Crew Welfare – Is It Enough?

“The Pessimist complains about the wind; the Optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails” –
William Arthur Ward

A calm blue ocean, a beautiful sunrise and dolphins near Bulbous Bow – isn’t it the cinematic image a mariner would have imagined before stepping into the chaos of the mariner’s life? In the quote above, the author William Arthur Ward has brought out the reality of the need to adjust the sails with the evolving work culture of our ships. The quote further reflects the lives of every mariner who faces countless challenges at sea. Our mariners have dedicated their lives to the fulfillment of the needs of the world. However, one question persists: are we doing enough for Crew Welfare?

Let me start by highlighting the exceptional standards of my company, Marshal Ship Management, which stands at the forefront of crew welfare in the maritime industry. Marshal Ship Management is dedicated to providing outstanding welfare services, setting a benchmark for others to follow. The company ensures fast, reliable internet connectivity available 24/7, comprehensive health insurance, and exceptional accommodation and food quality. Each ship is outfitted with an array of recreational facilities, including video games, indoor games, a multi-facility gym, and TVs, ensuring a comfortable and engaging environment for the crew. Safety is a top priority, with rigorous measures in place to protect everyone on board, and the Marshal Welfare Team diligently monitors welfare standards on a monthly basis.

In contrast, the global scenario for crew welfare varies significantly. Some other companies do not offer the same level of comprehensive support and amenities, highlighting the disparity in standards across the industry. While some companies may provide basic services, the holistic approach of Marshal Ship Management sets it apart, demonstrating a commitment to not only meeting but exceeding industry norms. This distinction underscores the need for a broader, more unified approach to crew welfare in the maritime sector, ensuring that high standards are universally adopted for the benefit of all seafarers.

The 70-80-90-100 rule defines the importance of Mariners to this world. About 70 percent of the world is covered by ocean, 80 percent of the world’s population lives on the coastlines, 90 percent of the world’s trade routes through oceans and almost 100 percent of the communication lines are resting on the seabed. About 1.89 million mariners serve on the enormous number of approximately 55,000 vessels across the world.

Despite the significant contribution of our men and women at sea, their challenges are often neglected. The unforgiving nature of the seas, the safety hazards, the risk from piracy and the everchanging geopolitical scenario of the world are the external factors that have augmented the disheartenment amongst our crew. It is indeed an apt time and opportunity to identify these issues and to instill welfare measures.

It is also essential for us to understand the internal issues and challenges faced by our crew to comprehend the ground-zero issues affecting our men and women at sea. A few of the problems and difficulties are enumerated below: –

We must have a multifaceted approach to address the issues faced by the seafarers, including further augmentation of the existing regulations, strict enforcement, and ‘listening’ to the needs of the seafarers. Before we answer the question ‘Crew Welfare – Is it enough?’, let us glimpse the existing regulations and welfare measures.

The concept of Crew Welfare is not a new term in the maritime history. There have been traces of various measures, though rudimentary, throughout history. While a few were as elementary as ‘piping liberty’ and having ‘make and mend routine,’ others were stringent company policies.

In 2010, an international treaty was adopted to ensure a decent work environment for seafarers – The Maritime Labor Convention (MLC). The adoption of MLC is considered an essential step towards crew welfare. MLC enacted regulations for minimum age, living conditions, ‘Work and Rest Hours,’ ‘Overtime Employment,’ and employment agreements. The convention also provides an enforcement mechanism allowing the Port State Control to inspect the ship to ascertain that the rules and regulations contained in the conventions are instituted onboard. The convention also established a grievance procedure for the mariners to raise their concerns and report rights violations.

Though the MLC was brought into force to enhance and augment crew welfare and living conditions, numerous challenges are faced in implementing the regulations contained in the MLC. Understanding the rules and enforcement of the same onboard ships varies from nation to nation and depends on the nation’s political will. Though the provision of inspection of vessels exists, the thoroughness of the inspection varies with state authorities.

The implementation of regulations is also affected by the ship’s financial constraints, especially by smaller companies. It is difficult for small boats to implement this regulation, particularly concerning habitability. In addition, there is also a gap in the information concerning the enforcement of these regulations onboard ships. The lack of a robust mechanism to handle the complaints and grievances of the seafarers makes MLC lose its objective

The answer to the question can never be a straightforward yes or no. The complexity of implementing MLC and the dynamic factors that adversely affect seafarers’ living make crew welfare food for thought for every Master.

While the enforcement of regulations with respect to minimum age, habitability and contractual aspects rests with the Flag States and the Companies, a lot can be done onboard a ship. We must endeavor to ensure crew welfare while at the same time ensuring operational efficiency and safety of the vessel.

Simple measures such as ensuring adequate rest periods and enhancing the work-life balance of the crew can transform the crew into a professional and efficient one. While the habitability aspect of the ship, viz space constraints, cannot be addressed, we can ensure better facilities for the crew. The master must emphasize keeping the crew quarters clean and well-lit and provide privacy and personal space for the crew.

“The army marches on the stomach.” The same is true for mariners as well. Though the crew may be of mixed nationalities, an endeavor must be made to provide adequate and healthy food that meets all taste requirements. A well-behaved and talented Chief Cook onboard can make a ship’s life much easier for all his shipmates. We can also ensure the availability of gymnasium equipment, a library and other recreational facilities that can aid our crew to cope with loneliness and depression. Mental health is as important as physical health. We must identify persons with depression and pay adequate attention. The officers of the ship can play an essential role in this aspect. The master and officers must steer all attempts to dismiss thestigma attached to word mental health. The crew must be encouraged to discuss issues they face either amongst themselves or with officers, if not the Master. A simple act of listening to someone can sometimes save a life.

As William Arthur Ward said, we can either cry about the inadequacy of welfare measures for our crew and blame our companies, wait for a change in the company to get better welfare facilities or be the change ourselves.

Addressing our crew’s challenges will require a coordinated and concentrated effort from the owners, ILO, flag states, and seafarers. The existing welfare measures onboard our ship may not meet our expectations. But it does not relieve us of our responsibility to ensure a better work environment for our men and women onboard. A small step can impact the morale of our crew.

To conclude, there has been a significant improvement in the welfare measures onboard ships, yet there are miles to go in this aspect. The contribution of mariners and seafarers to the world economy cannot be overstated. The welfare of our crew, therefore, must be our top priority.

This article is written by 3^rd Officer, Gopi Krishnan R, and was the First Prize Winner as part of the World Maritime Day 2024 Essay Competition onboard our vessels.