. Life at sea creates very specific challenges around sleep, physical activity, nutrition, social connection and maintaining healthy routines over long periods away from home. When we listen to seafarers and understand the pressures they experience every day, we can create practical support that helps healthier behaviours become part of life onboard. That is how we move from simply talking about wellbeing to creating lasting change.”
Training also has an important role in turning seafarer feedback into lasting cultural change.
Capt Sudeep Sequeira, Managing Director at OneLearn Global, said: “Training should never exist simply to satisfy a requirement. Feedback from seafarers can tell us where knowledge gaps exist, where training is not translating effectively into practice and where crews need additional support. Digital learning gives us an opportunity to respond quickly and provide relevant, accessible training wherever a seafarer is.”
Dr Jens Tülsner, CEO of Marine Medical Solutions, added that the same principle should apply to healthcare.
He said: “Seafarers often face barriers to healthcare that people ashore simply do not experience. Understanding what happens when someone becomes unwell onboard, why they may delay seeking assistance and what support they need allows us to build more effective medical pathways. Healthcare at sea must be designed around the realities of the patient.”
Mr. Kokkinis concluded: “World Mental Health Day should not simply be about telling seafarers that it is acceptable to speak. It should be about proving that when they do speak, the industry is listening, and that what they say leads to change.”
