News: CHIRP Maritime COVID-19 update – Seafarer Health and Wellbeing

The world is in lockdown during this unprecedented global health crisis. Over 180 countries have reported incidents of COVID-19 infection and are at war with an invisible enemy, the coronavirus. The shipping industry is not immune, with both seafarers and shoreside personnel impacted in their day to day lives with imminent lockdown and social distancing measures. Such an impact on individuals’ routines can be devastating to mental health.

CHIRP Maritime have recognised the impact COVID-19 has made to seafarers navigating their way through the day-to-day challenges of work and life at sea in a world pandemic. The following informative articles have been produced by ‘CHIRP Maritime’.

Trapped by COVID-19 - this article highlights the logistical and emotional challenges of lockdown as a result of government measures to tackle the spread of COVID-19. The article addresses what companies can make available to seafarers to tackle isolation and feeling ‘trapped onboard’. The article also highlights risk assessment recommendations operators should take when changing crew.

Focus on Seafarer Wellbeing During COVID-19 Pandemic - this article addresses the impact of fatigue and the risk associated to elevated levels of stress due to industry work demands. The article highlights the impact of COVID-19 on physical, emotional, cognitive and quantitative demands on a seafarer and most significantly, provides recommendations to operators and those involved in wellbeing of various support measures to remedy concerns seafarers experience.

COVID-19 General Advice to Masters and Crew - this article supports seafarers with proactive measures that can be introduced to reduce the risk of outbreak and spread of COVID-19 onboard, these include: 

• crew change planning in line with World Health Organisation travel advice
• when and how to seek help onboard if symptoms appear
• management of suspected coronavirus outbreak onboard
• measures to take when going into port

Further information can be found on CHIRP Maritime website.

Categories: COVID-19, Loss Prevention